- What is your inquiry question? What initially drew you to this question? Did your question stay the same, or did it change over time? Why?
What is the most important aspect of the process of publishing a book?
I was initially drawn to this question because I have been heavily interested in writing books for as long as I can remember. I used to sit at my desk for hours writing stories about my friends and animals and nature. Through ZIP I was given the chance to expand on this and actually publish a short book about photography and a collection of some of my favorite images ever (taken by my friends). My question stayed the same throughout my inquiry.
- What skills have you expanded on / learned during the inquiry process? How are these skills applicable to your success as a student?
Some skills I have expanded on throughout this project include (most to least) time management (because I had to do my entire project in less than 2 weeks), problem solving (because I had to reconfigure all my dimensions by an inch and a half on every page in one night which proved itself incredibly difficult), and patience. These skills are important and applicable to myself as a student because each one of them is necessary in order for me to feel confident and proud of the work I produce as well as succeed in my academic career. As I grow upon these skills they will also help me in my extracurricular activities and overall everything I do in life.
- What did you learn about / what is your answer to this inquiry question? Remember to be specific and provide direct evidence from your research.
The most important aspect in the process of publishing a book is editing and revising. Yes, the overall appeal and look of the book is important because it is what draws the reader in and keeps them engaged, but if the content is very unprofessional, boring and poorly constructed, the reader will lose interest quickly. Editing of the design and entirety of the book is also important to make sure it is consistent and flows nicely from page to page and word to word. When I was editing I realized I should have budgeted my time better and put more of my effort towards editing because I felt very time-crunched towards the end. An example of this from my project is how I overlooked the specifications of the dimensions of the book that will be printed and ended up doing the whole thing in the wrong size paper. I fixed it in one night (because the book had to be shipped that night or it would come very late) but I felt very stressed. I learned that I should have specified this with myself and understand the dimensions before I started instead of at the very end of the process.
- In what ways does your final learning artifact demonstrate your learning/answer to your inquiry question? How does it connect to your chosen curricular competencies? Consider listing your competencies and including images, links, or excerpts from your work to demonstrate this.
My final artifact to demonstrate my learning is a published book focusing around one of my other passions, photography. This demonstrated my inquiry question because throughout the creation of the artifact I was able to learn how to publish a book, what to do and not do, who to go to for help and reliable resources to use. I discovered the answer to my inquiry question throughout the process of actually making the book. The focus of my competencies was to (as a whole and in general) create meaningful literary and text and incorporating personal beliefs in critical and creative ways. The book connects to this concept because it uses design, images, and thought-provoking text to give the reader feeling through different aspects of a book. The “mood” of the book corresponds with the text and can be understood by a reader of any age who is interested in the topic.
- What resources did you find useful during your inquiry and why were they useful? (Cite at least four sources you consulted, with links, and write a brief 25-50 word response as to was important to your learning).
Griffiths, Annie (2014). Stunning Photographs. National Geographic.
Sala, Enric (2015). Pristine Seas. National Geographic.
These books helped me for more of the appeal and final product of my book because they followed a similar template of how I wanted my book to look and come out in the end. They also showed me how important it was to pay attention to final details and editing to make the book look clean and professional.
Simmons, Jerry (Sept 22, 2009). Publishing 101: What You Need To Know. Retrieved from https://www.writersdigest.com/writing-articles/by-writing-goal/business-legal-matters/publishing-101-what-you-need-to-know
This article helped me because it gave me an insight into how publishing a book can be and tips on how to make my published book better.
Bolt, Chandler (Jan 7 2019). How To Publish a Book in 2019. Retrieved from https://self-publishingschool.com/how-to-publish-a-book/
This was very helpful because the author of the article was very experienced in writing and publishing books as a self-made writer who had to learn the process of writing a book from the very start and was sharing his opinions with the world.
Stone, George (Feb 24, 2014). Secrets of a Travel Writer. Retrieved from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/travel-writer-secrets/
This is definitely one of my FAVORITE articles I think I have ever read. I reverted to this article and a few more from this author when I was writing this book because George Stone offers such raw insight on what it is like to be nonfiction (specifically travel) writer and how to document your journeys with meaning and emotion.
- What new questions do you have about your inquiry? What motivates you or excites you about these questions?
- How long does the average author spend on editing and revising their work compared to writing and drafting?
- How much does it cost to publish and prepare a book to be mass printed and sold in bookstores?
- What courses would an aspiring author take in high school and uni if they were interested in becoming an author? (fiction and nonfiction)
- In what ways does nonfiction writing differ from the writing of a journalist or photojournalist in the field?
These questions are interesting to me because writing and journalism is something I am passionate about and I would be motivated to learn more about the different writing fields as I look to pursue a career for my future. I also believe these are essential questions for me to be pondering about and looking further into if journalism is the route I choose to take education-wise.
