Ok.
November 14th.
Been thinking on a handful of ideas. I am at 33,000 words, and I have begun to really like one of the possible angles for this work.
A field guide for good works.
Field guide works for a few reasons:
Its allows for personal reflections about events (which I think necessary for this particular subject).
It has a focus on practicality (which pervades this project).
It creates a more one on one relationship with the reader.
It could have really cool drawings and overall production edginess.
It encourages the notion of personal responsibility for social change (like, alright, you've picked up the book... read it while you are out doing some good).
Those are my reasons for liking the field book idea.
My vision at this point is a kind of combination of entries, ranging from personal reflections (like field book observations), works within moral philosophical thinking (like the scientific content of field books), tips and pointers on practical moral issues, and prayers or self/group development activities and social change resources.
Whadda you think?
8 comments:
Like I said, sounds original. A bit stumped on what the pictures will be exactly... You could have crazy abstract drawings of one's soul.. or you could draw pics of someone doing a good in a portion of the world that is our soul. Maybe a story you want to tie into an entry... a drawing on one page and a photo on the next. Or am I dwelling on what's been done?
I like the idea, but it's going to take some brainstorming to make good. The accomplishment of creating something original, that will draw people, will be how far we can stretch our minds, yet keep focused and not stretch out of reach.
Yar. We will have to work out a few possibilities. I think the pictures may have a humorous angle too.
We shall see...
I know I'm a little johnny come lately here, (had some other things that required focus at the time this was starting up).
I guess I'm not entirely clear on whom you intend your audience to be. Maybe there's a comment about it in here somewhere that I'll find as I get myself caught up. Looking for it, I don't see it in project, mission, or building blocks.
Based on this post and a previous milestone post, I'd say you'd already thought a lot about other books you'd like this one to sit next to on a shelf. If you haven't done so though, I'd recommend a trip to the book store and pick up titles from the section in which you'd envision your book, especially books with which you're not familiar.
So maybe get back to me with a post on something like: Whose hands you would like to see around your book? Next to what other books would you like your book to sit? Where do you want your book to live?
I've got some guesses, but I bet you already know.
Some great questions, Liz.
Honestly, I'm not entirely sure. I suppose I'd like people who like self help books... it's kinda self improvements stuff.
But also, I suppose I'd like people interested in social change to get their hands on it. I'm not sure that this text is going to make good people out of bad ones... but I hope that it will excite people who are already leaning in the direction of saving the world.
I need a solid trip to the book store. Last time I was there I was on other business.
Who do you think would read this stuff?
I. When I hear "humorous pictographic field manual," (especially coupled with "Ducttape and Crowbar for the Soul") I see something like "The Action Heroine's Handbook" or "The New York Times Practical Guide to Practically Everything." These books are mildly amusing coffee table/toilet side books. I've read 'Heroine' cover to cover only because it was a present, and it took me several years to give it any attention at all. Then, I promptly regifted it. These books don't have a lasting reference appeal, which is what I think you'd want.
II. The tone of a lot of these entries reminds me of "Skinny Bitch." This kind of bold, face the facts approach may work well for a secular diet book, but seems a little too irreverent for at least some of your subject matter.
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Maybe I haven't read enough, but the project isn't concrete enough to me to be able to answer who I think would read it. It all depends on the direction you go with it, and you haven't completely figured that out yet. Based on observations I and II, I'd say tree huggers or light hearted christians with a few extra bucks might pick one up as a gift or out of curiosity and reference it the way one might reference Jack Handey's "Deep Thoughts": witty, successful, widely known, but not life-changing, serious advice.
Thanks for the ideas. :)
Interesting exercise: searching for "impactful books," "favorite books," or the like. Can also be done in conjunction with a title you would like to see listed with your book (i.e. I'd like people who like this book to like my book).
I've tried it a couple times now, interesting.
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