It has been some time since I reported on the progress of the production of my children’s book. In my last report, Benny’s Angel: The Journey Continues, I outlined the anticipated course of conceptual editing, which was just beginning.
When the process began, my editor had very few changes to suggest, which was a relief on one hand. At the same time, I was not completely satisfied with my text. A short time before, I had attended a mentoring workshop for children’s writing with Christine Harder Tangvald at the Florida Christian Writers Conference. I worked on a different manuscript in the workshop but it caused me to look at Benny’s Angel with fresh eyes. I knew this was my final opportunity to work with the text. Once the manuscript moved on from conceptual editing, it would be “in stone". So I decided to energize the story with some additional dialogue and action tags. I submitted the changes to the editor, who integrated them into my original manuscript.
Once I was satisfied that Benny’s Angel was the best little children’s story I could make it, the next step was to sign off my approval of the text so it could move to the next phase - illustration. That begins next week, when an illustrator is scheduled to contact me to discuss making the book come alive visually. The words I have used to paint pictures of the characters, setting, and action will help him or her to produce preliminary sketches. When I evaluate those sketches and give my feedback and suggestions, the final illustrations will be executed. My prayer is that they will represent not only my vision, but more importantly, God’s vision for the book. With His help, may they spring to life in such a delightful way as to entertain and influence little minds to respond to the message of Benny’s Angel.
~ Laura Allen Nonemaker
