Book, sleep, etc.
It's been more than two months since I updated.
Anyway, to catch up:
Did a few book events, most were packed, one was very quiet. The feedback, which I still get pretty much every day, has been overwhelmingly positive. It's certainly not going to please everyone, but I don't have a very thick skin and I'm still doing great, so... It's been a fantastic experience so far.
But the good news - there will be a book two. I get to do another one. I'm very excited about that. The publisher was great when I pitched them a proposal for a followup.
Ever since the book started selling well, it gave me the opportunity to dream about doing it full time. I'm not there yet. Not even close. But it's got to be a step in that direction, right?
So I started coming up with a plan.
How to do this for a living:
1. This book has to continue to sell well.
2. The next book has to be MUCH better. The first one was a little rushed. I want to spend more time and really carve this one out.
3. The next book also has to sell well if I want to continue to dream about this growing and becoming full time.
I was a wreck when I sent the proposal, because if the publisher said no, that would be the end of my dream. Contractually I can only write on that topic for them until the first book goes out of print. Plus, that topic has a built-in audience. (Which I am incredibly thankful for.)
So... continue the steps toward telling my day job to stuff it...
4. Minimize expenses. Car payments, credit cards, eating out, etc. If I can get those down to nothing, it'd be a lot easier. And actually, we're getting there.
5. Get a couple of royalty checks in the bank.
6. Develop a good freelance network.
I had that going really well last summer - I was doing pretty well with the freelance. But I had to stop when I got my 'respectable' job. I don't know if that budget still exists for my former employers.
Then what?
No idea.
How many people actually do this? Is it possible? I want to find out.
I imagine the book writing part will only be one of two or three jobs I'd have to juggle, but still - it's gotta be better than the soul sucking hell of a corporate machine.
Oh, I also have sleep apnea. I have a CPAP machine now. Yeah, I look GOOD when I go to bed. I look like a furry, reddish elephant. Like Snuffalupagus without the droopy eyes.
But this also is a step in the right direction. I need to get my health under control, which I am doing, if I want any of this to have a chance.
Anyway, to catch up:
Did a few book events, most were packed, one was very quiet. The feedback, which I still get pretty much every day, has been overwhelmingly positive. It's certainly not going to please everyone, but I don't have a very thick skin and I'm still doing great, so... It's been a fantastic experience so far.
But the good news - there will be a book two. I get to do another one. I'm very excited about that. The publisher was great when I pitched them a proposal for a followup.
Ever since the book started selling well, it gave me the opportunity to dream about doing it full time. I'm not there yet. Not even close. But it's got to be a step in that direction, right?
So I started coming up with a plan.
How to do this for a living:
1. This book has to continue to sell well.
2. The next book has to be MUCH better. The first one was a little rushed. I want to spend more time and really carve this one out.
3. The next book also has to sell well if I want to continue to dream about this growing and becoming full time.
I was a wreck when I sent the proposal, because if the publisher said no, that would be the end of my dream. Contractually I can only write on that topic for them until the first book goes out of print. Plus, that topic has a built-in audience. (Which I am incredibly thankful for.)
So... continue the steps toward telling my day job to stuff it...
4. Minimize expenses. Car payments, credit cards, eating out, etc. If I can get those down to nothing, it'd be a lot easier. And actually, we're getting there.
5. Get a couple of royalty checks in the bank.
6. Develop a good freelance network.
I had that going really well last summer - I was doing pretty well with the freelance. But I had to stop when I got my 'respectable' job. I don't know if that budget still exists for my former employers.
Then what?
No idea.
How many people actually do this? Is it possible? I want to find out.
I imagine the book writing part will only be one of two or three jobs I'd have to juggle, but still - it's gotta be better than the soul sucking hell of a corporate machine.
Oh, I also have sleep apnea. I have a CPAP machine now. Yeah, I look GOOD when I go to bed. I look like a furry, reddish elephant. Like Snuffalupagus without the droopy eyes.
But this also is a step in the right direction. I need to get my health under control, which I am doing, if I want any of this to have a chance.