Full Steam Ahead...

Ok talk is cheap - but money buys whisky!
In other words all the above is great but now that you've got your design, a working prototype, a deliverable schedule and people on board who will pay you real money - it's time to start delivering...

This section is quite easy - just follow your schedule, hit the milestones (as close as possible) and keep ploughing on till the job is done, and as Winston Churchill often said "Never give up, Never never give up!"

One word of advice about milestones, schedules and publishers. Publishers generally like to be kept in the loop especially where deadlines are concerned and everyone slips and misses a deadline from time to time. The key thing is to let your investors know as soon as possible that your going to slip, don't try and hide the fact or cover it up (they'll find out sooner or later anyway) and they'll apreciate your honesty, especially if they can see your working extra hard to make up for lost time and getting the project back on schedule. Obviously some deadlines are unmissable (often the run up to events like E3) - make sure you plan for these well in advance so any potential problems can be recognised as soon as possible or else you'll risk burnout through excessive "crunch time".