BOOK UPDATE: VOLUME ONE
“There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."
-Nelson Mandela
I am 38, 527 words into my manuscript.
I had 29,000 words when I sent it to an editor, and was told to pretty much start over completely. As I cut here and there, changed the tense from present to past, it was skimmed down to 15,000 words. I stared at the number and felt pretty discouraged.
But here I am, a few weeks later, and over half way done with the manuscript.
The goal is 60-70,000 words, if you are unfamiliar with how many words your average books holds.
You know I started this little project over a year ago with the hope and prayer that something would come of it.
(Read a bit more about it here).
I also have a little workbook that is almost finished, I cannot wait to get it to you! It will be my gift to you, subscribers.
because babies are miracles?
I didn't really know how people published books or were picked up by those big name fancy publishers like Zondervan and Thomas Nelson. But after my friend Lorna reached out to me, I started doing a lot of research and soon realized that there has never been a better time to be an Indie Author. I wouldn't be here, actively pursuing my dreams in this way today, if it weren't for Lorna.
An Indie Author is a writer who self-publishes. You have the potential to be super awesome and make a career out of it, or not. It takes a lot of work. A lot. Of. Work. But after talking with some authors whose books were published traditionally, I learned that maybe self-publishing isn't all that bad of a gig.
My friend Lorna is Jeff Goins executive assistant. He is really good at a lot of things. He has made a career out of writing and he will be my guide as I self-publish through createspace. Through this connection, I have learned so many things and created so many connections with countless people. If you're interested in any of this, feel free to shoot me an email via the CONTACT page.
With Jeff's guidance, this non-fiction memoir will be published early Fall 2017.
I am a writer. I will write, even if people don't read. It is who I am and how I was made. I am committed to writing and sharing and crafting and hopefully adding value to people's lives through it all.
This dream takes an investment.
We will make it work, because that is what we do, BUT I want to invite you into joining me on this journey. I mean, you've joined us this far, right? You've supported us while we helped plant a church, while we paid domestic adoption fees, and now this: getting this non-fiction book onto shelves, into homes, it's message info hearts. I asked Loren what he thought about me inviting others to join in this way and he fully supported it and said, "Isn't that sort of what we do? Invite people into our journey?"
SO, if you believe in the message He is burning into my heart and want to see this book in print...would you consider sponsoring it?
I am so excited to include a list of my sponsors, my financial contributors, in my first book. Any amount helps, and any amount donated will go straight to this investment and nothing else - if there is something I am good at, it is self-discipline.
(I'm using my business PayPal account to track any sponsors)
WHAT COSTS SO MUCH?
Editor - anywhere from $1500-$3500
Book cover - anywhere from $200-$1,000
Formatter - around $100
I have a few I've picked out and am still looking at options.
I have picked up 5 extra hours a week of writing for Adoption.com. I write for quite a few other spaces and am continuously building my photography business. I am determined to make this work. But boy would it be nice to not die from lack of sleep in the process.
