One of the things I have found writing a children’s book is the thrill of completing each stage of the process. The writing, it seems, was the easy bit – the work starts when that finishes.
There are so many things to consider in a ‘self-publication’ approach. For example, typesetting has a marked effect on the number of pages, far different than the number in the final manuscript; obvious now of course but I never even considered things like this when I first started writing. The design of the cover has been fun, and we are lucky enough to have commissioned a great illustrator, Ruth Palmer, but then there is the choice of fonts, layout, colours and narrative for the back cover, pricing… it goes on and on.
Then the marketing. I have been lucky enough to work with Sallara Marketing who have really helped me with social media, the need for a website and all the elements for a launch and ongoing sales but all this needs to be done and we have not sold a book yet, that’s to come but their enthusiasm has spurred me on again to try and make this a success.
The feeling of satisfaction as we work through each stage, as ideas that are in your head become reality, as the passion of others inspire you to go the extra mile, all create a high that cannot be induced.
I've never seen the need for an artificial high. I've never read or seen anything that shows using artificial highs ends well.
If you want a real high you can work hard and then reap the rewards; help someone who really needs your help without repayment; travel and let your eyes see and experience new things; invest in long term true friends and watch how they repay you; love and provide for your family and watch them grow and love you back; and best of all love someone and feel them love you back. That's how you get 'a high'.
My initial idea of creating bedtime stories for my grandchildren has grown into something far more than I expected, something far more consuming than I ever thought but it has also brought me a lot of satisfaction to leave something when I have gone that they know was for them; not many can say that.