Backtracking Again

I am still undecided exactly which direction to choose with the photos and this morning, I have to re-do previous edits. It’s difficult to move forward when I keep having to backtrack.

A couple weeks ago, I’d printed a couple chapters of the book with photos included with the text. I brought the pages for show and tell at our weekly artists’ breakfast. I printed on regular paper because and was disappointed that the photos came out too dark. The next morning, I went and re-edited them to lighten them up.

This morning, I decided to try to print just the photos. There are a couple different layouts in the PhotoScape program and I decided to do pocket b which is about 6 x 9 cm and will print eight to a page. This will give me margins to make notes and I will put the photo id#, which chapter in the book, and other pertinent information. The photos themselves will be just big enough to inspire me with the story.

I also wanted to see what the photos would look like on matte paper. My HP printer wouldn’t print. Don’t know what’s up with that. Having to deal with these technical issues drives me crazy. I’m thinking that maybe the computer to printer connection is out again. That happened a couple years ago. It’s bad enough to spend time setting things up the first time, but having to re-do it frustrates me. Is it because I’ve not done any printing on that machine for awhile? I usually use that printer when I’m doing professional prints under 13 x 19.

Not wanting to deal with it now, I printed on the Canon printer. On the matte paper, the photos come out too light. Oh, no, I’m going to have to go back and re-edit because the book will print on better paper than regular copy paper so the pictures will need to work on that. I should have known that. I also know that photos will print differently from printer to printer. Photos edited on the laptop are different from ones edited on the pc. The color isn’t exactly the same. I prefer the pc, but most of my workday is spent with the laptop.

So, this set back has discouraged me a bit today. BUT, I WILL get through this! Maybe if I get all these issues straightened out in the beginning, the rest of the book will go quicker. Okay, maybe not, ha ha. It is a timely process, for sure.

It’s fun writing about the journey and looking at the photos. It makes me think of things I missed. It also helps me realize things. For instance, I was in such a hurry to see as much as I could, I skipped many sites. I didn’t take my time to really get the ambiance of the places visited.

As I keep saying, I want to go back and do it all again.

Working on THE book

 

I’m moving along with the writing. I’m working on Day 8 of the actual trip. So many questions run through my mind. 

I chose the book size, 7 x 10, and I downloaded the template from Createspace.com. I put a couple of pages in, but decided to do everything in Word first as I keep making changes. Adding photos as I go along with the actual trip is a challenge and the photos slow the documents, but the pictures add to the story. I want readers to see some of what I saw as I visited places. 

One question that keeps popping into my head is if I should keep a separate file of photos and one of text only. The photos help remind me of the journey as I am writing. Would this be redundant work? Plus, it would be more work. I’d have to remember to save in three folders; full copy, text only, photos only.

Then I begin to question sizes of photos. With a 7 x 10 book, should I do full page photos, half page, or smaller? Should I do a companion coffee table book of just photos? I don’t particularly care for coffee table books, but this would be of the very best photos and I could use some that I won’t be putting into the story book. I could put more of my artsy photos in this book. Would a coffee table picture book sell better than my travel book? I still could say a little something about each photo and about the area. Should I do it at the same time? 

Should I just run through the book with the text only getting the gist of the story put together from blog and journal notes? Once I get the basic story written, then I can go back and add photos and embellish and edit the writing (which I keep doing anyway.) Currently, I am spending so much time on one chapter going over and over and then I end up going back to previous chapters and adding lines to those.  

Thirty three days was a long journey and will make the book many pages. Should I do it in two parts? I’ve already divided the book into three parts; Planning, the actual journey, and the coming home. 

Am I crazy for even attempting to do something that writers don’t do? (Combining pictures and story.)  

Oh, these decisions that roadblock, have me doubt myself, and cause me to re-do portions over and over. 

Still, this is an excellent way to re-live the journey. Oh, I so wish I could go back there right now while flowers are starting to bloom and before it gets too hot and buggy.