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| Stack of research used for my forthcoming book on gluten-free eating. Photo credit: E. Humphrey |
I promise you, this pile is neat and tidy compared to what it was when it was accompanied by a huge stack of books for my research.
Earlier this year I received word that I would be given the great opportunity to write an Idiot's Guide. Once the contract was signed and my outline was turned in, it was time to get writing.
I had to drop out of sight...hiding from family, friends, and even some fun. That was the time I had to eat and breathe the book.
I kept my head down and turned in my draft and am now in the author review stage. The book is scheduled for a January 2014 release.
Each writing project that I've done has differed from the last. But this project touches on so many elements that WOW! Women on Writing delves into daily. I figured for my next few entries I would share some of what I learned along the way about:
- Auditioning for the part of the writer...and believing in yourself
- Deadlines!
- Staying focused and getting the work done
- ...And other tips and tricks for writing
So, do you have any questions for me about this process? I will do my best to address them in my next post.
Elizabeth King Humphrey writes and edits in Wilmington, North Carolina. Now that the kids are back in school she's looking forward to some quiet writing time. (Or longer naps!)
8 comments:
Congratulations for finishing your book! I look forward to you sharing what you have learned along the way.
Welcome back, Elizabeth! Congratulations on finishing your book. :)
I'd love to know more about writing for the Idiot's Guide market. I know they are part of the Penguin group. Did you submit a proposal? Do they offer an advance? Royalties? What was it like to work with their editors? How much manuscript formatting did you have to do? Any tips to the market we should know?
Thanks in advance!
Glad you are back!
Looking forward to learning more about your book journey!
This is really cool, Elizabeth. Congrats on the book! And I was about to type many of the same questions as Angela--mostly about the contract--did they contact you or did you send in a proposal? Is there a guide that tells you how to submit a proposal if that's what you had to do?
Congratulations Elizabeth!
Everyone else can apparently read my mind so I'll wait for you to answer but it sounds like you had one pretty interesting experience and thank you for sharing it with us!
Welcome back and I hope you find time for both writing and those naps!
Hugs,
~Crystal
Hooray for you, Elizabeth! Please talk to us about the research process, when it is necessary to use primary sources, and when one can use secondary (or even more distant) sources. I would love to hear about how you kept yourself organized in that process and determined how and when you had enough sources (depth) as well as a broad enough exposure of the topic to cover it all satisfactorily. I tend to go farther than necessary and I'd like to hear someone else's thinking on these topics. Thank you!
Congratulations, and wow! How do you stay on top of the research for that topic? I have a couple celiacs in my family and a resource like this is much needed.
I'm impressed with your achivement, Elizabeth and really glad that you're willing to share details about the process. I want to hear everything about it, honestly. ;)
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