Leni Wiener

I haven’t posted for the past several days as I am now in full book mode.  I love the process, and when I hit my stride I work a full day, usually six days a week.  I was one of those kids who would do a long term assignment in the first weekend, and I haven’t changed.  I am always ahead of my deadline, because I am always worried I am underestimating the time things will take.  My son kids me that when we drive somewhere, I always want to leave so early that we end up with enough time to go to dinner and a movie once we get there!

So many other quilters tell me that they dream of writing a book that I though I would give you my top ten misconceptions about publishing a book.

1.  All you need is a good idea

I thought all I needed was a new idea or a new technique and publishers would be fighting over me to publish my first book.  What I found out was that publishers are looking for a book they can sell, based on their successful books and what they see developing in the market.  They don’t really want just a good idea from you, they want a business plan with a book attached.

2.  Your book should be finished when you begin proposing it

When I started proposing my first book (and collecting rejection letters) I found I had to reevaluate and rework the proposal three times before it finally resonated with my current publisher.  Even for the book I am currently writing (my third with the same publisher), the idea was reworked, reviewed by their committee and adjusted several times before it was accepted.

Most publishers will ask that you supply them with a table of contents, a sample chapter and a set of instructions for a project.  Yes, you write the instructions, you figure out the yardage requirements, you do all of that.

3.  You can take your time and get it done when the mood strikes you

No one has the luxury of writer’s block once they get a contract for a book.  Publishers are not in the business of making your dreams come true, they are in the business of selling a product–and that product needs to be ready in time or they can’t make their sales projections.  Most books are in the publisher’s upcoming catalogs before the manuscript is even due.

4.  You will make a lot of money from your book

When I was shopping around for my first book, I came close with a different publisher.  They had their committee meeting and decided to pass since sales and production were a dollar apart (the cost of producing the book and what they felt they could sell it for).  I said “is that it?  Take the dollar out of my royalty.”  There was silence for about 30 seconds and the acquisitions director said to me “how much do you think you make on a book?”  Let’s just say that if I had given up a dollar per book, it wouldn’t have been worth the time and energy it took to write it.

5.  You will have complete control over your book

Your publisher will have very specific ideas about what they want in the book and how they want it.  Yes, the idea is yours, the words are yours, and the work is yours; but by the time you get your contract, you will have a fairly tight table of contents, a word count, number of pages, number of photos, and what and how many “projects” will be included.

The publisher will also design the cover and the look of the interior of your book–and they won’t ask for your opinion.

6.  The word count/page count, etc is only a rough suggestion

When you get your book contract it will contain a particular number of words and pages.  Books are produced in groups of pages (signatures) and priced based on how many of those signatures will be included.  That means you can’t go a few pages over or a few pages under–they can’t just add or subtract a single page.  Your book has to fit the number of pages they have priced.  Their retail price and sales plan depends on that production price.

7.  Your editor keeps you on track

While you are working on your book, your editor is working on another book.  She (in my case they have all been shes) doesn’t check in with you, tell you to finish something by next week, or review your work as you go.  You have to finish according to the dates outlined in your contract.  Yes, if questions come up along the way you can ask her, but nothing too specific, since she has no idea what you are working on and is fully entrenched elsewhere.

8.  Writing a book is easy

Writing a book takes organization and self discipline.  You have to enjoy the process or you will spending a lot of time doing something you don’t enjoy.  I love the process.  I begin my day in the studio working on the quilts for the book.  After a few hours I work on writing for a while and then back to sewing.  I end the day by editing what I wrote earlier in the day.  When I am working on a book I put in anywhere from eight to ten hours a day, five or six days a week.

The samples for the book aren’t just produced, they are produced in “steps” that can be photographed at the same time.  So you aren’t just making the quilt once, sometimes you are making it up to ten times.  There simply isn’t time at the photo shoot to complete the next step as you go.

9. Once you finish the book the publisher does all the work

You need to spend time and energy promoting your book by teaching workshops, giving talks, and traveling to places like Quilt Market.  Your publisher isn’t going to book your world promotion tour (too bad) unless you are Stephen King.

10.  Writing a book is a good idea for anyone who wants to do it.

Well, yes and no.  You have to really want to do it, and you have to be motivated.  But you also have to really enjoy the process of writing and stay on track.  It will take over your life during the time you are working on the book–your family, your house, and your other “art” will have to take a back seat to your writing and sample quilts.  Writing a book is a very solitary activity, like making art.

There is nothing cooler than seeing your book in a shop, or online, or when people stand in line for you to sign it.  Overnight you go from being a nobody to being an expert.  But the process is a long road, and you have to enjoy the trip.

