The Idea Takes Flight

An Unpublished Picture Book

An often-overlooked part of the the creative process is all the ideas that never make it off the ground. The abandoned paintings, the unpublished manuscripts, the half-sketched comics: all are necessary byproducts of what one day reaches the eyes of a wider audience.

I have dozens of unpublished picture books in various stages of completion. The technical word for these drafts is “book dummies.” Why weren’t these book dummies published? Many reasons. Some were too derivative of another book. Some were done in a style I couldn’t quite pull off. Some weren’t the right fit for the editor I was working with. Whatever the case, the stars weren’t in perfect alignment to take the project to the next step: a finished work.

Some books I’m thankful never made it into print. In others I see the potential spark of future work. Others I have no intention of reworking, but I still love the idea. For this latter group I often wonder, What if?

What if this idea had been chosen? What would the finished book look like? How would making the book have changed my creative path?

I’ll be sharing some unpublished book dummies here behind the paywall. If you’re curious, consider signing up. Otherwise, they’ll remain a mystery. Unless, someday, they take flight. I hope you enjoy the story.