The Fate of Sharing Our Stories:
Tales of Resilience and Renewal
Dear Blog Readers,
Last week I asked you to weigh in on whether I should re-do my audiobook as a physical book. I appreciated your responses. I also wrote to people who purchased the book to get their opinions. Got some great feedback.
Quick summary: about a 40 / 60 split in favor of printed books. Beyond that question, though, many thought I should consider a more central issue: Why are you doing this at all? For the fun of it? For fame? For Fortune? For legacy?
Blending all this feedback, I’ve decided not to move forward with a printed version, for now. The physical book is on hold. It would take about three months and more money than I want to spend to get it done. Now, I’m quick to add, if Harper Collins offers me a $250,000 advance to do the book… all bets are off. We all have our price. (Hell, I might even do it for $175,000)
The last 18 months it took to create it has been very rewarding. A growth experience – seriously. I am very proud of it, and your positive comments made it all worthwhile.
But without a significant marketing plan, hardly anyone knows about my book. It gets lost among the other 60,000 audiobooks published last year. The fact that the world does not know about it is no one’s fault but my own. I just don’t want to be bothered with the time and expense a huge rollout would demand.
Without the book project, which would feel like work, I now have more time for other projects like cleaning out 40 years of crap around the house, and working in the garden.
I also have a new video project in mind: building community through storytelling, especially with the elderly, i.e. BHS Zoom group; Men’s group; Up and Under BHS athletes group; Harrison Ave. neighborhood block parties, etc.
Please stay tuned. I will keep you posted about what comes next.
Rick
i support you in doing what’s FUN.
Great decision, and I am continuing to share the audio book with friends who I know will enjoy it.