How to Cultivate the Book within You

"A book is like a garden, carried in the pocket" – Chinese Proverb

As an author, the writing process and your book are all part of a beautiful cycle. This Chinese proverb speaks to that notion.

 

Think of yourself as a gardener. A gardener’s role is to take something as simple as a seed and transform it into something that’s beautiful, that’s natural.

 

Now let’s imagine that the seed is the idea that lives within your mind. You take that seed and plant it in the words of your story, much like you would when planting a seed in the earth’s rich soil.

 

This is the beginning of the growth process.

 

It’s with careful consideration, a thoughtful approach, consistency and love that you begin to cultivate your story. You feed a seed with water and nutrients, and you feed your book with a plot and characters that make your story begin to sprout.

 

The plant becomes stronger and your storyline becomes more robust. The beauty of it all is becoming more and more apparent. As your plant begins to flourish you continue to nurture it by giving it the water and nutrients it needs to survive, much like the harmony of the words that you’ve chosen to describe your story.

 

As with anything that lives within a garden, pruning is necessary. Weeds begin to grow and crowd the natural magnificence of the flower. But, with thoughtful cuts, you can pare away the pieces of your story that aren’t necessary. With those trims, you’ve edited your book down to something that cohesively flows from the roots to the petals – a beautiful masterpiece.

 

So as the Chinese proverb connected a book to a garden, we want to connect your story to a flower blossoming within that garden. As the author and the gardener of your book, it’s up to you to nurture and evoke the beauty that lives within the soil – your mind.

 

Are you ready to plant something special today?

 

Copyright Dorrance Publishing, 2016