For Readers and Writers--The Making Of A Book

It's a bit difficult to read the small print on today's poster so I'll copy it below in a more readable form. 

It's a flat object made from a tree with flexible parts on which are imprinted lots of funny dark squiggles. But one glance at it & you're inside the mind of another person, maybe somebody dead for thousands of years. Across the millenia, an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you.

Yes, a book is truly an astonishing thing. Consider the many steps that must be taken before a book lands in your eager hands and after.

1. an idea is born in the mind of a writer
2. the idea swirls in his/her mind for months, even years
3. an outline is made (sometimes)
4. a first draft is written, a little at a time
5. the writer revises and edits
6. writer asks friends and family to read the manuscript
7. writer submits chapter by chapter to his/her writing critique group
8. writer makes more revisions; edits line by line
9. some hire a professional to do a final edit
10. writer must shop the book to various agents and/or publishers--can be endless
11. Eureka! Someone wants to publish the book
12. More revisions and editing
13. the publisher takes over and goes through a many step process to produce the book
14. the writer holds the first book in his/her hand and probably weeps with joy and relief
15. the marketing begins with the publisher
16. the book hits the shelves in the books stores and online
17. the marketing continues with the writer helping with book signings, speaking engagements
18. writer must seek reviews from myriad sources

The next time you go to a book store or your local library, pick up a book, hold it open with both hands and consider what it took for that book to come from a person's mind into your hands. Yes, a book is an astonishing thing. 

If you've ever tried to write one, you know that better than most. If you've ever had a book published, be ever so proud of yourself. You are a big part of that astonishing thing.

If you have never written a book but read many, you also have an appreciation of this blessing we have--books!