Timothy J. Pruitt's Blog, page 136

Sketch Han Solo

Writing The Cover

Writing the cover of your book, sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? You would expect me to say design, or even draw the cover. The truth is, the cover should always be connected to the content of the words. This doesn’t mean it has to reflect every detail, but people should be able to mentally make the connection between the cover and the content, especially after reading the book.

Right now, you are in the final writing stages of your book, so it’s not too early to start daydreaming about the finished product. Many times you can’t help it, and while it’s too early to edit, the cover is a good thing to mull over. You’re not making any final decisions, just beginning to gather ideas.

I do want to clarify one thing, some covers of my books are based on scenes from the book, and a few may simply be a patterned cover. The pattern isn’t intrinsically in the book, but the pattern would not confuse the reader. For example, a book that I recently published on the book of Revelation used a simple pattern cover. Some subject matter isn’t conducive for an illustrated cover, but the cover chosen should line up with the theme of the book.

If choosing to have an illustrated cover, the possibilities are numerous, and too many to cover here except to say this. The artwork chosen will be associated with the book for some time. While you can reissue a book, or repackage it, if successful that first edition will come up again. Make sure that you don’t settle on the cover, that it’s something you truly like. If not, I’d recommend using a simpler cover rather than settling on something you were not sure about.

I do recommend being open to input, suggestion, and even the possibility that someone else may be more objective concerning it. At the end of the day, it does not have to be your idea to be the right idea. It does have to be an idea that you are comfortable with, as you may continue to see this artwork for the rest of the life of the book.

Tomorrow let’s talk a little about the back cover of the book. For today, I would leave you with this thought. Think of your favorite book, what image immediately comes to mind? Chances are, it’s the cover from the edition you first read. That’s how important your cover is, associating the artwork with the content, the author, and the reader’s memory. For this reason you need to put thought into writing the cover.

iPainting Walt E Disney

Growing up I remember the Wonderful World Of Disney, and a man who seemed to be Uncle Walt to so many. I admire men like Walt E Disney, Jim Henson, Mr Rogers, and Bob Ross, because they sought to make people smile. At the core of what they did, was that smile. Yes it built businesses, theme parks, and industries, but it all went back to making a child smile. That still makes me smile today.

Writing The Last Chapter

With this being the last full week of Nanowrimo, or National Novel Writing Month, many will be beginning writing the last chapter of their book. There are a few things that you will want to do when completing your last chapter. I’d like to share three of them with you today.

First, while you are going to start editing a few days after writing the rough draft, while writing ask yourself this question. “Did I say what I wanted to say when I started this project?” Meaning did you share the information you planned too, tell the story you intended, and answer the questions you put forth.

If not, it’s not too late, that’s why it’s a rough draft. I can guarantee you, when editing you’ll find things you want to change. While writing the last chapter though, asking yourselves these questions can make the editing easier.

Second, it’s not too late to start thinking about your last paragraphs. You may not be ready to write them, but it’s good to start allowing the ideas to percolate this close to the end. The last paragraph is not as important as the first paragraph, but it’s a close second.

Third, take your time, and enjoy the accomplishment. Do not be in such a hurry to finish the book and begin editing, that you overlook where you are. You are writing the last chapter of your book, perhaps your first book. This is a time you may have dreamed of for years, many are still dreaming of accomplishing what you already have now. Take some time, and enjoy the moment.

Doing these three things will not only help in writing the last chapter of your book, it will help in the enjoyment and appreciation of it as well. Soon you will have reached a new stage of writing a book. You have went from the dreamer’s stage or I want to write a book, to the active stage of writing a book, to the corporal stage of completing your first book. Writing the last chapter is something that no one can take from you, so take your time and enjoy the rest of the ride.

Sketch Recipe For Thanksgiving

The savory and the sweet have been bought in preparation for the big day. We will talk to family, see loved ones, and give Thanks for what God has granted us all. How have you prepared for the big day?

I guess I’m asking, what is your recipe for Thanksgiving? I don’t mean Aunt Martha’s secret for pumpkin pie, how do you celebrate? Beyond the food, how do you share with your children how to be Thankful?

