The Birth of Your Book Baby is a Triumph, but Remember it Takes Time to get Baby to Share and Speak to Someone! Part One.

In the Beginning… There was an Idea… 2000

Once upon a time there was a story that banged around in a writer’s head for years. For simplicity, we’ll call said writer, Faye. She visualized the story, wrote lines in her head, chatted with the main characters, and drew on personal knowledge and experience to make the story believable and readable.

Faye, the non-writer, lived life and continued to pay attention to the goings-on around her. She worked full-time in the real world and embraced life as it continued. There were babies born, weddings to celebrate, and elderly parents to care for. Life brought travel, illness, and tests of fortitude, but still the story knocked hard on the inside of her heard waiting to get out.

Now, writing well, is not an art form that simply appears out of thin air. There is a learning curve. There are lessons to be practiced, books to be read, and stories to develop. Faye decided to start small with freelance articles and a weekly column. Okay, maybe it wasn’t that small, but it wasn’t a novel.

She knew there was an intrinsic talent within her but she also accepted the fact that there was much to learn. Reading was her first go-to. Faye read everything she could about writing and it’s intricacies–it didn’t always make sense though. She read books by authors she liked and didn’t like so much–trying to decide what the difference between the styles. She attended a conference where like-mind individuals roamed around starry eyed and anxious to please. Recharged with an energy like no other, she returned home to begin her book.

It was November 01, 2014…

It was now time for that story to make its way out of her brain and onto the page.

Everyday, she wrote non-stop. The story and characters took shape and the images that had rebounded for years, were finding a home on the page. A phone call on November 14 shut it all down as her mom died and other priorities called.

While writing happens, the rest of the world continues on. A writer can be caught between worlds of imagination and truth. What happens though is that they intersect and enter the other realm. This means that every door is open, the imagination is the black hole to climb through, and it’s okay when the two become one because it brings you back home.

Home is a good place. It’s grounding.

Now What….?

As a writer (which she now called herself), Faye moved forward in life after the death of her mom. There was no other choice but the writing got put on the back burner and didn’t receive much attention. A reconciliation would happen sooner or later, she was sure, but in the mean time she searched the world.

Intellectually, she knew life carried the secret to continuing. She started to take a notebook and pen with her everywhere. Whether stuffed in her pocket or purse, it was never far away. A trip to the dollar store was like being in a candy store…all the pretty shiny covers that called her name. Sigh….

Ideas were quickly jotted down. Perhaps an interesting name or location was scribbled in the margin, or a business card or crumpled napkin got shoved into the tight pages of the back. It was hers alone.

The world opened with its bounty of characters. All so unique and fascinating on their own, but married with Faye’s imagination, the they came alive. There was a non-stop parade of stories and inspirational muses who continued to deliver but then something happened. She made a conscious choice to return to the first story and complete it.

April 30, 2015….

A book was born. A time of celebration and jubilation….

But Wait…

The book baby needed nurturing and tending to… It was a bit of a mess and though Faye didn’t know a lot (or anything for that matter) about the publishing world, she knew she needed to dive into some deep edits. An editor friend offered to read it for a small fee and talked about the rookie mistakes.

SideNote: I will tell you that my friendship with an Editor came about by joining a writing group within my community. I didn’t know until later that she was a professional editor. I took this as a sign and gift from the universe. You’d be surprised how many people are willing to help.

And so, the work started in earnest. Spelling, grammar, and structure were tidied and tightened. People read it and reported back with positive vibes. So now what?

This was a true game changer. The manuscript took on more depth and personality as it morphed and changed. Fayes’ Book Baby was growing up.

That’s really the question, isn’t it? A writer wants their book baby to be accepted by the world. To love it as much as they do. Can this ever happen?

Faye seriously had her doubts.

But she shouldn’t have. There comes a point when you need to trust your gut and go with it. Faye liked what she wrote. She seriously thought it was well-done. A friend who self published dozen of books also thought it was well-done. So she needed to believe.

Don’t ever stop believing in yourself and your ability as a writer. Faye didn’t.

As we all grow in our craft and priorities shift, life continues to happen.

That book book baby born at the end of April 2015, is now a teen that doesn’t resemble that chubby little first book at all. And I mean AT ALL. It’s all really very sad how some things happen and the story of Faye’s wee book baby is a story worth reading.

To Be Continued…

Stay Tuned to My Twisted Writer Brain….

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