Here's the thing about my books....
They’re mine. All mine.
I conceived them, wrote them, edited them, copy-edited them, did the cover art and graphics, and formatted them for print and eBooks.
I did this for two reasons:
1. No one else would publish me. (Or even represent me, for that matter.)
2. It’s part of backing up my talk with my walk.
What I mean is that I think a book is a work of art, and as such it should be written by the artist, and not by committee. Don’t get me wrong, I understand how a book might be better with the input of an editor, and a writer’s group, and a professional layout and cover design…um…person. (People?) It's definitely better with the input of a professional copy editor. For the most part these people are essential to selling your book, in creating a marketable product.
But if your book is art, if you’re telling the story you want to tell the way you want to tell it, should you treat it as a product? You plotted the story the way you did for a reason. You added the characters and events you did when you submitted that manuscript to your agent and or editor because this is the way you meant to tell your story. It's a peek into the way your mind works and sees things, the way you decide what's important or not. Any changes they make after that—telling you that you don’t need this scene or chapter, that this character doesn’t add anything to the story, or this or that isn’t moving the plot forward, that maybe you need to add a scene here, or write this part in third person (I was once told by an agent they would consider representing me if I totally rewrote DARKSIDE in third person) is a bastardization of your creative thought process and expression. And I’m not entirely convinced that editorial input necessarily makes your book better; it just makes it different. Anyone who reads your book will have a suggestion as to what they would do to make it better if they were writing it, regardless of their experience, qualifications, or talent. Often it’s just a matter of preference, and once you make these changes, your book is not really yours any more. It’s yours, and theirs.
Admittedly, I’ve taken this process to the extreme, by doing my own cover art, book setup, etc., but what you’re getting when you read my books are my books.
It’s also a bit of an experiment for me. I like the idea that little old me is producing a product it takes an entire company to produce. Especially seeing as I’ve had no formal training what-so-ever. I don’t have a Masters or a B.A. in English or Creative Writing or…whatever. To be honest, after grade four most of my English classes consisted of reading books and doing book reports. I think some teacher went off the reservation and taught me about symbolism and foreshadowing in grade ten, and no doubt lost her job because of it. So I’ve basically taught myself how to write. Or not.
The same goes for my paperback and eBook layouts. And my covers (which is where I think my amateur status stands out the most). All self-taught, done at home on my computer on MS Word and Adobe Photoshop.
So while what I produce may not be the best possible version of my work, it is my work. All of it.
This is me.
I conceived them, wrote them, edited them, copy-edited them, did the cover art and graphics, and formatted them for print and eBooks.
I did this for two reasons:
1. No one else would publish me. (Or even represent me, for that matter.)
2. It’s part of backing up my talk with my walk.
What I mean is that I think a book is a work of art, and as such it should be written by the artist, and not by committee. Don’t get me wrong, I understand how a book might be better with the input of an editor, and a writer’s group, and a professional layout and cover design…um…person. (People?) It's definitely better with the input of a professional copy editor. For the most part these people are essential to selling your book, in creating a marketable product.
But if your book is art, if you’re telling the story you want to tell the way you want to tell it, should you treat it as a product? You plotted the story the way you did for a reason. You added the characters and events you did when you submitted that manuscript to your agent and or editor because this is the way you meant to tell your story. It's a peek into the way your mind works and sees things, the way you decide what's important or not. Any changes they make after that—telling you that you don’t need this scene or chapter, that this character doesn’t add anything to the story, or this or that isn’t moving the plot forward, that maybe you need to add a scene here, or write this part in third person (I was once told by an agent they would consider representing me if I totally rewrote DARKSIDE in third person) is a bastardization of your creative thought process and expression. And I’m not entirely convinced that editorial input necessarily makes your book better; it just makes it different. Anyone who reads your book will have a suggestion as to what they would do to make it better if they were writing it, regardless of their experience, qualifications, or talent. Often it’s just a matter of preference, and once you make these changes, your book is not really yours any more. It’s yours, and theirs.
Admittedly, I’ve taken this process to the extreme, by doing my own cover art, book setup, etc., but what you’re getting when you read my books are my books.
It’s also a bit of an experiment for me. I like the idea that little old me is producing a product it takes an entire company to produce. Especially seeing as I’ve had no formal training what-so-ever. I don’t have a Masters or a B.A. in English or Creative Writing or…whatever. To be honest, after grade four most of my English classes consisted of reading books and doing book reports. I think some teacher went off the reservation and taught me about symbolism and foreshadowing in grade ten, and no doubt lost her job because of it. So I’ve basically taught myself how to write. Or not.
The same goes for my paperback and eBook layouts. And my covers (which is where I think my amateur status stands out the most). All self-taught, done at home on my computer on MS Word and Adobe Photoshop.
So while what I produce may not be the best possible version of my work, it is my work. All of it.
This is me.
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