Why I am designing and printing my first book on my terms.

Photo Credit: Baltimore City Paper via Compfight cc

In 2014 I hope to publish my first book. Yes I want to physically print it.

Many would say,

“Why would you do that? You could just as easily distribute it digitally and not have to worry about very much cost if any at all.”

If their mind is biased upon making sales and distribution then they aren’t getting the big picture. I don’t want to write another ebook. I don’t want to do what everyone else is doing. Sure, I am not the first person to publish a book and I am also not the first person to want to design their own book either.

The point is that I want to design a book that people will remember, people will share and a book that people can hold in their hands, take notes in, draw in, and maybe even tear a page out to hang on a wall.

Wait what!? You want people to tear pages out of your book?

Well they don’t have to, but if readers feel inspired by my writing and my photography then why can’t they? What’s wrong with wanting to tape something that inspires you to the wall above your desk or the ceiling above your bed?

Nothing is wrong with that. Honestly it’s one of the greatest ways to inspire ourselves. Visual reminders are a big deal.

Whether we see what time it is and realize we are late for work or shout laughs and cries during a good comedy our emotions run quite a bit on visual fuel.

I want my book to be an engaging experience.

This is something I have been thinking long and hard about. We hear it over and over again from blogs, articles and self proclaimed “social network professionals” that “Content is King” and “you must engage with your audience” and all those other one liners they throw in our face. It’s true. You have to make something worth reading, something worth seeing, something worth sharing and something worth talking about.

Those ideas are just as true about a product, a brand, a service, and even a book. They don’t just apply to social networks. People do exist outside of the internet. That’s where real conversations happen. Face to face relationships that are strong and matter more than any email, comment or “like.”

Content + Design + Function = My Book

So my book is going to be a more creative approach to personal development based upon the foundation of my Fragments Project. A way to help better ourselves with a little bit of inspiration, brainstorming and creativity. I want readers to think differently when they go through the ideas and concepts I present to them. We have to teach ourselves to think differently and provoking engagement can do that.

I’ll be honest. I’m sick and tired of the same old shit.

I don’t want to see any more of “10 steps to being more efficient” or “5 steps to happiness.” I’ve seen the same content and information regurgitated over and over on the internet so much that I just don’t want to be a contributor to that. I don’t want to regurgitate anything to anyone. That just seems rude and lazy. It’s time I start bringing something different to the table. Not just for readers, but for myself.

If this book doesn’t even help me, how can I expect it to help anyone else?

I am committed to that idea. If I’m not impressed why should anyone else be. This book better be damn good or it’s going to be a waste of my time.

So yeah. I’m going to do this. I think the journey will be more beneficial to me than I realize.

I’ll be updating you as the project moves forward and share more progress with you.