Build Your Village - Part 1 - Writing

As I shared in my first post, this whole process came about very organically and serendipitously with someone who knows someone who knows someone lending a hand and it’s been magical.  The typical timeline to get a children’s book published is at least one to two years.  I’m making it happen in about 7 months, and it’s my first book.  Pigs really can fly!  

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Writing 

I have always been a fast thinker, faster writer, and even faster typist (I thank the late ‘90s instant messaging days for that!).  In school, I never second-guessed my answers on tests, and had to force myself to look over things again, or at least pretend to, so I wasn’t always the first one turning things in.  But you either know it or you don’t, and it’s worked the same with writing for me.  Idea → words → it works or it doesn’t.  The bulk of ABC, Run With Me: Flying Pig Marathon was written on the first go-through.  It’s been tweaked, edited, revised, and shuffled around a bit, but the main ideas were definitely there.  I’ve been blessed with my (very patient) husband, family, friends, neighbors, and even a couple former students, who have been willing to read drafts and provide feedback!  

Fun Facts: 

• There are at least 16 drafts of this book in existence.  Some have big changes, and some have a few small corrections.  

• B, C, D, F, H, I, K, M, O, U, W, X, Y, and Z are all the original big words (B is for Bib, C is for Cincinnati of course……..and you’ll just have to pick up a copy of the book to see the rest!)

• J and R have had the most changes to them.  

• Z is a very unique, very perfect, very local connection!  

• Most of the book has been created on a GoogleDoc, but there are a few random post-it notes, the odd envelope scrap, and of course, a LaRosa’s napkin used as well!  

• We’ve been through about 10 different titles before settling on ABC, Run With Me. 

Keep running with me,

❤Kelsey