SharpStudies #2: Sharon Drewlo
Sharon Drewlo is an occupational therapist practicing in Fargo, ND and the author of Guide and Grow: Baby’s 1st Year. In 2020, Sharon hired G Sharp Design to develop her book’s jacket, layout, graphics, and digital conversion. We had a terrific time working together, and our collaboration was serendipitous: at that time I was a first-time father-to-be. I’ve enjoyed so many of the books I’ve worked on, but I’m not sure I’ve worn out a copy like I did Sharon’s!
Read on as Sharon looks back on the publishing process a few years later, reflecting on the experience and offering advice to aspiring authors.
Hey Sharon! So excited to chat with you today. Let’s start with you telling us about yourself and your book.
SD: Sure. I am a pediatric occupational therapist and the founder of Forward Therapy Solutions. 33 years as an OT and I continue to be grateful for being led to a profession I love and find meaningful. I am a self-proclaimed developmental geek and have always been fascinated by child development. I find it very rewarding to empower parents in understanding and supporting their child’s development, and to share in their lives as we work through challenges together, and celebrate successes both big and small along the journey.
My book Guide & Grow: Baby’s 1st Year is an extension of what I am passionate about through my work and a way to reach parents beyond what I can in my 1:1 work. I decided to focus on baby’s first year, knowing the significance of how early development and milestones set the foundation for years to come.
Beyond work, other treasured life roles include wife, foster mom, daughter, sister, friend, lover of anything outdoors, and a very serious auntie role.
When did you first think, “I should write a first year guide for new parents”?
SD: For several years I had wanted to create some type of content to give parents a more complete look at all areas of development instead of bits and pieces scattered in different resources, and also because of the frustrations I was hearing from parents feeling that they weren’t getting enough information on development, and didn’t want to spend all their time searching online, getting overwhelmed and possibly getting inaccurate information. I had penciled out a few ideas and in the end a book was the best fit for the amount of information I wanted to include in order to give parents a thorough picture of their baby’s development and activities to support development throughout that first year of so many changes. I heard consistent feedback from my beta readers that they appreciated the book was easy to read, easy to go back to reference and liked that it was more of a guidebook (“not a thick book of unnecessary words”, as one reader put it). Therefore, I really appreciated how you were able to do the layout in more of the “guide” format my initial readers found helpful.
As an occupational therapist with your own practice, what has your book meant to you professionally?
SD: Ultimately it has allowed me another means of reaching parents much further with helpful developmental information. It definitely has been a conversation starter, adds diversification to marketing in getting the word out for those who may need 1:1 services, and has led to several networking and speaking opportunities.
Personally, each time I see a book is on its way to someone I can’t help but get a little giddy knowing that means there’s another baby in the world… or on the way!
What preconceptions or concerns did you have about the book design process before you even started looking for a design resource?
SD: My biggest concern was “What if the designer doesn’t understand my vision for the book, and will that lead to increased costs/trials to get a cover I like?” After our initial conversation and how clearly you laid out your process verbally and in the project description, I no longer had any concerns. It quickly became evident you were very knowledgeable in the book design and publishing industry, understood where I was in the process, and what was needed to get me to a finished and published book.
My guess is that you invested a little more in the design process than you assumed you would. What led you to move forward with me, despite not being the lowest bidder?
SD: So many things George! First of all you came highly recommended by an author I met in an online healthcare group, who mentioned he was so pleased with your work and interactions with you, that he had already “signed on” to have you design his next 4 book covers. This led me to check out your website, which was easy to navigate, helped to get to know you, and showcased the many covers you have designed, which are all obviously professional and of high quality. Next up was our phone call. I remember thinking “What?! Someone in business is actually going to take the time to speak with me…live…on a phone?” The time you took to have a real conversation, cared to get to know me and my vision for something I put my heart and soul into, answered all my questions and more—was worth every penny!
That’s so great to hear, and it certainly helped that we bonded over the fact that I was a father-to-be at the time! I’ve since bombarded you with photos of my daughter (who is thriving, thanks in part to your book.)
Did you find it valuable to have a casual rapport with your designer?
SD: Oh my goodness, I was over-the-moon excited for y’all when you shared the news! I absolutely appreciated our rapport throughout the design process. I consider it a meant-to-be collaboration with the built in bonus of having a designer who also was my ideal reader as a soon-to-be 1st time Dad. Even before I knew this though, I found you to be very personable and easy to speak with.
And please never stop the photos –they make my day!
I’ll do it! Now, describe the process from your side. What was it like seeing your manuscript evolve into an actual book?
SD: It was beyond what I had expected – from just getting to see the first glimpses of the cover to the design and layout of the book. It was so exciting and rewarding to have months of writing become an actual book, and even better than I envisioned. I often was in awe of how you were able to translate my low tech manuscript, combined with ongoing requests such as “George, can you add this picture here?... put those little box bullet thingies there?...oops, can we add this?” – all into an actual book.
“It was beyond what I had expected – from just getting to see the first glimpses of the cover to the design and layout of the book. It was so exciting and rewarding to have months of writing become an actual book, and even better than I envisioned.”
You were very active about publicizing your book, getting into local stores, going to conferences, etc. What was your marketing approach?
SD: I really just tried to brainstorm all of the possible ways to help the book reach those that could benefit from the content. The obvious was new parents, but I soon came to find that others were buying the book as well - grandparents, caregivers, pediatric therapists, a young teen preparing to start babysitting, and several others stating it was now their go-to baby shower gift. When Guide & Grow: Baby’s 1st Year was published, I shared my excitement with friends and family on Facebook. I followed a recommendation to initially do a press release, in conjunction with an Amazon discount on the eBook. I have participated in several local events for new or expecting parents where I’ve had the book for sale, as well as gifted over 120 copies. It’s also fun to see the book in 5 local ND stores.
Finally, I really should acknowledge a fervent personal marketer and one of my biggest fans – my 85 year old mother, who proudly displays a copy on the living room coffee table ready to ask visitors, “By the way, have you seen Sharon’s book?”
Now that you’ve been through the book design process, what advice would you give aspiring authors?
SD: They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, and although we know the intent behind that saying, your book cover is the first thing readers will see. It captures attention, conveys what your book is all about, as well as reflects the author. Whatever your level of understanding of self-publishing and technology, I highly recommend working with a designer (personally, that will always be you George!) to get a professional cover and layout as well as all the tech stuff such as the different file formats needed for a book – definitely out of my wheelhouse. Now I know that an ePub is actually a file, not a bar for techies!
The ePub! That’s a million dollar idea. Until we open it up, how can people learn more about you and your book?
SD: They could head on over to www.forwardtherapysolutions.com to learn more about how I serve children and families through Pediatric Occupational Therapy services, Guide & Grow Sessions, and Infant & Child Massage.
To learn more about Guide & Grow: Baby's 1st Year, you can check it out here on Amazon.
Thanks for taking the time, Sharon! It’s not often I get to use a book I designed in such a practical way, so this one’s always got a special place in my heart.
SD: Thanks so much for the opportunity to do this interview with you. I hold great appreciation for how you took me through a completely unknown process and made the journey enjoyable and successful. You played such a significant role in helping me bring this book to completion and become a 1st time author. I look forward to any future collaborations.....and of course all the pictures you want to send my way as you "guide & grow" as a first time Dad!
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Thanks again to Sharon Drewlo for sharing her experience! If you worked with G Sharp Design and wish to be featured, drop me a line!