James gets 'et

So I have been working on story-boarding James and the Crocodile. 

It is a story I have been working on for a few years now.  You would think something so simple would not take such a long time to complete.. but even an illustrated children’s book is a lot more complicated than it looks. 

Writing it is one thing.  But that is only the start. 

Then there is the polishing..  making sure that it reads well.  That the characters are clear.  I have to find that perfect start and then of course.. the perfect solution.  And all the bits in between need to connect.. every word has to be perfect. 

Then I edit.  And write again and edit again.  Then I find other people to edit.  Then I read it out loud to any audience I can find.. children, other teachers, family or friends.  Anyone that will listen basically. 

I have got to the stage where I figure the story is okay.. now it needs to be illustrated.  But, before I can pass it over to an illustrator, I need to story-board it.  Get an idea of how many illustrations I need, and how they are organized with the text. 

Illustrations can be so complex.  And now I have added another layer of complexity, I have chosen an artist that doesn’t speak English and has never been to the N.T., or Australia at all for that matter.  But, I found Google Translator.. and the lad smiled as he read it. 

“It’s a good story” he said (according to his sister's translation)  “I will do it."  He shows me a skull he has on a shelf in his room and smiles. "I love crocodiles!”

So.. it begins. 


A work sample on the brick fence to the house... 

I have sent the first bit of text and some of my ideas to his sister to print out at school.  I have no printer here.  Now I need to get a USB and put some pictures of Australia and the area where I see the illustrations taking place.  But who knows… this lad has some crazy art work..

He may make it a land somewhere between Australia and Mexico.. “We have crocodiles here” he tells me.  I am not sure if they are exactly the same.. and I am not sure it all really matters. 

While I want something the kids in the NT can relate to, I wouldn’t mind kids elsewhere benefiting from the lesson in the book.. or even just getting a smile out of it.  My story kills off the main character at the end of the story: he gets eaten by a crocodile when he doesn’t listen to the warnings of the elders.  But who is to say there can’t be a bit of humour in that?

And then starts the process of publishing.  I will send it off to publishers, and that is work and time consuming.  But I may have to publish it myself.. more work and time and even more money.  But I love this process.  It is exciting to see a story come to life.    


James and the Crocodile.. watch for it!

Comments

Unknown said…
I'm excited to see the finished book, Auntie Joc! Thinking of you often <3
November 26, 2016 at 8:30 PM
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