Little Book Update
With gratitude for the support that I have received, I give this brief update on my little book.
When does a child become an adult? Is it at age 16, 18, or maybe 21? Or is this stage completed by accomplishing a milestone of some kind? Or a series of milestones?
When does a manuscript become a book? Ah, that’s the question! Is it when the first draft is completed? No. Oh, no. Is it when the manuscript is ready for beta readers and editors? Nope, that’s just the first draft of the final draft.
And that’s where my little book is right now. As I am the author of a book and not the parent of a child, I think of it as a book, even though it has not yet become a book, while a parent may think of an adult as a child long after childhood has ended. Both author and parent are future-looking and future-hoping, but a child will grow up naturally, of its own accord, causing a parent to be wistful about childhood. An author, on the other hand, must make that manuscript become a book and is not so sentimental about the beginning phases.
At least… I don’t think I will have a sense of bittersweet when my manuscript officially becomes a book. Will I?
But, I really shouldn’t get too far ahead of myself. God willing, I will be able to complete this journey. (Prayers have been, and still are, much appreciated.) There will be a lot of work to do when my test readers get back to me with their reports. And then, even more work to do, I’m sure, with the editor in July (once I actually choose from among several editors who are assessing the manuscript) before I eventually get to the final draft of the final draft of my book – which will, I guess, be simply called “my book,” objectively and officially.
Well… maybe not objectively and officially “my book” until it is published out into the world. (Although drafts and manuscript are but stages of a book, as childhood and adulthood are but stages of a person.)
That publication, my dear readers, will be a blog update for another time. God willing!
Thank you for all of the many bugs! Making a public commitment to write a book has truly helped to make the book a reality. Now that I am safely out of the fragile neonatal stage, others are getting to see the manuscript as the book that I already knew growing deep inside of me. God is good! And I am most grateful for this opportunity to give witness to the fearsome wonder of divinely loved life.
© 2018 Christina Chase
Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash
Categories
Christina Chase View All
Although crippled by disease, I'm fully alive in love. I write about the terrible beauty and sacred wonder of life, while living with physical disability and severe dependency. A revert to the Catholic faith through atheism, I'm not afraid to ask life's big questions. I explore what it means to be fully human through my weekly blog and have written a book: It's Good to Be Here, published by Sophia Institute Press.
Christina Chase 
Brava Christina!
We will be congratulating our daughter Naomi – she who has written a few blogs for Agnellus – on the publication of her book on the poet and artist William Blake. Not one for the casual reader, but of interest to Blake scholars – and as her grandmother suggests, to proud parents. I hope your proud parents do not have to wait too long to have a proper physical book to touch and see and (all important when the book is new) to smell.
For my part I have grown three quince seedlings from fruit she gathered in Blake’s garden. Not a help to Blake scholarship but she will be glad to have one of them for the day she has a garden of her own. Another ‘Relics’ post coming up, I feel.
My work is 58,000 words, nearly. Not quite a first draft yet.
Ten to midnight here! As we have in-laws as well as Naomi around, and ten to sit down tomorrow evening, I’ll aim for bed! Good night/afternoon,
M
LikeLiked by 1 person
You must be a very proud father, indeed! Congratulations to your daughter (William Blake is a favorite) and I hope that you had a lovely time with your family around. 50,000 words!! I’ll pray for you for your book (please keep praying for me for mine!) Pax Christi
LikeLike
You are truly a blessing Christina and included in my morning pray,
I certainly enjoy reading about your little book.
Have a great day along with those wonderful parents of yours.
Sincerely,
Joan Bussiere
Sent from my iPhone
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you for your prayers!
LikeLike
After much thought, no comment.
Except for some imaginary comments I thought you might like:
1. OK, so: a book is not a child. Right. Then please stop calling it LITTLE!
2. Or is it the update that’s little ?
3. The editing process may get to you, but not to your insights.
4. Write for fun, not for profit. That way the reader will profit.
5. Prophets often don’t know what they are talking about. Down the line their
words become treasures.
6. Your sentences should flow freely; but not too. They might start to babble.
7. I don’t know anything about making a book, so why do I invent comments?
8. To cover for the fact that I didn’t read this post. Until just now.
9.. Stay focused
10, Hi Dan
LikeLike
Well, that got a big smile from me! No further comment needed. 😀
LikeLike