Enjoying the process
Maybe I’m in denial or I’m just rushing things, but I feel overwhelmed about the duration of the revision and illustrating process of my first children’s book. Yes, it’s true; I tend to rush through things once I become excited and then lose the excitement somewhere in the process. Has that happened? This summer my editor recently completed another round of revisions of the story which is the ninth revision by the way. She has literally transformed my bullying story into a mini-movie. Am I upset, frustrated, or grateful you may wonder? I’m extremely grateful for my editor, yet somewhat frustrated that it has taken so long to revise the story because I thought it would be completed by now. Although I’m not afraid of the revision process, it is duly wearisome; especially when I think the story is great the way it is and I don’t want to stray too far from the original concept.
Previously, I selected Author House to assist with self-publishing the children’s book because we shared a similar vision for the project. I do not regret my decision. I think I’ve mentioned this before…my illustrator is talented and awesome. My only issue with him is he has additional projects so he can’t dedicate his ‘all’ to my illustrations. When the book is finally completed, everyone will be in awe of the illustrations because he is a seasoned underground artist. I’m proud of him and honored to have him working with me on this project. A colleague emailed me recently and said I should enjoy the entire writing process. Is that too much to ask at this point? What’s your take?
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Dear Karen,
Congratulations on your progress. Perhaps if you’ve got all your proofing for the picture book you are publishing and waiting for the illustrator to finish, you can write a sequel to the first story; write a different story; write a memoir of how things went in your mind from the beginning of the project to the end.
Make a list of 10 reasons you are thankful.
Make a list of 10 things you can do not related to writing to help you pass the time. Go somewhere in town and visit a park, museum, or a landmark.
List 20 reasons why you love to write.
List 20 reasons why you should be patient.
List 10 reasons why this illustrator is great for your book.
Good luck with your book and your writing!
Never Give Up
Joan Y. Edwards
Hi Melanie,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and the much needed encouragement. I appreciate it!
The rewriting process can become quite tedious, Karen, and frustrating – you’re not alone! But it is always a good idea after each rewrite to put your novel aside for a few weeks or even months, then when you come back to it, you will be fresh and be able to see things more clearly each time. It can seem endless, but the result is worth the patience and effort. Looking forward to your debut release! Be sure to let us know when it’s ready so we can issue a new release notice.