Have you ever worked on a project, and reworked said project, for so long that you really can't look at it objectively anymore?
That was the state I was in a few weeks ago. I have been reviewing my little storybooks and trying to make them all look alike and flow in the same mode so that they could be considered a series. I rewrote the stories in rhyme. I tried to use all of the drawings, but sometimes they didn't work. So I had to either edit them or create completely new ones. I guess I was just so loyal to the old illustrations (that took me so long to make), that I hated to lose them.
And, while trying to tell the stories in rhyme, the books sort of changed their trajectories. They still tell the same events, but the "telling" either gets more entertaining or just gets TOO LONG.
Unfortunately, I think the latter happened to "Who Will Be My Friend?"
I had given myself a deadline to get it finished and to the printer. I ran into some more problems finding a copy shop that could print in landscape orientation. Finally, I found a place that said they could do it, but they had to order special paper. That took longer than expected, so I had to wait a couple of extra weeks before I saw the final product. The owner of the copy shop felt so bad about the delay that he gave me 13 extra complimentary copies!
But when I looked them over -- yes, all 23 of them -- I found so many problems. First off, the glossy paper did not soak in the ink evenly so many of the illustrations looked washed out and not true. Then after I showed it and read it aloud to several trusted people, they concurred with me that it was just too long. Had I not jumped the gun to meet that artificial deadline I gave myself, I probably would have caught the problems before I got stuck with 23 inferior copies.
Unfortunately, I think the latter happened to "Who Will Be My Friend?"
I had given myself a deadline to get it finished and to the printer. I ran into some more problems finding a copy shop that could print in landscape orientation. Finally, I found a place that said they could do it, but they had to order special paper. That took longer than expected, so I had to wait a couple of extra weeks before I saw the final product. The owner of the copy shop felt so bad about the delay that he gave me 13 extra complimentary copies!
But when I looked them over -- yes, all 23 of them -- I found so many problems. First off, the glossy paper did not soak in the ink evenly so many of the illustrations looked washed out and not true. Then after I showed it and read it aloud to several trusted people, they concurred with me that it was just too long. Had I not jumped the gun to meet that artificial deadline I gave myself, I probably would have caught the problems before I got stuck with 23 inferior copies.
So, the last few days, I have reworked the illustrations and pages again to see if I could get the plot to move along with more momentum. It dawned on me that with MAGIC Photoshop powers, I could figure out new ways to use the illustrations I was loathe to part with and just write different words. So now I think I am ready to go get the new improved SHORTENED copy printed. Yay!
RSS Feed