As the parent of a toddler we want to teach Nicholas gratitude. Thankfulness towards God, kindness and appreciate to others, and an attitude of thank you. Having a grateful attitude helps produce a positive outlook on life.

There’s always going to be something to complain about, but those who are grateful stand out. While it’s not the reason for doing it, it’s amazing how a spirit of thank you will also be a blessing to your own life. David in Scripture was a man who practiced thanksgiving and generosity, and received both in turn.

People liked David, God saw in him a man after his own heart, and strangers were drawn to him from different lands. Individuals from Tyre to the Philistines both admired, and joined him. A grateful spirit is attractive, and will also be repaid many times over.

As you prepare your plans for Thanksgiving, I hope you reflect on the blessings of this year. It’s been an unusual couple of years, but I’m careful to prevent focusing so on the obstacles that they obscure the blessings. I see too many reasons to say thank you to concentrate on the negative. That’s my recipe for Thanksgiving.

Sketch Smiling Pilgrim

Writing A Smile

Write A Smile

I love writing, it gives me a lot of joy. However I believe writing, as with everything else, should in some way serve others. Writing for others is a way of using your talent to better those who read your words.

This can be true whether writing a children’s story or a how to guide. A positive viewpoint, a kind word, something that brings a smile. In a world of almost constant challenges, joy is welcome to weary eyes.

It’s my hope that, during this Thanksgiving week, if you take the time to write, you’ll seek to write a smile. It doesn’t have to be profound to be profitable to someone else. Smiling is contagious, whether read or shared in person.

Sketch Hungry Goat

Writing Saturdays- Writing Boxes

For some of us Saturdays are days to rest, for others they’re the busiest days of the week. Continuing with the theme of keeping writing through challenging periods, I’d like to look at Writing Saturdays.

First, as always, I’d like to recognize that some things are more important than writing. My wife, and our toddler are much more important to me than writing. However they are one of the reasons that I continue to write now.

Because of that, as well as my love and passion for writing, I want to fit writing into an appropriate corner on Saturdays. If it helps, think of your writing on Saturdays like the closet under a set of stairs. It holds value, but it’s tucked into its corner until the appropriate time.

First, you would look at which pattern for writing Saturdays works for you. There is the early morning risers, where you get up early and write before anyone else is up. Some days this will mean you have thirty minutes, or on other days maybe two or three hours.

Either way, you need to have an idea of where you want to get to by the time your finished. Whether it’s a number of words, a finished post, a chapter etc, have an end goal in mind. It can be different for different pieces, but this way you’ll have a satisfaction point when you’re done.

If you’re not a member of the early risers club, take a quiz look at your schedule. Maybe you have evenings free after everyone is in bed. Set a goal of writing 500 words, something that can be built on later. Another thing you can do is to craft a character, there individual story to wrap into a later larger piece. It helps flesh them out, and let’s you see how they fit into your story.

I have one character now that is somewhat larger than the story I was trying to use him for. He was alluded to in another story, and I thought I want to reuse him. So far though he’s too big for the story I had planned for him. He’s in a digital drawer until the right time.

For some neither one the scenarios I described works for them. You may be busy from sun up to bed time. If that’s the case an alternate scenario for you is to create a writing box. Some will have a literal box, others will do this digitally, but it’s fun to do. One Saturday you could fill the box, and the next you could work the box. Or you could fill boxes for a few Saturdays, and work them at another time.

To craft a writing box, whether digital or physical, have five envelopes. One should be theme, another plot, genre, character, premise. Write something for each and put it in the box. If you do several you’ll forget what you had created.

When you empty it, you have to at least begin some writing piece with all of them. It will spark your creativity, as well as to give you some guidance on those days when you don’t know what to write. Writing boxes are a little work, but wonderful ways of making writing Saturdays special.

A little extra effort will make a lot of difference to your writing any day but especially on these days. Writing Saturdays should be special, because they are those days when we’re reminded why we write. It’s not more important than the time with your loved ones, but something you can take time to do for your loved ones.

Sketch Cat By Fire