I've actually started writing the book. It starts in Bleecker with me laying on the ground, have just been whacked by a tree. I struggle to get to a chair in the screen house. My right arm is numb and I can't drive Pam's standard shift car to get out of there. All I can do is (are you ready for this?) sit there and drink beer, and think back on our wonderful time spent living and cruising on Drift Away.
From that point, it's a compilation of blog articles, although in a different format. Rather than being a linear diary of the previous day's goings on, it's arranged by subject, such as boat critters, wintering aboard, writing, and so on.
I hope people find it entertaining and somewhat humorous. Perhaps even a bit educational.
I hope Johnny Depp plays my part in the Drift Away movie. Pam says that if Johnny Depp plays me, she wants to appear as herself, whatever that means.
After the movie hits, I suppose I'll be inundated with requests for autographs, product endorsements, and TV appearances.
After several days work, I'm up to 6,000 words. It's not all copy and pasted, but a lot of new material as well. I'm torn about the boat projects. I don't want this to be boring for folks who don't do boat projects, or maybe aren't even boaters, but also useful for wannabe loopers and liveaboards. I guess the book will come together on its own as I progress.
My target is to be 60,000 words or so, so I have a long ways to go. But then again, what else do I have to do?
From that point, it's a compilation of blog articles, although in a different format. Rather than being a linear diary of the previous day's goings on, it's arranged by subject, such as boat critters, wintering aboard, writing, and so on.
I hope people find it entertaining and somewhat humorous. Perhaps even a bit educational.
I hope Johnny Depp plays my part in the Drift Away movie. Pam says that if Johnny Depp plays me, she wants to appear as herself, whatever that means.
After the movie hits, I suppose I'll be inundated with requests for autographs, product endorsements, and TV appearances.
After several days work, I'm up to 6,000 words. It's not all copy and pasted, but a lot of new material as well. I'm torn about the boat projects. I don't want this to be boring for folks who don't do boat projects, or maybe aren't even boaters, but also useful for wannabe loopers and liveaboards. I guess the book will come together on its own as I progress.
My target is to be 60,000 words or so, so I have a long ways to go. But then again, what else do I have to do?
Hope you put in lots of pictures too Dave. Keep it light and funny. I like your style of writing so I'm sure it'll be popular. Will you self publish or go mainstream?
ReplyDeleteI've got 4 books on the go and can't seem to focus on finishing one and the boat at the same time. :-(
Cheers
Rick
I believe the4 boat projects are integral. Especially the impossible, hanging upside down under something hot need an extra elbow ones where the wrench needs to be shortened and the threads are frozen.
ReplyDeleteAnd the there are the simple fixes, that discover an underlying problem, that requires a boat unit and the discovery that the previous owner used some bolts he had left over from another project which seem to be a size and thread unknown on this continent...
Hi Dave,
ReplyDeleteI did write a book several years ago. I shopped it around to a bunch of publishers... I received quite a few nice comments, but no one was willing to put THEIR money on it. What I heard most often: "It's a nice story, but it's not a BIG story."
Would it help if I wrote that the cat killed someone or slept with a high ranking politician? LOL
I ePublished it, and it sold better than I expected. I self-published it as a paperback, and it sold better than I expected. Every quarter, I still get a little something in royalities... not enough to move me into a higher tax bracket... some months, not enough to buy a nice dinner out... but, it's always a pleasant surprise.
What I didn't know when I started writing (OK, I had no idea what I was going to do with it, but it WAS cathartic) was the fact that the writing was the easy part. I designed the cover (pretty easy), edited (not so easy), then tried to sell it around to publishers (took forever to hear back from some of them). If you intend to ePub the book, be sure to learn how to format so you can do that as you write.
Good luck with the project!
Best wishes,
Captain Jim
Hi Jim,
DeleteGood advice.
I'm not writing the book with any expectation that it would be a big seller and that I'd make big bucks off of it. It's mainly something for me to do while I'm convalescing.
The market for these kinds of books is also small, me thinks. How many people actually want to read about living on a boat? Not really that many. Otherwise, there would be a TV series about it.
I got some good tips from a follower about self publishing on Amazon.com and that's what I'll do. Any money that comes my way will be a huge bonus, and help pay my doctor bills for breaking my neck.
I could kick myself. I should have stayed laying in the woods until January 1st when Obamacare kicks in.