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Getting & Losing A Book Deal
A few years ago I was contacted by an editor at Random House about the possibility of writing a book based on our experiences restoring the house. The conversation stopped at hello, yeah writing a book sounds cool.
Last year I was contacted by a different publisher that I am probably not allowed to name, at least that's what it says in the confidentiality agreement. Things went further. Contracts were executed. I was excited. Then I read the not so small print.
I would have to completely restore the house and finish the book within 10 months. We will be ecstatic to finish the house in 10 years! Therein lies the problem. As much as I would love, love, love to have something that I wrote in a bookstore, with my name on it, that people could actually buy - I'm not waiting around for a book deal to get my house finished. I would tap dance up and down my street wearing nothing but a feather boa if that would somehow magically allow us to get our house completed any time within the next year!
Writing about our experiences isn't enough, there "needs to be an emotional payoff, the conclusion." Our story isn't worthy of being written unless we finsih the house. I don't think any amount of blood, sweat or tears will make that possible in 10 months, so the deal is off. I wish things had turned out differently.
Posted by heather at January 19, 2007 7:40 AM
Comments
Yikes. I'd rather read about the journey. I like the blog and the story that is ongoing. I can't imagine the state you and your husband, your relationship and the condition the house would be in at the end of those 10 months. Not a happy journey, I think.
I didn't know you could tap.
Posted by: Aarlene at January 19, 2007 2:28 PM
Since I spent the better part of a weekend reading your entire compelling blog, I think you already have a book! It was facinating. I laughed and I cried.
With a hefty advance, you might be able to finish the house in the publisher's time frame.
However, if you finish it on your own schedule, I am sure you could eventually sell your story.
Please just keep moving forward.
Posted by: Karen at January 19, 2007 4:04 PM
I think that is very lame. Who is to say you couldn't write a facsinating book just because the house isn't totally "finished." I dislike the commercial aspects of publishing and that is what this sounds like- how can we package this so it fits in a tidy little package? I hope I am not offendng you, but it just seems like small/limited thinking on the part of the publisher. Write it anyway!
Posted by: Jocelyn at January 20, 2007 4:17 PM
I'm sure you'll get your book done, you have a great story to tell. Just keep up with your Blog in the mean time. IMO, the website is much better, more interactive, and the author actually writes back! Keep up the good work!
Posted by: Jay Ng at January 22, 2007 7:20 AM
Thanks for all the support! It's encouraging to get such positive feedback.
I'm not sure about writing the book...maybe I'll just sign up for some tap dancing lessons? :)
Posted by: heather at January 22, 2007 11:56 AM