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| If at first you don't succeed... |
When I read Crystal’s post, “You’re Never Told Old,” I decided I had to write about my recent creative pursuits. I’ve already posted about the graphic novel class that I took with Melanie Faith. It was so inspirational!
I’m not just talking about writing comics or graphic novels. Right now, I’m working on a pitch for a 3rd grade nonfiction series. Unlike some publishers, this one wants a complete manuscript along with ideas for the rest of the series. I knew I had to make my series unique so I’m pitching a new-to-them topic and each chapter will have a graphic sidebar.
“No worries,” I tell myself. “You’re good at graphics.” I put myself through college illustrating archaeological reports. You need a historic prairie map or a plan view of a foundation? I’m your girl. Funerary medallions, projectile points, and pot sherds – I can do it.
Eagerly I sat down at my desk, ready to make some decisions. Should I plan out all 8 graphic sidebars and then do them? Or maybe I should brainstorm ideas and create the sidebar for one chapter at a time? I decided to do one chapter at a time when I got stuck on what to do for chapter two.
My first attempt for chapter one was pathetic. Really. Any editor who saw it would cringe and be tempted to close the manuscript. Absolutely nothing about my first attempt looked professional.
No worries. It would look better as a collage. By the time I printed out what I needed, mocked it up, photographed it, and printed it to see how it would look, it was weak and washed out. But I’ve done graphics. I should have remembered how badly grayscale images degrade when you copy them.
Honestly, it was tempting to just give up. I did have to send this pitiful version to my critique group because I didn’t have time to ink up a new version. But that’s what I’m going to have to do. Ink and paper or my drawing tablet and stylus.
I’m willing to try new things out in my writing. After all, working on the computer, it is easy to make changes. And I’ve got enough experience to tell fairly quickly if something is or is not going to work.
But I had forgotten what the learning curve looks like when you try new things. These aren’t like the graphics I drew in college. No one is handing me a stone tool or a map and asking for an easily reproducible depiction. I have to decide what to depict and then I have to decide how to do it. I’m not going to give up because some information is much easier to share graphically. I can blow my word count describing a map or I can give them the map.
Not everything will be as straight forward as drawing a map. But who knows? If I do this often enough, maybe I’ll be able to tell fairly quickly what will and won’t work. Hopefully I’ll come to enjoy it as much as I enjoyed drawing maps.
Until then I just have to keep reminding myself that every new skill takes time to master.
--SueBE
Sue Bradford Edwards' is the author of over 30 books for young readers. To find out more about her writing, visit her site and blog, One Writer's Journey.
The next session of her new course, Pitching, Querying and Submitting Your Work will begin on June 5, 2022). Coping with rejection is one of the topics she will cover in this course.
Sue is also the instructor for Research: Prepping to Write Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (next session begins June 5, 2022) and Writing Nonfiction for Children and Young Adults (next session begins June 5, 2022).
7 comments:
Why do these things always take so much longer than we envision them in our minds? This sounds like a comprehensive proposal, but I know you're up to the task! I still struggle with the steep learning curve from podcasting and trying to figure out how to record, edit and upload videos for my podcast. It never ends.
I've polished 5 of 8 chapters. Three more to go and then the graphics. Phew. I love learning new things but I always forget how long it is going to take.
Um...what did you say? I'm still thinking about funerary medallions. (WHAT??)
Cathy,
You know - like religious medals. Our Lady. Saints. They can be worn on a necklace or buried with a loved one.
I don't think I did know...saints' medals, yes. Funerary medallions, never heard of 'em. Fascinating stuff, Sue!
Why do I feel like every time I put pen to paper it's a learning curve. Lol. Graphics are easy for me; writing is hard. I think it all comes down to your mindset about the task. I don't care as much about graphics because I know they'll be "good enough," so I let good enough slide. But writing, since I still feel like a fish out of water, is a learning curve each time, and I tend to be a perfectionist because I fear rejection. It sounds like you might be a perfectionist when it comes to graphics because it's not something you do regularly. What you've created (the collage) sounds awesome!
Angela,
That is too funny that we are exact opposites on this. Honestly, I would love the collage if it reproduced well but it doesn't. I think you've detailed part of my motivation - I'm more confident in my writing than my graphics.
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