It’s amazing how many people are involved in producing a book. I hadn’t fully appreciated how much work is put into it, or how much help one needs getting it together until now. All the patterns in the book first go to a pattern checker who sends queries and suggestions to me. I then review these, amend the document and send them to my UK editor who checks it. She then sends it to our US editor (because the book is also being produced for the US market) who edits it for the US market. Each pattern does this loop at least once, some multiple times. With 18 patterns that’s a whole lot of loops.
We then have to plan how much text and how many photos for each section. Once the text is ready, it goes to the layout editor who sets out where the text will fit on each page, and makes placeholders for all the photos to come. There is Anthony the stills photographer, and there is Gilda the art director who is in charge of styling the book.
There are also the marketing, publishing and distributing people who I will work with later on down the line when the book comes out.
On my side, I have a small army of knitters who are knitting up all the samples that go into the book – 18 pairs of socks! I’ll be knee deep in socks by the time we’re done. Thursday is the next photoshoot for close-ups for the remainder of the socks (we did 4 the last shoot). The last photoshoot in a couple of weeks will be shot on location with models wearing each pair of socks, and I’m hoping what I’ve got in mind will work out. We need a different setting for each patterns main photograph so that will be a bit of a challenge.
Since the patterns will have passed numerous hands and been copied and pasted and moved around, it’s important too to have them re-test knit once the book is in draft form, so there is another army of knitters who make this happen. Plus of course all the socks are knit in Sokkusu so there’s been the crazy of dyeing them all up for the book. It really makes my head spin thinking about it. Right now, I wish my head was spinning from too much to drink rather than from too much to do and too few days to it! Still, there is light at the end of the tunnel – just a few more working weekends and I think we’ll be all done… that is, until the draft is ready and then it’ll be time for proof reading, re-test knitting, colour checking, etc… oy vey.
Since I do not own a time machine, have the ability to clone myself, or do away with my debilitating dependence on sleep and caffeine, I’ve resorted to my favourite form of self-soothing behaviour in times of stress: retail therapy. I didn’t go crazy but I’m very pleased with my purchase since I’ve wanted one for ages! This little gem is what I bought myself today from Debbie at Knitcellaneous: meet Sparkle the Sock Peacock.
Each ‘plume’ is a mini sock blocker. Won’t Sparkle will look super cute wearing mini-socks of Sokkusu colourways? Ahhhh, I feel better already!
Socktopus Unplugged 
LOL that peacock IS really cute!
That’s really lovely- envy setting in here!
I want that peacock too! You’re coping really well with the stress!
That little sock peacock is gorgeous! It must be so exciting (not to say a little stressy too, especially with KnitNation on your plate at the same time!!!) to see your book developing!
I can’t wait to see the finished book – are you using real models for the photo shoot or can we volunteer 🙂
That’s so cute – what a genius idea!
Just a little reminder how important the index is in a book. I bought a copy of “Complete guide to knitting and crochet” by Nicky Trench and published by Paragon, ISBN 978-1-4454-0556-8 without checking the index.
There is no indentation for sub entries, so it is really difficult to find an entry. However, where there is a string of page numbers running over they are indented. Crazy.
It may be fault of the typesetter, or if the book was first published by another publisher. What ever, I wouldn’t have purchased this book if I’d realised how poor the index is.
So, if it is not too late, do ask an indexer to compile your index, you may find one of Ravelry for there is a group for us or contact Society of Indexers in Sheffield.
Madeleine
The lady who makes that used to make a full-sized version with your choice of sock size for the blockers. She stopped doing them some years ago, and I couldn’t get her to make one special for me. 😦