BOOK PUBLISHING BY OLA W. HALIM

BOOK PUBLISHING: WHAT TIME IS DUE FOR IT? BY OLA W. HALIM

G: BOOK PUBLISHING — WHAT TIME IS DUE FOR IT?
Getting your work READY for public consumption, as we all have related.
I'll discuss this  topic under three main headings:

1. Drafting your book.
2. Editing your book.
3. Getting published.

You know, everyone can write, but something, something specific, makes you an EVOLUTIONARY writer. One of them is PATIENCE and TENACITY. Because writing is a veeeeeery lonely, individualistic career, you need to motivate, encourage and inspire yourself most of the time. You don't get these things extrinsically...

If you can't train yourself up to this level at this stage, you might end up not writing at all or producing a work that's not mature for publication. Which would be bad...
Drafting your  book might be the most difficult stage. You spend time writing a book you find hard returning to, to edit. You can't get anyone to do it for you. So you assume, since you've spent months on it, it's perfect enough. AND YOU ARE WRONG.

Before you write, outline a plot of events and work with it during the writing stage. A As you write, you can motivate yourself by reading stuffs related to what you're writing. It helps.
You're writing a love story and you get stuck? Use the Internet!
You'll be surprised how swift your writing goes, if really, YOU'RE INTERESTED in what you're writing.
Let's assume you've finished the book.

SIT DOWN AND READ!
Enjoy your work before anyone else does. It's fascinating! You'll be surprised how beautiful your art is. Bored? Sometimes I use Text to Speech to listen to my work. You get the errors and correct them.
Editing...

For those of us who type, it's something easy. You should get some free time for yourself. It's a n opportunity to learn more about your characters plus themes
Satisfied? Give it to someone who understands grammar, structure and Literature.
Let him point of what he thinks and be ready to think about them, not just accept or reject his views. It mustn't be a professional editor.
Write out his suggestions and think about them.

Take the ones you're okay with and discard others.

STUDY YOUR WORK NOW. ARE YOU DEEPLY OKAY WITH IT?

Send to a professional editor if you can.
Are you satisfied with your work right now?
Yes?
  No?
Let this lead you.
Again, try to brainstorm reasons for whatever response you give yourself.

For example:
Am I satisfied with ECLIPSES? No. Why?  BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I UNDERSTAND THE CHARACTERS YET.
You  can do something like this.
You can't seem to decide yet? SLEEP OVER IT.  Return to the it later. I'm sure you'll find it.
When you do, talk publishing!
I think this is where I rest it against. Contributions are welcome, thanks.

Prince Joe: Ok. Thanks, sir. You have said well all through. It's not a day job to publish. Never! Someone needs to go for proper consideration.

To me, can we say: to publish a book, do you really need much research on your themes, especially when it's poetry, or when the muse brings it, you could just write. That's all?

Depends on your theme. Emotional poems don't really need much research. But something technical, maybe Sickle Cell Anemia, does.

Prince  Joe: Ok. Good. Sir, if i may ask: I notice you love writing much on sickle cell, just like Romeo Oriogun do write homosexual, to your side, what came up about this sickle cell, do you just love writing it or what?

G: It's passion. I lost my friend's son to the disease.
I'm creating awareness somewhat.
Well, mental illnesses. You know how we stereotype mental illness here in Nigeria, how nobody cares about your feelings but your physical output.

Sexuality. You know the arguments.

Love. What else is more confusing? What's love outside desires and reciprocation? Recently, religion.
Especially Universalism and the Reward and Punishment Theories.

Prince Joe: Great. I love that.

Sir, is it possible for the Government to barn a published Book that write against them, like 'This is Nigeria' by falz (song)?

G: LOL. You never can trust our government. But, as it is now, it's not possible. It's possible to critique heavily though. I don't think Falz's song was banned.

Prince Joe: Thank you. I have two more questions.

Sir, when writing a manuscript, who's the first person to give and read on how it may sound like or not?

G: Depends on you. Anyone you like. For me, funnily enough, I first record and send it to my lazy friend who can't read long things. If he thinks it's cool, I send him the manuscript.

Prince Joe: Great. Thank you.

Lastly,  sir, can you please tell us the difference between review and preview in relating to a published Book?

G: Review comes mostly after publication. Like, critical evaluation. Someone could review HOLDING RIVERS, but can preview a work you just sent to be published. It's the final stage of checking things up before the final printing begins.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Ola  W.  Halim  lives  in  Edo  State,  Nigeria.  He  believes  literature  is  a  personal  experience  made public  through  passion.  He  is  a  Universalist  and  a  rebel  against  convention  and  stereotype.  He likes  writing  stories  for  himself.  He  loves  books  with  deep  characters  and  beautiful  music.  Halim has  been  published  on  Kalahari  Review,  Tuck  Magazine,  Dwarts,  the  Black  Pride  Magazine,  and elsewhere.  He's  currently  working  on  a  novel  about  sickle  cell  anemia, as  well  as  researching psychological disorders.