Have you ever wanted to write a book?
I have! I have loved books ever since I was four years old. And I always thought writing a book was this mystical process. But it’s actually step by step work, and you can do it! If you’ve ever wanted to write, perhaps my story will help you.
The first post is here, about the beginning of my journey to write a book. Go back and take a look!
So, brief recap,
I left my job in May, 2009, and biked to freedom. I looked for a job for months, but no interview panned out. I started sitting down and seriously considering what I wanted to do with my life. I moved into an old victorian house with friends. I started drawing illustrations for the book. I started thinking about other ways to make money. In short, I became an entrepreneur.
So then I started to take writing the book really seriously. And realized that it was a book, and not a CD project. Because I own about 10 fundraising books and only ONE CD set from a woman I took a workshop with once. I just think that maybe that says something about what people are likely to buy. You can’t pick up and page through a CD. But you can do this with a book.
I moved to Texas and started working more seriously on the book, and created this blog to help you learn about what I do (fundraising/marketing/nonprofit management) and why I do it, and how you can easily raise money for your cause too!
This past year I’ve edited, worked and rewrote The Wild Woman’s Guide to Fundraising as I’ve written for WildWomanFundraising.com, added things (like links to useful posts in my blog), subtracted things (Goodbye major gifts chapter and budgets chapters! Maybe next round!). I designed, redesigned, and re-re-re-designed the cover until I liked it. Now it looks like this:
Then I found out early last month that the Espresso book machine had come to Austin! So I got ready. I called the University COOP. I asked them how to format my book. I formatted it. I came back. It turned out that they didn’t really know how I should format it, since it was so new, so now they tell me to format it a different way. So I had to run around a bit, but I FINALLY finished formatting it at 2am Friday September 10th. And so then at 2pm I brought it over and watched them make my proof.
It’s magic! They printed my book on special acid-free paper, slotted it into the Book machine, we had to wait for the glue to warm up, then once it was 350 degrees, we turned it on and watched as the machine’s robotic arm put glue down the spine. Then it was pressed into the cover paper, and cut on 3 sides by a big paper cutter. Then it came out the drop chute, and there it was! My proof!
Once my cover is finished, I’ll go back, probably next Friday, or the week after, and get them to print up some more copies for me.
My advice for you, should you want to write your own book:
Things that helped me write the book and stay focused:
Writing my Urgent and Important, Important but Not Urgent Lists.
Journaling every day for 3 longhand pages. (Thank you Julia Cameron and The Artist’s Way!)
Having a loving and supportive partner who inspires me and reads my work.
Going to the Willamette Writers Conference in August 2009 with my friend Aubrey. That helped me get a proposal together.
Moving to Texas. Seriously. Sunshine gets me focused.
Committing Facebook Suicide. Yes. Now I have no place to go when I want to waste time. It’s so good.
Getting in two work party groups here, so I have places to write with no distractions.
Researching how to publish and getting excited about publishing.
Reading “How to be a famous writer before you’re dead” by Ariel Gore.
Finding the “No Media Kings” website, thanks to Ariel Gore.
Learning about the Espresso Machine, and realizing that I could support local business, AND publish my book, all at the same time!
Making a commitment to blog five days a week and getting positive feedback from it. So really, YOU helped me by reading this! Thank you!
Things that did NOT help me write the book, and are not invited back for next year:
Youtube,
Facebook,
HackedIRL
Failbook
PerezHilton
PortlandMercury
Huffpost
DandelionSalad
Doom and gloomers who think I should be a dentist
So now it’s a book, with illustrations, interactive sections, funny little diagrams, lots of links inside, and a resource CD full of useful things, basically it’s like a fundraising department in a box!
I’m so happy and excited about this!
Do you need money for your nonprofit?
Want to have 7 years worth of fundraising, marketing and management experience, all in one handy package?
Perhaps you’d like to read my book!
In the future, I’m going to offer different editions of the book, such as the New Grad edition, the Executive Director Edition, the Board member edition, and the Volunteer edition. A little something for everyone.
As soon as I finish publishing the first few copies on the Espresso book machine, I’m going to have a paypal button here on this website. You can also pre-order by emailing me at info at wild woman fundraising.com or calling 512-763-5161.