This has been a busy month for me, some bad stuff, some good.  But among the good is a new book contract.  I can’t share too many details, only that the book is scheduled to be released by Houston Market of 2011.  Seems strange to be working on a book so far in advance, but that is how it works.

Writing a book is an interesting experience, and like making a quilt, you have to enjoy the process.  Like a quilt, the result has to be something you are proud to put your name on, but if the process isn’t something you enjoy, then it is just another source of stress in your life.

I really do enjoy the process.  It is creative, and requires organization and self motivation.  It is a project that has to be planned so that all the pieces come together by the due date.  For this book I have a nice long lead time, not the case with the last two.  So time management isn’t going to be an issue this time.

Writing a book is a very solitary activity–like working on a quilt.  There is contact with an editor when needed, but for the most part, a book is a personal expression that must be accomplished alone.  For some people, working alone is hard.  I have to say I enjoy my alone time, when the house is quiet and I don’t have to answer to anyone else.

I like to write in the morning, then I work on the samples and steps, and end the day editing what I wrote that morning.  Obviously, like making a quilt, everyone has a method and a system that works for them.

Most people don’t realize how much work goes into the proposal for a book before it is even approved.  This book has been in development and has gone through several incarnations for almost a year.  By the time a book is approved (at least with my publisher–Krause/F&W) the table of contents is set; the number of quilts; the number of words and photos is determined.  Sample chapters have been written, sample projects produced and sales and marketing have already had their say.  So when I sit down to work on the book, I just fill in the TC one section at a time.

Working on a book pre-computer was clearly a more difficult experience.  Now, nothing is printed out, all the work is done on the computer, which makes it very easy to edit and change, move things around, and send off electronically.  This is faster and more efficient than working with a typewriter, making changes in pencil and retyping.  For the second book Photo-inspired Art Quilts the editor dropped each photo into the book as it was shot, allowing for decisions on the fly about horizontal or vertical format, and the progression of color from one page to another.  Too cool.

My part of the book is only the beginning of the publishing time frame, once I have sent it all to the publisher, they start the process of designing the look of the book, the cover, the editing, photography and printing.  It is a long time from proposal to production.  This is not for the impatient!

The only downside of working on a book is that it conflicts with studio time.  I find it hard to focus on both a book and developing new pieces at the same time.  But given the long lead time, I am going to try to spend at least one day a week on new work while I produce the pieces for the book.  That is my personal challenge this time around.

If you are in a guild, or know of a guild that may be interested in booking me to give workshops in either thread painting or photo-inspired art quilts, please visit my website for more information.  I would be happy to mail a brochure and to tailor any workshop, combination of workshops, or workshops and talks to meet your needs.  (click on image to view larger version of the brochure)

All workshops are hands-on and do not require any prior expertise.  I have accommodated as many as 35 students at a time.  Talks are geared towards larger audiences, and can include those listed below or other topics that may fit specific needs of your group :

Please feel free to email me at anytime.

Thanks.

I am sorry for such a long time between posts.  Lots of non-quilt things have been going on in my life, like my son graduating from college and work going on at my house.  I also had a month of down time while my poor little sewing machine waited for a replacement part.  Needless to say, I have not spent any time in the studio for much too long.

My big news is the release of my second book: PHOTO-INSPIRED ART QUILTS which was presented at the spring quilt market a few weekends ago.  The book is now available in quilt shops, through my website and from Amazon.  It includes a DVD produced by Nancy Zieman (which was great fun working on).  In the DVD, I show readers several of the steps described in the book, and Nancy and I discuss some of my art quilts.

In this book, I show step by step how I create my art quilts.  I always start with a photo for several reasons–I don’t have to figure out the perspective or the shadows, and I have a guide to be sure that the proportions of all the elements are correct.  That is not to say that I follow the photo exactly, I sometimes add things to the photo, take things out, or change the colors.  But the photo always serves as a sort of road map.

The book includes information about how to choose a photo, how to choose fabric, and how to complete a fabric collage.  I also discuss the difference between color and value, and why each are so important.  There is a chapter on thread painting the accents, and another on what I call “artist shorthands” which are simple tricks to do eyes, lips, trees, rocks, water and autumn trees.

There are several “patterns” for quilts in the back of the book for readers to use to learn the technique.

Here are a few of the finished quilts from the patterns provided:

and this one (which was the workshop in Taiwan–Faces in Fabric):

In addition, many of the art quilts I have completed in the past few years are pictured in the book.

I am thrilled with how beautiful this book looks, and I want to share my excitement with my blog readers.  So,  I have decided to have a drawing for a free copy of the new book from those who post a comment expressing interest.  Spam posts will not count.  US residents only, please.  Be sure to include an email address where I can contact you if you win (in order to get your shipping address).

Please visit my website (www.leniwiener.com) to see more of my art quilts or to order either book.