Writing, Friends, Editing, and Cover Reveal

Many authors like to talk about their work in progress, especially when the book comes closer to being published, but I haven’t been too vocal about my latest WIP or shared much about it with anyone except a few close writing friends. So what’s so top secret about it? Why wouldn’t I want to announce to the world the upcoming birth of my new baby? Possibly because it was confusing for me to write? Possibly because by the time it went off to the editor I still couldn’t peg the subtitle, which in turn held me up with my cover artist to even begin the cover process because I need the cover to represent the essence of the book, and I still hadn’t captured the essence of my book.

Writing is definitely a solo activity. Yes, I know, of course it’s solo, unless of course we’re co-authoring with another writer. But nobody else can tell our story, so ultimately, it’s only us who writes it. But it’s after the writing that we must invite others into a look at our story. After we get that first draft written and the re-writing process begins, so does the self-doubt. As a memoir writer it can be a little more intimidating to bring our work into the world because we are opening our soul and our personal lives to the universe. In doing so we have to make sure our work is truthful, it engages readers, and it leaves a message or lessons behind for the reader to take with it. But how do we know our book will do all these things? We don’t. And that’s where getting others involved in our writing is important.

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