Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Writing In Different Font

Daily writing isn't meant to be the constant act of word dumping. During a process of locating self trust. The inner core of a soul spits out art in any shape made available. Three years into the realms of expression. I began to pay attention. Not to the un-perfected circles and uncut squares. But to the air. By no means do I believe such puddles of creative saliva are brilliant displays. The beauty of art is the story. I locate it inside the development of lines finding air on a single sheet of paper.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

Pictures Of A New Book: Page Forty Five: The Cover

You can't judge a book by its cover. Nor can you predict a story through its suggested style. Part of the adventure is being part of the cover design. I'll never forget working on the first book One Mans 1021 Thoughts. The artist was two thousand miles away yet each time I tapped in, "No." on the email...I could hear him scream my name in the worst of ways. While on the Barnes and Noble writing tour during the late 90's. One of my challenges to writers I didn't know was to race through the lanes searching for a cover that influenced them to want to read. The majority of them would return with crazy Murder Mysteries or a Sci Fi. I'd ask, "Is that what you've penned out?" "No! I just liked the cover." Scrambled Eggs has endured two cover design changes. I wanted the first to embrace the story of music. The deeper I got into sharing the lyrics of the book. The more I realized. This book isn't about musicians. Its about a woman that loves her man so much. She's vowed to wear paint on her face to make memories last longer than yesterday. My first wife Sande would spend hours laying out the covers she'd use for her books. The moment she'd agree to disagree. Her imagination would bump into other ideas. Deciding on a book cover is tragically difficult in the way that it means more to the author than the reader. Marketing means well but don't lie to your reader with a cover that speaks a completely different language. Put thought into it. But don't be a perfectionist. Live the journey. Let the colors flow while keeping the story inside the most important part of the sharing. Never settle on the first cover. Challenge the artist to bring out the book not hide it between the pages. The artist has no clue what you poured out of your fingerprints. Make sure you protect the value of creative flow. The most important part of the writing puzzle is staying true to the reader.