The Book and Mise en Place

It seems pretty easy–the photo shoot is coming up, so I have to ship everything I need to the publisher so I can draw, collage, sew, paint and write my way through a week of photos for the book.

It gets complicated fast. First you decide which projects your are going to show step-by-step, (which you do from an approved outline),  then you make a list of everything you need for those projects, cross out the duplicates, and start packing.  That part is still fairly simple. I learned the process from my husband, who is a chef, and who uses the term “Mise en place,” a lot. It’s French for “things in place” or “get your $h!| together.” Which is what I had to do.

It gets complicated because I am teaching a class at the Anthem (AZ) library tomorrow night. Friday, I am driving down to Tucson to teach Monsoon Papers, which is a project in the book. So there are some items I will have to

• repurchase
• take on the plane with me
• pack and send quickly next week

Since the materials cover a lot of ground–fabric, ink, paint, brushes, thread, iron, watercolor pencils, and about 20 more pounds of things, you don’t just plop them in a box. First I made a giant pile on the floor. Then I sorted them into projects and packed them by project. The ink went into a separate box-within-a-box, lined with paper towels and wrapped in plastic.

When the box was taped shut, I looked around a studio that looked like the vandals (and the Visigoths) had been through it. I won’t be able to do art for another week. It was the first time in a long time I realized how much I shape by identity with my art, and by extension, the tools that make me real.

—Quinn McDonald is writing a book. The writing part is almost over.

 

Writing a Book, Writing a Blog

My inner critic is in full throttle as I write the book on, well, the inner critic. There’s a lot of work to be done, and it needs focus and concentration. The same is true of my blog posts–it takes hours to come up with the idea, refine the concept and write the post. The blog posts have taken over much of the time I need for the book. There is also my other work–the business training classes and creativity coaching that feeds me both literally and figuratively.

Coffered and painted ceiling at Onyx Expressions, Albuquerque NM

I enjoy writing the blog and I am not giving it up. I will be cutting down to new posts on three days a week–randomly. Good ideas don’t always work on schedule. On three other days a week, I’ll be posting interesting quotes I’ve found–funny, profound, inspiring–and a short comment. They can be used for art journaling, commenting, or just nodding and smiling.  On the one other day–Saturday–I will continue to post links to past posts that you may have missed as well as outside links to interesting posts on other blogs.

If you have an interesting blog post you’d like me to consider–send me the link

Coffered and painted ceiling at Onyx Expressions, Albuquerque NM

and a few words why you like it. And of course you can include one of your own as an interesting note. The way to contact me is above the photo at the top of the page, under “Work With Quinn/Contact”

I hope to continue to give you interesting reasons to stop by, whether it’s quotes or an article. And of course, I’ll keep you posted on what’s happening in the book.

As always, classes will be posted in the navigation bar above the photo on the page.

–Quinn McDonald is writing a book on the inner critic and the inner heroes.

Why are You Writing?

Here’s the question I ask my writing coaching clients: “Why are your writing this

Mural on the North wall of The Epic Cafe in Tucson.

book?’

Most often the answer is, “I want to get it published!” or “I want to see my name on the cover of a book in the bookstore.”  When I hear those words, I know there is a lot of work ahead.

Getting your book published is wonderful, exciting, terrifying and a lot of work. That’s not going to slow you down. But writing a book to get your name into print may be the worst reason of all to write a book.

Are your eyebrows crawling up into your hairline with surprise? After all, who would not want to be famous, who would not want to have excited fans gather around you at a book signing?

Small reality check: If you are among 99 percent of authors, you won’t get famous writing a book and book signings will look like the volunteer list to clean the litter box. Shared by 10 cats.

Book Facts from ParaPublishing:

• On average it takes 475 hours to write a fiction title and 725 hours to write a nonfiction title. [My math: if your advance is $5,000, you are making about $7 per hour.]
•  It takes an average of 531 hours to produce a book—422 hours for fiction, 550 hours for nonfiction.

Am I saying you shouldn’t write a book? Of course not. Raw Art Journaling was published in July, and I’m planning the next book. But I am saying that there is only one reason to write a book: you have something important to say. You can’t not say it. If you write a book to make money or to become famous, you will be disappointed and become cynical.

