Writing and Lemons

Writing is related to a bushel of juicy, ripe lemons. After you receive them, you must decide what to do with them: draw them, wash your hair with their juices, dry the skins for potpourri, make lemonade or unfortunately, let them rot.

It takes bushels of time to get my manuscript, When the Music Stops, ready for formal editing. I open the file, work my way through each chapter then give myself a quick pat on the back as I  turn off the computer, but not my brain thinking about the story. I’m hoping I’ve used their succulent juices and made lemonade each day I work on the story.

Soon the pages will be out of my hands, I’ll move on to waiting for suggestions from the editor.  The edits take a few weeks as chapters flow back and forth and decisions are made to change or not to change words, phrases, whole sections of the story. There’s no time for lemonade-making now; I’m watching the lemon skins dry as the story cures.

Next comes interior design time, more adjustments, finalizing the front and back matter* and approving the front and back cover before it flies out my reach to the printer then into your hands as readers. I hope you’ll want to make lemonade as you read the end product.

* front matter is the title pages, dedication, quotes, copyright information and ISBN

*back matter is whatever follows the end of the story: acknowledgements, reading guides, author bio, references, etc.