Honestly, I think I might have titled this post wrong. I was thinking about how I go about making a book and writing is the least of my worries. (I’ve always had way too much to say.) Nope, I struggle with all the other bits! I spend most of my time editing- which includes reading my manuscript over 10 times forwards, backwards, mixed up, and I might even try sideways next time! It’s all done so I can catch mistakes. There is also the book design, the layout, the illustratIons, marketing, idea generating, etc. I sometimes feel as if I have given birth when I have finally finished!
I try to always be on the lookout for ideas- they can come at the strangest times. My Moleskine journal helps me to keep track of them and remember them. Then I write, whenever and wherever I can. My favorite place is in bed, my favorite time is on the weekend where I have lots of time. A basket by my bed holds my writing folders with my works in progress.
When I’m writing it is mentally very hard work. I have to take breaks and do other things sometimes. I always want to be in the mood of my story, and to focus on the tone as well as the atmosphere.
After the writing is done I spend loads of time editing. Sometimes things have to be rewritten or changed during edits. sometimes I have to start all over. Mostly, I have to take out all the common sayings and excess adverbs I seem to be so fond of using!
There is also the problem of conversation, and how to write it naturally. I struggle with this! I found a good way for me to get practice, is by typing other author’s books. I know this sounds weird, but it sort of helps train me to format correctly, and to stay in the flow of conversation and not get hung up on a bunch of superfluous adverbs. I typed Betty K. Erwin’s sequel to “Go to the Room of the Eyes” into word from a copy of her manuscript and it helped immensly! It was called “The Happy Room and the Psychic Investigator.”
After the edit comes the work of putting the whole book together, dong the illustrations, scanning them, adjusting them, formatting everything, numbering, contents, titles, cover, back cover, it just seems to go on and on until- one day you have a book!
Then you have to market it! Friends and family are so kind and usually buy copies, but you have to reach other people do either with blog posts, art fairs, social media or local bookstores. The book, if I did a good job with all the things I talked about will sell, and will usually do well.
Then, you think to yourself, hey, I need to write another book! Oh no! Here we go again!
Life on Kansas Street 