Why we Write

Photo courtesy of KEKO64 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

For those of us who’ve started out on this writing journey later in life it’s often a result of that burning story idea that’s been bugging us for years. That was me 15 years (really has it been that long ago?). Or how many times have we met someone who says they really want to write their personal story because they believe their life has been sufficiently interesting that others would enjoy it? My dad’s one of those. And an elderly family-friend only mentioned it to me the other day. She said she had all these handwritten notes tucked away where she’d documented important moments of her life.

But so many of those people don’t get around to writing their stories. Why? A host of reasons I expect.

And then there are those many authors who consider the Lord has called them to write. I’m not one of those and have no qualms about not being.

A Seeker

“We do not write in order to be understood; we write in order to understand.” – Cecil Day-Lewis

It’s only been in the last few years that I’ve come to realise the above quote is true for me. I think many people write or desire to write (like those I mentioned above) because they seek to be understood. Having read many non-fiction books, memoirs and such (I read more of these than fiction) I’ve realised the ones I struggle to read are those that are focusing too much on sharing their story rather than universal truths that provide relevance for a reader. As I only read today from Wayne Jacobsen (one of the co-writers of The Shack):

“Your story needs to be the illustration; your book needs to be about the life lesson that will help your order.”

I’ve found this a useful reminder as I type away with the non-fiction piece that I’m writing. Yes, I’m seeking to understand why intimacy with God is such a struggle for us that can also flow over into our relationships but I’ve found I’ve needed to first chart my own story of intimacy before discovering those pearls of wisdom that others may find meaningful.

But I write fiction

“All of my novels began with a question I was wrestling with. A doubt or struggle in my life that I wanted to explore in the context of story.” – Ted Dekker

We write stories to discover the truth. And in so doing we discover more about the Lord and ourselves.

As I mentioned in a previous post last year I had to wrestle with my own shadows to effectively write a story of the same title.

The Privilege of Writing

God is creative. The first thing we see God do is … create.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1 NKJV)

We are made in His likeness. So we are ALL creative. We create because He did. “We were born to make art. Our artist identity is our birthright.” (Emily P Freeman)

Wow!

And we get to create with our Creator.

Double Wow!

Doesn’t it blow your mind? For whatever reason we’re writing fiction or non-fiction, we get to do it with Him. And that’s the point.

Doing it with Him.

I’ve read books and unpublished manuscripts of varying quality recently; some have been great, some not so. But what I know is that all these authors had a story in them (some were their own personal stories) and it was important they be written. Not so that it gets published, not that it sells squillions of copies, or wins awards, but they created with their Creator. And in so doing they gave Him glory.

Dan Balow summed it up really well in his Steve Laube post the other day: “God does not need your book. But he loves it when you exercise your abilities for his glory and not your own.”

And then:

“God grants his children the privilege of joining his work, no matter what you do.”

What an honour it is for us authors. To write with Him. To co-create.

So stay close to Him when you turn up each day to the blank piece of paper. He’s there. In you. And He’s so excited that you’ve once again turned up to create something … together.

Grace and peace, my writer friends.

Ian Acheson is an author and strategy consultant based in Sydney. Ian's first novel of speculative fiction, Angelguard, is available in the US, UK, Canada and Australia. Angelguard was recognised with the 2014 Selah Award for Speculative Fiction.You can find more about Angelguard at Ian's website, on his author Facebook page and Twitter

Peeking Under the Covers - Part 1

By Andrea Grigg

We all know how important a cover is in attracting readers. After all, it’s the first thing they see on the shelf, be it online or in real life. But what makes a cover good? And not just good, but great?  

Obviously, we all have different opinions on what appeals. If I showed three types of artwork to ten different people and asked which one they liked the best I guarantee the vote would not be unanimous; we each have our own creative tastes.

Personal preferences aside, there are two basic principles with which I’m sure we would all agree: First, the image used needs to reflect the genre and relate to the story. Second, the title and author’s name must be easy to read (including the spine if the book is going to print)

But there’s so much more to it than that. And because I’m not an expert in this field, I’ve brought in someone who is to answer some questions – my daughter, Melissa Dalley.

