I’ve been away from the computer for awhile working on a landscaping project that has waited years to start and complete. After finishing putting the sod in I thought heck… this project was a lot like writing a book. Yeah, I know, that’s kind of a stretch but really… check it out.
Planning
Measuring square footage and locating where sprinklers are going to be put is a lot like developing characters and the plot. What direction is the story going to go? Is there an overall theme? Do you need to plan for a drip system subplot? This high level planning sets the stage for the rest of the project even though there are going to be some changes as the story unfolds.
Trenching, laying pipe and sprinklers
Time to get dirty. The parts and pieces of the sprinkler system fit together like the chapters in your book. The trench lays the path but you have to make connections with the pipe to water where you need it. It’s no different than tying chapters together as you work your way to the final goal.
Putting in topsoil and leveling
You’ve got all the fundamental pieces in place but now you need to polish off the foundation to be ready for the finale of grass being put in. This is the detail work of editing. Cutting and expanding chapters is no different than adding depth or bringing down the level of topsoil to make for a level field. There was a lot of heavy lifting with topsoil and often, editing is the heavy lifting of the book writing process. Once you have what you think is the right amount you still need to go back and make sure things are level. Is it ready?
Rolling sod
You’ve done all the planning, writing, and editing and now comes time to pull the trigger and publish. With the backyard, this was ordering the sod and laying it down. The best part is you get to see your creation, based on a lot of hard work, come to life. Making sure the sod fits together is no different than making sure your book layout is right. A lot of hard work but you get to see the end result.
Maintenance
But is your work ever really finished? Especially in the self-publishing world there is always something to do. Market your work. Work on your blog. Participate in social media. And of course, start the process all over again with the next novel. No different than watering, mowing and fertilizing your new lawn.
A bit whimsical in today’s post but fun nonetheless. I hope you’re enjoying the work and results of your writing projects and may they continue to be lush and green.
Photo courtesy of: Gualberto107 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net