As someone who helps people write books and designs the layout, I spend a lot of my days helping people with their writing as well as typesetting and coming up with cover designs.
I’m also writing a book, and am making notes on how I want it to look, making sure that the content is of good quality and accurate, with up to date information as well as what my cover is going to look like.
The book cover is just as important to me as the content; as it will hopefully attract new readers and help establish an identity which will resonate with my target audience.
Now being a book coach and cover designer you might expect that I would know exactly how to write my book and have dozens of ideas for my cover. But that’s where you’d be mistaken!
In fact I’ve hit two rough patches. The first was about a subject (publishing) that I didn’t really have much experience in. (I’ve only used self-publishing for my clients, but of course there are a few other options out there which needed to be explained to my readers.) The second one was my cover design!
To be perfectly honest, when I reached my ‘publishing’ chapter, my writing came to a complete halt and when I opened my Quark design programme to start on my cover, the ideas suddenly dried up.
And this made me feel that I was no longer good at what I did even though I help dozens of others do this every day! So why was I struggling?
It’s common knowledge that being too close to a subject can then blind you to what you need to do. But it’s interesting to note that we almost resist that explanation. In fact my solution was very simple, but somehow I felt it was a bit of a cheat.
What was it?
Well, I asked other people for help!
Luckily I knew someone in the publishing sector – Edward Peppitt of Balloon View Publishing, and he very kindly agreed to speak to me. I was then able to ask him lots of questions about the publishing industry and by the end of the interview I had a much clearer understanding of the publishing process, (which I will be covering in my book) and was able to finish my chapter.
The design issue was overcome by going to a specific group in LinkedIn, and asking them for ideas. And ideas came a plenty! In fact one of the members gave me such great feedback, I now have a working cover that I’m really happy with.
So if you’re feeling stuck in you’re writing project, or you feel you have an idea that you just can’t seem to get any further with, take stock and see if you’re ‘too close’ to the subject. See if you can ‘ask an expert’ who can then help you out of your creative rut.
When you do, you’ll be amazed at how suddenly your project then gets moving again. It worked for me, so give it a go!*
Feel you’ve got a writing project, but just not sure how the process works or what to do next? Well why not get in touch. We can have a quick 10 minute chat to see what you’re ideas are, and then see if I can be of any further help or get you out of that rut! Simply email me at alexa@thebookrefinery.com and we can arrange a call.
I look forward to hearing from you.
*However I don’t suggest you now email anyone and everyone for free advice…you need to do this with people you know well, and who will be happy to share their knowledge! In return for Edwards help, I am fully disclosing the fact that he helped me with that chapter, with his bio, so he will get something in return for his assistance.
