Summary: I went over that cool college life of mine in my writing world. And share insights from my experience working with a publisher & self-publishing. And mentioned that I'm currently making a story board for my book and a short (Lego) film.
That cool college life of mine in my writing world...
Hi. So, one of my favorite things to do on my college campus is to go to the highest floor of my building, get in the elevator with a group of my collegeagues, count to three, and tell them all to jump at the same time to see what happens. Nothing had happened...yet....
And wherever I am on campus, I usually look for a good place to sit and write that meets my needs as a full-time writer, like being close to a bathroom, a water fountain, vending machines, and a microwave. I always make sure to sit with my back against the wall so I don't let my guard down and can be ready to defend myself at any time from sneak attacks or other surprises....
And when someone walks past me where I'm sitting, I watch them go about their day as if I were a private investigator and make up stories about their past and future as if I know them, just to come up with new story ideas. As weird as it sounds, it helps me generate with new story ideas for my upcoming novels.
And last but not least, I love working in teams on my campus for events or school projects. Because without them, I am nothing. So if they win, I win. But if they lose, I don't know them.
So I really wanted to know how working with a publisher was different from self-publishing. And by this month, the second month of 2023, I was able to do that and see the huge differences between a publisher and self-publishing. I wrote three articles that fall into the writing categories of journalism. Two of the articles I wrote were based on interviews that I conducted for my school magazines. And one of the articles was a food critic review that I wrote for myself to practice. And all three articles are published on my website. Check them out if you want to learn more.
My experience of working with a publisher
During my fall semester, I did an internship in publishing for the school magazine. I wrote two interviews where I came up with the questions and set up the interviews (which were both Zoom calls). To be honest, asking the questions was easy, but listening to the person you're interviewing is work. Because you have to make sure you listen to every word they say.
Once I had done the interviews and written the articles, I sent them over to the publisher, and they did all the editing and proofreading. Since I had other things to do, like going to class, working, taking care of my family, and writing my book, not having to worry about editing and proofreading the articles and designing the layout was a big relief from my end.
So, working with a publisher during my school internship showed me how relieved I would be to give the first draft of my book to a publisher. Because I wouldn't have to worry about editing the book to make it sound interesting or proofreading it to check for typos or grammar mistakes. They can also make a better graphic design for the book cover than the one I have now. A publisher has a team that works together to bring a book to life, which is very good for my book.
My experience of working alone as a self-publisher
This article I wrote as a food critic reviewer and that I was self-published took a lot of time and effort. Before I started working on the article, I thought it would be easy, but it wasn't like that. Since I'm a writer, the writing part was easy because I can write all day, but the food critic article, which is a form of journalism, was challenging. This means that when you're a journalist, you get to go to the event to experience it, write about it, and then edit and proofread your work. Since I was working on this piece by myself, I had to do the editing, proofreading, and designing it with pictures to add visuals and make it look pretty.
I'd say I worked on this article for 6–8 hours a day in the library, since it took me a whole month to write my heart out for this food critic article. I completed this article while I was going to school, taking care of my family, and working all at the same time.
So, when I think about how much work self-publishing takes, I'm slowly leaning toward working with a publisher instead. And plus, I won't have to pay as much or anything at all. Still, I'll make sure to do research on any publisher I come across before sending them over my book for consideration, which is the most important thing to do.
Because I worked hard on the book, spent many hours writing it for months, stared at my laptop screen from mornings to nights, and put my tears and sweat into it, the book is like my baby to me at this point. So that's why, before I sign a contract with a publisher, I want to learn as much as I can about them and make sure they meet my expectations.
My first book's story board
I’m making a story board because I shared in my last progress report that I wanted to get honest feedback on the story and the fictional characters. Again, as I mentioned before, I really want to make the story feel realistic and interesting.
So, when I finish making the slideshow with all the storylines and pictures, which will probably take me months or longer since the book isn't done yet, I will show it to my colleagues. Where I'll host a small gathering, serve them popcorn, turn out the lights, and let them sit back and watch the slideshow as if they were in a movie theater but in a classroom with a projector at the campus. Since the majority of movies are based on books.
And that's where I'll start presenting the book summary that's being read by the voice narrator, followed by a small sample reading that was also read by the voice narrator to show them what kind of genre it will be, and then I'll go over the rest of the slides with them. Whoever comes to this event to give me feedback on my book will be thanked in the book on a special thank-you page when it comes out.
Short Films & Screenwriting
Since I said in my last progress report that I was interested in screenwriting, I've been thinking about making a short film. Not only will it give me the chance to write a script, but it will also give me the chance to produce a film. Because I'm camera-shy and can't draw cool animations, but I'm a writer who owns a camera and a mic ready for action.
So, I'm thinking of making a cheap stop-motion Lego movie. Even though I didn't like playing with Legos as a kid because they hurt my small hands, but if you take away the fact that they're toys for kids, they're a good way to visualize a story. Or I might just end up drawing a few stick figures on a notebook to make the short film.
And here are two things I've learned from watching movies, TV shows, and short films:
❌A high-cost, high-quality production can never save bad writing
✅ A low-budget, low-quality production can be saved by good writing
I really think that because writing is powerful. It has the power to make anyone fall in love. Writing is what gets people to watch a movie or show, listen to songs, etc. Writing is a business.
Let me ask you a question: Have you ever gone to a movie theater and watched a two-hour movie with high-quality production, cool effects, and skilled actors, but the movie was just plain boring? If you answered yes, it's because the writing was bad. And I remember watching this one movie before I started writing, and that's exactly what happened to me. As a writer, it's a huge slap in the face to waste my money and time watching a boring movie. And this is why good writing is important when it comes to making films.
So, I'm sure that if I write the whole script by myself, get a team of writers who love to tell stories to edit the script, use Legos to make a stop-motion film, record voiceovers into a mic, and film it in my backyard, I can make a low-budget Lego movie that can be saved by good writing.
Finally, I'd like to express my gratitude to anyone who has taken the time to read this entire article. So, if you read this whole article on your phone or computer, grab it, hold it close to your chest, and give it a big bear hug. And that's me giving you a virtual hug and thanking you for your time.
Oh yeah, I made this video for a class assignment, too: https://youtu.be/YyNQc0kX6UE
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