By Jenni Stand
When people think of authors writing a book, their first thought is often, What a solitary endeavor! But it doesn’t have to be.
Novel writing conjures images of a woman bent over her Remington portable typewriter, sitting at her kitchen table, hidden from war-torn London by blackout curtains, praying an air-raid siren doesn’t interrupt her work. Or a giant, strapping man pounding out words on his Royal portable typewriter, in a tent while on an African safari. Or, in my case, sitting at my desk or curled up on my couch, dashing words directly to paper with my favorite purple Pilot pen in Texas in the wee morning hours.
As an independent author, like I am, there’s a chance for writing to be a solitary existence. But I’m writing this blog post to show others it doesn’t have to be that way. Let’s detail the process to demonstrate just how many people are part of my team.
Photo taken by Jenni Stand.
Before I ever put pen to paper, I’m already talking about the story I want to write with my family. Bouncing ideas off my friends. Testing the waters to see if it’s strong enough for a complete book.
Then comes planning, and my first draft. Here’s a recent example of how my team helps: I’m currently writing my next book, and I didn’t like the slow beginning, but I kept going anyway, thinking I’ll fix it in the rewrite. Then, I wrote the perfect beginning, but it was about three chapters into the book. I described it to my husband. Then, I typed it into my phone and sent it to my circle of writing friends and to my daughter. The result: they all loved this new beginning. So, I spent the next week rearranging my outline before getting back to writing.
Sometimes, feedback is needed in the middle of writing a book. One time, I grabbed my daughter as she staggered out of her bedroom at six in the morning. I bribed her with the offer of making her a big breakfast if she’d sit and read a scene I’d just written. Then I waited quietly by the kitchen stove, spatula in hand, stirring scrambled eggs while listening intently to every sound in the next room. And then it happened. I was rewarded by the laughter I was hoping to hear. Success. Then I returned to making breakfast.
When I’m ready, off it goes to my beta readers who read my work. They send me feedback, which is a combination of constructive criticism and opinions on scenes and characters. Next, it goes to my editor. She works through my manuscript with her digital red pen. I read, consider, ask questions, and work every suggestion.
Throughout the entire process, my husband, daughter, and I discuss the cover as they are both a part of this visual phase of the book process. If artwork is needed, as in the case of my second book, Death is in the Cards, I turn to my talented daughter. She designed the Tarot cards used in the cover photo. When we were ready, my husband set up everything for the photoshoot. After a couple of tiny blazes, and being moved indoors, he got the shot he wanted. (FYI, don’t take photos of a crystal ball outside in Texas, even if you’re in the shade.) After publication, I send the final version off to my audiobook narrator, who brings my words and characters to life.
That’s an awful lot of people involved in the solitary act of writing a book. I encourage you all to build your own support group of people you can trust to help you. Look for professional writing organizations that offer critique opportunities. There are even genre-specific groups available. Joining writing sprints on YouTube can help you find other writers and potential teammates. If you don’t have anyone at home, ask at your local library. Personally, I have an amazing online circle of writing friends. We all joined the same writing course, and over time, we began to share our work with each other. I trust these ladies with my writing because they, in turn, trust me with theirs. Since the beginning of 2024, six books and a poem in an anthology have been written by the authors in our little circle. Another book is coming out later this year, and at least three more are slated for 2027. A true sign that having an excellent support group around you is a great way to go.
To summarize: writing is a team sport. Surround yourself with the best team possible!
Jenni Stand lives in Texas and is achieving her lifelong dream of becoming an independently published author. She was born and raised on Prince Edward Island in Canada, and she now lives in Texas with her husband, daughter, and slightly spastic dog. Jenni is the author of the Pond Investigations Mystery series: Mad Money & Murder, (2024), Death is in the Cards (2025), and Sage’s Bluff (2026).
