Sometimes we like to think we can do everything ourselves. And actually, we probably can in most circumstances. But in doing everything ourselves, we can also end up with something which is somehow less than what we wanted or envisaged. It's why, when I decided I was going to produce a book to go with the All my Ghosts album, I asked for help.
At the outset I knew I would need some photographs. Come the end, I knew I would need someone to edit the stories. And asking for help under any circumstances isn't always easy, especially when you feel like you don't know what you're doing, and know you're going to have to explain and share with someone content and ideas of something quite personal.
But people can be quite brilliant and I am grateful to two in particular, without whom I wouldn't have got this project over the line in quite the same way. It was their professionalism, skill and honesty that meant working with them was a joy, gave me confidence in the project, and produced something beyond what I'd first imagined.
Elinor - The Photographer
When I approached Elinor to ask if she'd be interested doing a photoshoot for my book, explaining that proceeds from sales were going to Platform 1 men's mental health and crisis charity, she was really supportive from the outset.
We exchanged a few messages about the project, what I was aiming for, the look and feel. I sent her the song lyrics and some of the early story drafts. Later we met up and had a really nice conversation about what some of the songs meant to me, and about some of the stories. It was nice for me to be able to discuss things at length, and I felt she really got it.
A few weeks later we spent an afternoon together doing a photoshoot at her studio and out on the moors. There's something quite uncomfortable being the subject in a photoshoot, but Elinor was great and I ended up really enjoying it.
I was really pleased with the end product. She absolutely got the brief and I am incredibly grateful, because the photos are a perfect fit.
Rezina - The Editor
I couldn't have handed over my book to anyone better, when it came to editing. The critical thing for me in asking Rezina if she would do this, is that I knew I could trust her to be honest. Of course, you've got to have the skill and intelligence, but honesty was always going to be key alongside these things.
And honest she was, in such a warm and disarming way that even when she told me a couple of the stories actually didn't make sense, in the wider feel and context of the book, not only was I not offended, I actually listened.
It would have been easy to reject her comments at this stage, namely because I didn't want to write any more stories or adapt what I already had. But I could see she was right, so like a dutiful student I went away and did what I was supposed to - wrote two new stories more befitting and contextually significant.
In all, it was a case of reminding myself of why I asked her to edit the book in the first place. And that's about trust. Saying to someone, "Here, please review and critique my feelings for me" is not an easy thing to do. Fulfilling that role I'm sure comes with its own pressures. Rezina was brilliant.
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