Now that the photo selection is done, it’s time to join my book’s pictures in holy matrimony with the words.
This week, I’ve been figuring out how to work the photos that support the narrative into their proper places within the manuscript. This process sends me right back into wordsmithing mode, because most of these photos require explanatory captions.
Then there are the big photos that say “coffee table book” to the reader. I view these photos as the ones that will also work as wall art. They can stand on their own with minimal captioning, and will span an entire page or even a two-page spread.
Will all of the big photos get minimal captions? No. Some of them will be accompanied by essays and others will sit next to recipes.
Here’s another challenge: Design.
It’s hard to think about my words and pictures without imagining how they will appear in page layouts, and how those layouts will flow as the book progresses from beginning to end.
As much as I’ve tried to keep design out of my mind, it keeps intruding. Maybe it should. It’s as important as the words and pictures, and it soon will take center stage in my book production process.
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