wonderingmind42
06-21-2008, 09:41 PM
Hey folks!
Sorry for being absent online for a bit. Wanted to give you an update on where things are with the book.
Had a great conversation with my two editors at Perigee and my agent. They are taking the top four titles (per the SurveyMonkey thing) to the higher-ups: "The Most Terrifying Book You'll Ever Read," "What's the Worst That Could Happen," "The Earth Will Be Fine*," and "Forget the Planet--Save Us!"
It was a gratifying conversation because they had independently come to a similar conclusion that I had about how to re-structure the book (essentially Option C "Uncle Fluffy" but with a note of full disclosure at the start, to avoid pissing the reader off with perceptions of a hidden agenda). In addition, their thoughts helped solve a conundrum along those lines I'd been having. Good to know I'm working with people whose writing sense works with mine.
So the title is handed off, and the structure of the book is set. Now I just need to write the damn thing. Fortuitously, the moderators of this forum have been having a discussion about maybe restructuring it to clean it up some. It would fit my needs, because I think I'm changing gears a bit at this point, away from the brainstorming/feedback/focus group kind of stuff, and more to the "Hey, can someone find this information for me" mode. We'll see what they come up with. So the looks of things I guess will be changing here, but I would love it if you all could stick around and continue helping out in the amazingly helpful way you have so far!
I guess most authors get about a year to research and write their nonfiction books. I asked for 15 weeks. (Gulp) That's because I am panicked by the idea of passing some unseen point of no return in the whole game while I dither away, crafting the perfect book. So this book won't be perfect, but maybe I can make it a little more articulate than a guttural cry, with your help in the research department.
Thank you SO MUCH for all the ideas, time, and spirit you've put into this so far. It helps to keep my hope in humanity alive for awhile longer.;)
Cheers,
Sorry for being absent online for a bit. Wanted to give you an update on where things are with the book.
Had a great conversation with my two editors at Perigee and my agent. They are taking the top four titles (per the SurveyMonkey thing) to the higher-ups: "The Most Terrifying Book You'll Ever Read," "What's the Worst That Could Happen," "The Earth Will Be Fine*," and "Forget the Planet--Save Us!"
It was a gratifying conversation because they had independently come to a similar conclusion that I had about how to re-structure the book (essentially Option C "Uncle Fluffy" but with a note of full disclosure at the start, to avoid pissing the reader off with perceptions of a hidden agenda). In addition, their thoughts helped solve a conundrum along those lines I'd been having. Good to know I'm working with people whose writing sense works with mine.
So the title is handed off, and the structure of the book is set. Now I just need to write the damn thing. Fortuitously, the moderators of this forum have been having a discussion about maybe restructuring it to clean it up some. It would fit my needs, because I think I'm changing gears a bit at this point, away from the brainstorming/feedback/focus group kind of stuff, and more to the "Hey, can someone find this information for me" mode. We'll see what they come up with. So the looks of things I guess will be changing here, but I would love it if you all could stick around and continue helping out in the amazingly helpful way you have so far!
I guess most authors get about a year to research and write their nonfiction books. I asked for 15 weeks. (Gulp) That's because I am panicked by the idea of passing some unseen point of no return in the whole game while I dither away, crafting the perfect book. So this book won't be perfect, but maybe I can make it a little more articulate than a guttural cry, with your help in the research department.
Thank you SO MUCH for all the ideas, time, and spirit you've put into this so far. It helps to keep my hope in humanity alive for awhile longer.;)
Cheers,