Appreciation for Those Who Write Books

I saw a funny photo on Facebook this morning. Hundreds of scrabble tiles were pictured tossed helter-skelter. The caption was Buying a book from Ikea! It made me laugh, and then I looked again at all those tiles with letters and started thinking about what a book it takes to create a book.

Then I remembered the photo-quote in my files that talked about what a book is. It's not only a cute drawing but some lovely thoughts, as well. I like the part where it says the ...an author is speaking clearly and silently inside your head, directly to you. Even though thousands might read the same book, each reader feels like the author is speaking directly to him/her. 

Back to the letter tiles. Consider the number of letters it takes to make the words that make up a book. While a carpenter who makes furniture is the master of his trade, so is the writer. Every author has to know how to put those letters together to make words, then how to put the words into sentences and paragraphs which have meaning and will hook readers and keep them reading. 

The successful author not only uses those letters to create an entertaining story, but he/she must do so using good mechanics of writing. Without them, even a fine story begins to get lost in a muddle. 

Maybe the quote above is a bit outdated because we can now read books on a Kindle or some other online place. Some readers love reading electronically while others much prefer holding that golden book in their hands. They love turning the pages. Count me as one of those readers. I have read a few books on my Kindle on my laptop, but it would never be my first choice. 

The author of a book starts the process, but then an editor and printer and marketer all step in and help a book come to its final phase where it is sold or loaned to someone who is eager to read those letters combined into words turned into paragraphs and chapters and... 

The next time you read a book give some thought to how it was created. For those who are writers, do the same. You are the ones who know the intricate details of how a book is created. I am in full agreement that yes, a book is an astonishing thing.

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!

For Readers--The Making of a Book

It's quite true that a book is an astonishing thing. We choose one to read, then turn page after page after page, enthralled with the story we are reading.

Do we ever consider, when reading a book, what it took to bring the finished product to the reader? Here are just a few of the possible steps involved before you hold a published book in your hands

• an idea pops into the head of a writer
• he/she ponders on the idea, perhaps for a very long time
• the author makes an outline
• he/she slashes parts of the outline and adds more
• the author ponders some more
• he/she begins chapter 1, first draft
• the author plows through chapters like cattle in a snowstorm; hard work
• he/she finishes the first draft
• the author lets the manuscript mellow for awhile
• he/she begins the editing and revisions
• the author asks others to read the manuscript and give an opinion
• he/she sends out queries to agents, expounding on the brilliance of his/her book
• the author waits, sends out more queries, waits some more, and waits some more
• when the book is accepted by a publishing house, the author rejoices
• he/she celebrates for a short time; then begins the rewrite the publisher requests
• the author rants and raves over the changes requested
• he/she does another revision and edit
• the editor is finally satisfied and the publishing cycle begins
• the author waits and waits to hold his/her book in two hands
• the book arrives; the author swells with pride and perhaps sheds happy tears
• he/she must help with marketing the book

The next time you read something that you especially enjoy, think about what it takes to create a book. The author goes through myriad steps to bring you the finished product. Aren't we fortunate that so many authors are willing to go through this, sometimes agonizing, process for our enjoyment?

A Book Is A Big, Fat, Bargain!

Even in the earliest of times, man felt a need to keep records and to express himself. Before paper was known, people used stone, clay, papyrus, large flat leaves and more to do this. Simple marks became language for the future generations. Little by little, the idea of creating an entire book went from the seed to the accomplished task. And aren't we all the magnificent benefactors of all those who came before us and created BOOKS?

When you stop and think about it, just as the poster above claims, a book truly is an astonishing thing. That statement can be divided into two separate sections, yet each needs the other.

Section A:  Someone must write the thousands of words that, strung together, tell us a story or give us information on a subject of the author's choice. Those who write know that is no simple task. Then comes the editor/publisher. They have to be the mean guys and slash some of those precious words an author wrote with such verve.

Section B: The publisher works with the printer to set up the format in which a book will be printed. A font, or type, must be chosen, the kind of paper used will be selected, a cover created. Sometimes a foreward is included, a bibliography if needed, an index, even a glossary--depending on the kind of book that is being created.

There's more that goes into writing and producing a book that we read, but the above are some of the main components needed.

As readers, we scan the shelves of thousands of books at bookstores and libraries. Hundreds of thousands, even millions, of words are there for us to choose from. Do we consider a book because it has a pretty cover? Occasionally, but it's not the deciding factor in making a selection. Instead, we read the frontispiece to get an idea of what the book is about, or the back cover which often includes quotes regarding the book from well-known authors. We might scan the Table of Contents or flip through the book and read an excerpt or two before we walk to the cashier or librarian to check out.

Next, we settle down somewhere, as soon as time will allow, to open the book and begin to read. When I do that, I feel as if I am opening a treasure chest that's washed ashore, hoping that it will be filled with gold, not empty.

I must admit that I don't give much thought to how that book was created. Instead, I'm greedy to get into the story that awaits. But perhaps the next time you, or I, pick up a book, we should spare a minute or two and consider all that had to happen to bring the book into my own hands. From writer to editor to publisher to printer who all had a part in creating the book. Then maybe the price of a book won't seem quite so bad. In fact, maybe it's a big, fat, bargain!