TArget REached - Yay!

As you know the challenge I set myself was to write my handbook for writing personal statements in the time I was in France - I had collected so many notes over the years and the idea had formulated and stewed for a great while, but I did it.  On the Friday before I set off back home to the UK, I sent off a submission proposal to a publisher and the other day I heard that they liked it.  They can see it will compete favourably with other titles in the personal statement range.  I'm chuffed.  More so about the fact that I set myself the challenge and I achieved.   At the outset I was going to self publish, so didn't put any expectations on myself - it was only at the latter stage that I began to ponder "I wonder if this would be of interest to publishers?" That's when I dug out my Writers and Artists Year Book 2010 and found them.  It's still early days and more to add to so keeping fingers crossed all things will work ok.  I have focus groups this coming week which I'm going to do with two schools, hoping to get a third, then I can glean some real life case studies and questions that they want answered in the book.  Exciting times.  Just need a sexy title now : )

Now to the next idea of writing my healing book about ME. (by M.E. I mean, myalgic encephalomyelitis or chronic fatigue syndrome which I had in my 20s) .... that's been brewing for 20 years!!

Now the world cup has begun, I'm going to spend time art-ing and musing - got my latest one to finish and I found some lovely napkins yesterday in netto to collage on a layer.  I got the idea from France as they're really into using napkins as paper.  £1 from netto not bad heh!?!?  

Note to self:  Write in blog more often as it's self directed check ins that I need!!!

Have a beautiful day - it's gorgeous here ...bisous xx

Over 13,000 words

Well today I have now passed 13,000 words for my workbook - still not sure on the title - but it's along the lines of '7 Steps to creating your Personal Statement for University' - that's a bit too wordy for me but we shall see how it evolves.  I have now finished the main steps which I'm chuffed about.  Now I am looking at the chapters either side, the introduction, the 'before you begin the book' section, about me, glossary, recommended links, references etc... so it's quite exciting.  I have one week to go before I return to Liverpool and I feel I have been very focused to achieve this task I set myself on 30 March.  

I am going to self publish it, but I also I will send it to publishers to see get some feedback.  Exciting stuff.  

Nearing 10,000 words

It has been over two weeks since I last wrote here.  I think that this blogging malarkey is working because I have been beavering away on my handbook/guidebook/manual.  So far I'm nearing 10,000 words, and I'm liking the way it's going.  This started out as a challenge to get this done before I go home to UK and it's looking like I may be getting there. Three weeks have passed and I have achieved a fair bit.

What I'm finding very interesting is the flow process I find myself in when I sit down to write.  What normally happens and this has evolved, is I will proof and edit what I wrote the day before.  This gets me into the mindset of where I was up to and what things I had been saying.  I also have a word doc on my desktop that I add to when I'm about to stop writing for the day, so that I can go and check on this first thing the next day, or the next session.  

At the moment I'm writing all the time, in the morning, through the afternoon and in the evening, taking regular breaks, drinking lots of water and eating almonds (plus other stuff of course)  All good brain food. 

And so what I have right now is a working doc, that is taking the form of "8 Steps to creating your Personal Statement for University".  I'm on step 7 right now.  I started with the steps and the activities, then I will put the coat on the rest of the book, the introduction, the references, the links, the FAQ's, the Index.  

This came to my attention today and I find it very interesting:

From Jon Kremer’s free book marketing newsletter: In 2009, traditional publishing produced 288,355 titles and print-on-demand (POD) services produced 764,448. Traditional publishers published 45,000 novels, 32,300 childrens' books, 19,300 religion titles, 15,400 science titles, and 26,000 economics titles. The top POD publishers were CreateSpace (21,819 titles), Lulu.com (10,386 titles), Xlibris (10,161), AuthorHouse (9,445 titles), and PublishAmerica (5,689 titles). 

I found this quote on word document and not sure where I found it.... sorry to whomever

"I have decided today to change my definition of success.  Instead of measuring it in ££ Pounds, I decided that the best way to be a success would be to spend as much time doing what I love.   That way even if I didn’t make lots of of money at least I would love what I was doing., happy from moment to moment".

I think that's me. <3

2 Days mindblooming.

Yesterday was a real mindblooming day.  So much so, I couldn't get to sleep last night because my mind was still churning about the handbook.  Still not sure if it's a workbook, guidebook or handbook. I'll have to ponder on that one.  It's definitely going to be something that a prospective university applicant can work through, either young person, or mature student.  I have been collating all my own notes, reference material and inspirational exercises which will encourage the reader to begin the process of unlocking the creative statement within.  It's going to be an interesting few weeks as I continue to transfer ideas, formula from written page to mac.     Found a great quote today from 'Why do bad things happen' by Gordon Smith (the Psychic Barber)

"When crap happens, just stand above the situation and say "Is that mine? No. Then don't take it on or own it, its not yours, just roll up your sleeves and get on with things". [p51]  I quite like this because recently I've been thinking in too much detail about a particular problem and it's actually not mine, it's someone else's - so I'm going to take this valuable lesson and apply it - see how it fits.

And so - "It's not mine, I'm not taking it on, I'm not owning it, I'm going to get on with my own things today"   There, I feel better.  Have good good Friday x

A self published Handbook

I'm thinking that I have to set myself a goal, let's call it a target of sorts.  In 6 weeks, is it possible to self-publish a Handbook for writing Personal Statements? (working title, haven't thought of the exact sexy title yet).  I'm thinking that this could be a tough call, but then, let's see ... working day, say 7 hours, 5 days a week, that's 35 hours a week, I know I could do more hours than that, *I'm just being generous on 35*.

I have all the resources, the ideas, the plans, the notes and the experience to do this.  Can I set myself the challenge to produce something that I will then make available?  Could be really useful for young people, adult returners, in fact anyone going to University and at a loss when it comes to writing 47 lines of 4000 characters on their UCAS application form.

Hmmmm, something to ponder on the next couple of days.  I want to put it out there to help other people -  it has been on my mind for years.

Bought another blank journal to bring all the notes together - to make it happen.

Once again this is a reminder that if I sit about and not do it, then it doesn't get done.  If I just do it, then I can at least tick it off my list, relax and move on to the next project.