If you write a book because your idea is demanding to go out and prove its value, and you don’t care if people love it or hate it because you worked hard to get it just right, then you are on the right track. And yes, you most certainly will prefer people to love it rather than hate it. Just like your offspring–you may prefer them to be popular, but you will love them in any case.

Your idea for a book has to be so clear and alive to you that not sharing it never crossed your mind. Your idea for a book has to be so universal that when someone gives you a 1-star review on Amazon, you read the opinion carefully and then go on. You aren’t hurt or outraged. You don’t write the reviewer and argue or explain. You know you can’t please everyone and not everyone will understand you, and you are fine with that. But it won’t keep you from talking about your idea. And writing a book. Because that tiny spark of an idea has taken on the fuel you nurtured it with and is now keeping you warm and lighting up your soul. And that is the best reason to write your book.

–Quinn McDonald is a writer with warm hands and a brightly-colored soul.

It Started with a Selectric

I wrote my first book on a Selectric typewriter, using carbon paper and the Prestige Elite typing ball just like this one. It's not the same typewriter. I found this one at Goodwill for $14. I didn't really have the space, so I thought about it. When I went back, it was half-price. It cost me another $75 to bring it back to top shape.

I'm writing the second book on a MacBook Pro. It doesn't need carbon paper, and research is done without index cards or taking a pen to the library. The entire computer weighs 12 pounds less than the typewriter. And they didn't let you bring typewriters into the library.

But writing books is still the same. Creating something, line by line, that makes meaning to you. Praying that it makes meaning to someone else too. Because every writer's biggest fear is not connecting.

Progress Report: The Book’s Title

Shadow of tree on roof of artist's tent, Tubac, AZ, 2010 ©

After teaching raw-art journaling for six years, I decided to write a book about it. I found a publisher, and with incredible luck, a gifted editor. I’ve written about the book contract and the research, so I won’t rehash that.

I have no idea how people who self-publish books manage without an editor. Maybe they hire an editor. I’ve been a writer for a very long time, and I am absolutely sure that every writer needs an editor. It has nothing to do with how well you know how to write, it has to do with seeing the book from a different perspective. And I don’t think writers can do that by themselves. When you write you don’t see the impact or the effect, you see the shadow of your work. And editor pulls back the screen and takes a look at your writing from the viewpoint of the person who will eventually read it. Big difference.

After I sent the editor the first two chapters, she sent me back the thumbnails. When I opened them, two chapters had become three, and the layout made so much more sense then what I thought was fine when I sent it. I had the feeling of seeing the forest when I had been writing trees.

The book is also real. For the first time it looks like it will when someone opens it. After six years of teaching classes, taking notes, drafting chapters, after a year of wondering why I want to write a book, knowing why, and sitting down to write, it was suddenly in front of me.

It’s not the first book I’ve written, but I did the first one on a fixed cash contract and didn’t get to choose the subject. I had to follow a general outline. I was paid to do a lot of research and assemble it.  This time, I’m writing what I know. I’m

Artifact statue, The Bario Gallery, Tubac, AZ

writing what makes sense to me.  I’m writing because I hope that other people will see it and think, “I know this feeling. I live in that space, too. This author lives in my studio.” And then, more than anything, I hope someone says, “Wow, I was hoping this would happen. I was hoping someone would understand me and write to me. This book was written just for me.” Because it is. So many people think they aren’t enough, don’t have enough to be an artist. And so many people do.

The editor suggested a different title. My first thought was, “No, I’ve planned this title.” But instantly I knew she was right. The book wasn’t just about raw art, it was about being raw. Standing with bare tools and writing on the cave wall, starting over every time you turn the page of your journal.  I love the concept of slow food. I love the concept of putting down the kits and putting yourself on the page. So this is the title of my book:

The Raw Journal: Making Meaning, Making Art. No Skills Required.

I am prepared to answer the question “How can you make art with no skills.” Ah. That’s raw art. We are all born to create. We are all born creative. It’s not a skill, it’s a right. We have to reclaim it.

Quinn McDonald’s book will be published by North Light books in the summer of 2011.

Publishing Your Book: The Book Proposal, Part II

This gallery contains 1 photos.

Yesterday, I wrote about getting started writing a book. People have been telling me how “lucky” I am to have a book under consideration, and I thought it would be great to help others do it the same way I … Continue reading →