Writing is a team effort

Happy Thursday, cats and kittens!

Today, I want to talk about life behind the scenes of writing a book. Just as there in an entire crew behind the cameras of a movie, there's a crew behind each and every book.

Believe it or not, writing really is a team effort.

I kid you not!

There's always at least one editor involved. No matter how good a writer is, we ALL need an editor. We just do.

Then, depending on the size and nature of the publishing company, you have people working on the actual publication of the book, marketing, book trailers, advertising, design and layout, printing, distribution, and more.

As you can see, there are many hands involved in the entire process.

What does this mean?

It means that we all need to be willing to work as a team. There is no room for egos. Each and every person involved has something wonderful to bring to the table. We all need to work with, accept, and appreciate everyone's gifts and differences.

I recently had a conversation with my publisher. She has been an amazing publisher. I've worked with her for the last 7 years. We've both seen and helped each other to grow. So when she approached me about changing the title of my upcoming release, I knew that I needed to put my ego aside and trust her. She hasn't steered me wrong yet. She, our editor and I all have the same goals for this book - and all of the books that we publish. We all want to do our best, and to see each book succeed. She wasn't bringing this up as a way to hurt me, or as some flighty, impulsive move. There was thought, reason, and planning. There is a method there, even if I don't see it.

Was it difficult to step aside? You bet! I pour my heart and soul into every book that I write. There is a reason behind every word, including the title.

I'm not so stuck on myself that I would argue. For as much as I would love to think that the title is superb, I can respect the fact that she and my editor see something different than I do. Their fresh eyes on the piece can only make it better. So I acquiesced. And as long as I keep my ego in check, I will remember that this will only help the book to be better than it already is.  :)

So the next time you crack open a book or turn on your e-reader device, remember that there's a big crew behind the scenes that worked with the author so that we could all give you the best stories possible.

Happy reading!!!

N: Naysayers

As many of you know, I have been working with a close group of friends through a book called, The Artist's Way. It is a phenomenal book and I recommend it to all creative souls.


One of the big topics in TAW is naysayers. In creativity, we all face naysayers and critics. Some of the worst ones are the ones in our heads.



Creativity is hard. It's hard because through our art, we bare our souls. We leave ourselves exposed and vulnerable for all the world to see. When our art isn't received well, it cuts us right to the core. The critic is not only rejecting our work, but they are rejecting us.



One thing that I love about TAW is that they discuss why people are negative. Very often, a naysayer is a jelous creative. They are angry and resentful at themselves for not creating and when we do create, their envy becomes the whip with which they beat us. Naysayers are the ones who are too afraid to create. Stuck in a mental box of fear and self-hatred, they displace their anger upon us in order to feel better about themselves. After all, isn't it so much easier to criticize someone else than to be daring enough to reveal our own souls to the world?


Each and every creative will ALWAYS encounter naysayers. It is simply a part of the world. However, we need not take their criticism to heart. Knowing and understanding where they are coming from (and that their negativity is really just misdirected) makes it easier for us to not take their harsh words personally.


So when you have a critic and hear a naysayer, don't feel badly. On the contrary. Feel good because it means you are far more courageous than they! ;)