Samhain Publishing Ltd Weblog

Birthing Books

Writing a book is like birthing a baby. At conception, you have an idea that impregnates and permeates your imagination. Over the weeks, your book takes shape and form, growing from a mere idea into something that resembles a plot.

You add a few things here and there until your book finally reflects the finished product. During the editing phase, your book gains “weight”, beefing up its pages to perfect the storyline you’ve worked so hard to create.

At the moment of birth, your book is published, a brand new story to greet the world. You’re so proud of it; you show it off to anyone who will pay attention, telling one and all the trials and triumphs of writing your epic.

Everyone oohs and aahs over your creation, telling you how perfect it’s cover is, and how wonderful it must be to hold it in your hands.

But as your book grows older, the promotion wanes a bit, as the book, like a child, can now stand on its own two feet. Perhaps you’re conceiving another grand tale that’s taking your time, or perhaps your book is now old enough to take care of itself.

As your older book gains achievements, you cannot help but be proud, watching as it becomes a best seller or a winner of awards. Yes, you made that masterpiece, the book that ventured out into the world and now seems to have a life of its own.

Authors are a rare breed. Our books can sometimes be like our “babies.” Lots of us are hurt when one of them gets a less than stellar review, but all in all, we have such high hopes and dreams for them. Some may do better than others while some may not be so popular.

But like a watchful parent, we authors must always pay attention to how they grow, what works for each and every one of them, and how the public perceives us through them.

From conception to birth, our books change and grow, sometimes into something that hardly resembles that first faint idea. But one thing is for certain. No matter how many books we’ve written, an author loves each and every one of them. Could we have done better? Could we have written with more emotion or action? Sure, no one is perfect.

As a parent becomes more experienced with subsequent children, so too does an author who continues to produce more books. The good news is our books will never backtalk, never lie, and never ask us for money.

Yes, the analogy ends there. Thank goodness. :)

~~Becka
Sexy. Sensual. Seductive.
http://www.RebeccaGoings.com