Linda Kovic-Skow, author of French Illusions
My Memoir, French Illusions, took me three years and countless hours to complete. During that time, I studied and learned a lot about writing. I’m not an expert, but these are my five favorite writing tips.
1. It’s old advice, but so important. I strive to “show” readers what a character is doing rather then “tell” them.
Two years ago, our oldest daughter migrated to Los Angeles in search of sunshine. Last year her sister returned home from college and departed a few months later for Hawaii. When the clouds rolled into town in October and my allergies flared up again, I turned to my husband and sighed, “What about us? How soon will we be able to move to a warmer climate?”
The thing about me is that I . . . am fussy. I can’t help myself. I like things clean and orderly.
When I first get up in the morning, I . . . press the button on the coffee maker and reach down to pet the dog. After I pour myself a cup of coffee, I check emails, “tweet,” and post something on my French Illusions Facebook Fan Page. Then, I turn to my writing.
While I worked my way through my diary, I particularly enjoyed recounting interactions with Antoine, my four-year-old ward at the Château de Montclair. He was such a sweet, goofy kid and he often voiced his affections for me with exuberant enthusiasm. Here is an excerpt from my book:
A: I chose to self-publish my paperback through Dog Ear Publishing. They gave me control over design, editing, pricing and allowed me to retain all the rights to my book. All of these elements were important to me. Then, I contracted with BookBaby to create my eBook, which I published using my own Limited Liability Corporation called Dreamland Press. They charge a fee to create the eBook, but they don’t take a percentage of the royalties.
This is the second installment in a series of two posts. As I stated previously, readers have asked me about the pictures introducing the four parts inside French Illusions. It was my publisher’s design team that came up with this fantastic idea. I doubt many authors ponder the interior design of their book. I certainly didn’t. My mind was focused on the cover design until Dog Ear Publishing sent me the first interior galley for review.
I have been asked about the pictures introducing the four parts in French Illusions. It was my publisher’s design team that came up with this fantastic idea. I doubt many authors ponder the interior design of their book. I certainly didn’t. My mind was focused on the cover design until Dog Ear Publishing sent me the first interior galley for review.
I’m not sure who or what prompted me to keep a diary during my trip to France in 1979, but I’m sure glad I did. Without it, my book, French Illusions, probably never would have been written.
Choosing an editor for French Illusions wasn’t easy. As a matter of fact, it was downright difficult. I searched the web for many months, pouring through blogs and editors guilds until I found three candidates who looked promising. I asked for references, contacted all them and received good feedback. Now what, I thought. How will I choose? The answer seemed simple. I would ask each of them to perform an edit on my first chapter. They all agreed, and over the next few weeks, I received their samples. With a critical eye, I spread them out on my office floor and carefully compared their work. Each editor offered something, but none of their edits felt like a perfect fit. Reluctantly, I tossed all of them aside.
When I decided to write a story based on my diary, I knew that I would have to change the names of people and places to protect identities. This was especially true with regard to my host au pair family. Acquiring permission from them was out of the question. Totally out of the question. I mean it. Read my book and you’ll understand. Additionally, over thirty years had passed since I spoke with anyone I’d met in France. I no longer had any contact information.
