How To Write and Publish a Craft Book Part Five

St. Basil's Cathedral Image from Wikicommons by David Cranshaw under Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike
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I sold my seventh book. I negotiated and signed the contract. I have begun the tedious process of creating the projects. Everyone has a different approach to this. Mine begins with an idea. Then I write my introduction, which fleshes out my idea. Then I create the outline. I determine the focus of each chapter. I don't work from chapter to chapter because I like to bounce around to the design that captures my fancy at any given moment.

My daughter started watching Cake Boss on Netflix. What a brilliant show, what an amazing artist! What I love is the moment in each show where Buddy's brain kicks into overdrive and he comes up with the concept. The thing I love is the graphic visual representation they create of what he's thinking. That is exactly how I design. I am inspired by something...an image, a motif, a pattern and then my brain begins to form an idea. So let's say it's a turret from an iconic building in Russia. I begin to think about how I can take some beads and wire and make a turret?

Then I make the design. It's never as easy as just thinking about it and making it...because there are basic laws of physics that I am defying with every twist of the wire. Just like the Cake Boss has to deal with fondant and icing and cake that may not cooperate, there may be a carnage of epic proportions around my desk...bits of wire, broken beads, funked up findings all sprinkled liberally with juicy expletives, but eventually with persistence, my vision becomes reality. Then my husband looks under my desk and shakes his head.

How in the heck do you do that in one day?!

It's Hurricane Madge!

Now if only I had a team of minions to do my bidding. Hey make this wire curl on the jig for me! You, hammer out this sheet metal! Over there, stop slacking and get this wire wrapping started!

Sigh.

I'm a team of one. One stubborn, impatient and determined woman who when inspired with an idea will insist on seeing it to completion. Therefore, in reality, my determination trumps my impatience every time.

If you want to write a craft book, you'll need to find out how to take your ideas and make them real. You'll need to fine tune your design and writing patterns and make them work to your advantage. You'll have deadlines, sometimes insanely short ones, and you will have to meet them. Deadlines are not arbitrary. Deadlines revolve around the entire team who is, in fact, waiting patiently to take your finished pieces and your concept and make a book. So...in reality...there are minions. They aren't your minions though because they're working for the publisher.

Damn.

I need to work on that.

I will be insanely busy for the next two months. This is the shortest deadline I have ever had. I am doing my best to take it one design at a time, but in light of the other things on my plate, it's a daunting task to say the least.

E...gads.

Enough blather, I have a book to make!

Love
Madge

Finding the Zen Mind

Image Copyright Enoch Bolles

Last week I saw a bracelet in an ad that was an exact copy of an architectural wire design I created several years ago for Beadalon. I mean bead for bead, color for color, wire for wire...exact. This sort of thing happens on a regular basis to many designers, especially with the evolution of the internet. Sometimes I think ideas are just out there and people have simultaneous similar inspiration. Sometimes people forget that they've seen an idea before because it's settled in their creative subconscious mind. It happens. There's a difference between that and blatant copying and I can appreciate the distinction.

Some people would pull out that unfortunate cliche about imitation being the highest form of flattery and I'd say...uh...if you buy the same shoes I'm wearing because you think them cute...I'm flattered...if you copy my designs without giving me credit and sell them as originals for profit...I'm annoyed.

That being said there's nothing I can do, really. I get annoyed, then I move on. I don't want to give them any more power than that. Lest you think this is a ranty whine about how everyone is stealing my cookies, let me assure you it is not. I've got an endless supply of some of the tastiest cookies around.

I had an epiphany on Friday night after another round of spot my designs in the bead mags...I realized that on one level I was thoroughly annoyed and on the other level I felt really sorry for the people who lacked the imagination to explore their own ideas.

My Zen Master wannabe self reminded me that once I've created something and released it into the world it is no longer mine. What I mean by that is...the act of creating it was the point and the result is merely the evidence of the creative act. Once it's out there, it takes on a life of its own and I can't police the entire planet looking for people who are copying me for profit. I don't want to focus my energy in that direction, it's so negative and exhausting.

Actually...I feel sad for these people.

The sad part for these other folks is that they will never, ever know the power and the joy I felt at having an idea and following the thread of that idea from concept to creation. My work has the energy of that creative fire...their work does not. I know that I have an endless stream of good ideas...and they're just waiting for someone else to do it first.

Now lest you think I think myself special, I believe that everyone has that creative fire inside of them. It's a matter of trusting yourself enough to follow those sparks, particularly the most challenging ones. Art is about the experience. We miss out on so much of it when we don't trust ourselves enough to listen to the muse. In fact, she'll pack up and move out if you ignore her long enough.

I am practicing non-attachment as much as I can. I am trying to be in the moment. The moment is the point. Once it has past it is forever altered. People can say what they will about me, they can dismiss me and they can underestimate me if they so choose...but I know they're watching me to see what I'll do next.

I can promise you...no matter what it is...I've had a freakin' blast doing it. I wish for every one of you the unfettered wonder of trusting your creative voice. I wish you the inexplicable ecstasy of creating without filters. Be inspired by the work of others...and then infuse it with the fabulosity that only you possess.

Then let it go.

Is it good? Is it bad? Will other people like it? Will they laugh at you and call you names? Will they copy your work and call it their own and live in constant fear that someone figures out the truth?

Ah grasshopper, who cares? You'll be far too busy dancing with your muse to give a flying hoot through a rolling donut.

Until next time...craft on with your bad selves.

xoxo
Zen Master Madge

P.S.: Please don't misunderstand the intent of this post. I'm a big believer in the importance of protecting copyrights and intellectual property rights. My work is not free for the taking, it's all under copyright. I just at some point I have to choose my battles. I'm merely saying...it's sad to be a person who lacks such belief in your abilities that you can justify stealing someone else's ideas. I'm not going to allow it to personally affect me or my psyche...and I have no problem sending out a cease and desist when the situation calls for it!