Photo (above) by Nick Morrison on Unsplash             

                                          The Art of Writing

 

So how easy do I find it to write? Often I find the writing part is, for me, the easiest. It's everything else that usually needs to be done to bring a book to the publishing and selling stage that is more difficult. The first obstacle I found in my first book was having to restrict my words-I love to write and I really love words. So having to cut down a story to sometimes half its length often makes me feel that I've lost something important. BUT it does help you focus on what words you want in your story.

Once I had those words nailed down I looked for an editor. Someone who could look at my story without that inner passion for it, someone who could cast an independent eye on my work-and boy did I need that external voice. My editor is absolutely lovely and really helpful and I find her developmental comments so useful. Do I follow them all? Well no, I don't BUT I do read what she has to say carefully and will usually follow her suggestions as they are sound.

Words finalised, story more or less set and its off to an illustrator. Now this is weird for me because I love to draw and paint but just don't have the confidence to do my own illustrations. I wish I did as this part can be costly; but I wanted someone with experience and didn't feel that cutting costs for this was a shrewd move-but that's for me of course, other people do things differently I know.

With my first book I was so excited that at this stage I could hardly contain myself but I had really written it for my grandson so didn't know if I wanted to market it. So I kind of did a bit but decided I would start on Bookvault and then find my way. So yes I did some marketing on Facebook and Instagram and yes I started this website and a new Facebook page but really this is my area for growth.

So as I write more stories I want to remember what this was all about. It wasn't about publishing, it wasn't about putting myself 'out there', it was, and always will be, about my love of reading and writing stories for others to share, but especially my own children and grandchildren.

Karen