Mel designed the covers for my both my books (approved by my publisher, Rochelle Manners) and the feedback they’ve received has been positively fabulous. I’m thrilled with them.

Mel has produced covers for other authors too, some of which are below:

So what is Mel’s background? Why do I consider her an expert? Well, she has a degree in Marketing and eCommerce, plus a diploma in Graphic Design and Pre Press, as well as a Cert III in Theology and Ministry, (just for fun). Currently, she works for a well-known shopping centre group as their Creative Design Manager, is on the board for a charity as their marketing and creative adviser, and freelances designs for authors and other small businesses. Not only that, she has age on her side – she recently turned thirty – which means she’s young enough to be in touch with current trends and knows what’s hot and what’s not. 

Me: Mel, welcome to ACW, and thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to answer our questions on cover art.

Mel: Thanks, Mum, and hi to everyone else. 

I know we’re taught never to judge a book by its cover, but when we’re talking marketing and sales, the cover is the most important part of your book. I’m looking forward to answering your questions and hope I can be of help.

Me: All right then, let’s get straight to it.

First of all, what are the essentials for cover design?

Mel: I’m sure most people think the essentials are the image and the font(s) you choose, the colours and balance of the artwork. But there’s something even more important, and that is knowing your primary target audience. Having this established sets the stage for everything else. I can’t emphasize it enough. It directly affects all further choices.

Me: You’re right, that wasn’t the answer I was expecting but it makes a lot of sense. And because it wasn't something I'd thought of myself, it made me realise there's a lot I don't know about the world of design. Which brings me to the next question. 

What other reasons are there for me to employ a graphic designer rather than attempt to create a cover myself?

Mel: There are many reasons, but for now I’ll give you three. 

The biggest one is time. What a designer can do in an hour would probably take you three to four hours. Wouldn’t it be wiser to use your time writing?  A designer has years of training behind them and have acquired a unique skill-set, just like a writer has a unique ability to write. I know people design their own covers to save money, but why not view the employment of a graphic designer as an investment in the lifespan of your book? Even to the untrained eye it can be obvious when covers are designed by someone without training. You want your book to stand out for the right reasons, not the wrong ones.

Another reason is a very practical one, to do with the printing process.

In the design world, Microsoft Publisher and Word are equivalent to swear words! (Something I was told over and over during my training). Those programs are very limiting. They’re not pre-prepped (when you need to get everything set up for a professional printer). Some printers I work with won’t accept work unless done by a graphic designer. This is because errors can occur when working with Publisher and other programs not intended for professional printing and design. They’re not accurate enough and can become file corrupted. 

Thirdly, I'll address some excellent questions raised by an ACW member. She wanted to know if it was possible to have covers that wouldn't become outdated, and what to avoid in pictures and fonts to make them stay relevant and attractive. 

This all comes back to the designer you use and their knowledge of trends, having a well-communicated brief, and what you envision for a shelf life. For a designer to keep their job, they need to be up to date and know the latest trends. If you're not in the game then it's very hard to know these things.

Me: Fair enough. So what can I do to get the best result from my graphic designer?

Mel: First, find one who’s not afraid to give you an honest opinion. 

Second, write the best brief you possibly can, explaining what you’re after. The content and research that goes into this is very important.

Third, send the top three images you’ve seen of other books in your genre that match your ideas and thoughts for your own. It will save you time and money with your designer. It will also stop you from looking like everyone else.

Me: Great answers, Mel. Thanks for your insights so far. 

That's all for now, but I'm happy to say we'll be back. Next Monday, Melissa will address issues raised by some of our members concerning the use of fonts and images and logos, and give advice to those keen to give design a try. See you then! 

Andrea Grigg is the author of two contemporary Christian romances, A Simple Mistake and Too Pretty. She loves hearing from readers and writers alike, and can be contacted via Twitter, her Facebook author page, and via email: andreagrigg@live.com

As well as a graphic designer, Melissa Dalley is wife to Robb and privileged caretaker of two cats, Jimi and Scout. You can reach her at: 

melissadalley (at) live (dot) com