The Continuing Challenge of FOCUS

Perhaps you've come across this blog and are wondering where the hell I have been?

It's a very fair question. Where I've been is full-time employed at Momentum Worldwide and working on new music with my band Passion Project. The new music is (nearly) completed which means the next step is to figure out just what to do with it.

The full-time employment is not complete and won't be...presenting some very real challenges for work on this project.

At issue isn't only time - though finding time to dedicate to pure book research and writing (as I've been able to do a bit of this Memorial Day weekend) is certainly a concern. I've been considering the time challenge and wondering, "should I find a writing partner to help out with this?" It's a consideration.

The real challenge, however, is mental focus. How do I transition from dedicating brain cycles to marketing the latest American Express OPEN offering or Kraft Foods product to a secular analysis of the seven deadly sins? Mental focus is unfortunately not something a writing partner can really help with.

So while I have not been actively writing I continue to research and thinking about the book on a daily basis, whether it's a few minutes of jotted notes on a subway commute or an inspired late night debate with friends.

I will get this book done and it won't be a fragmented mess...that's my mission. It is just a question of when!

Video blog - A Marketer's Take

A writer's demo

I've been working on my nonfiction book proposal - something I've recently uncovered the need for. A first time author needs to give literary agents a sample of what he or she has in mind in the hoped that they will then shop the work around to publishers.

It's kind of like being a musician: you create a demo of your songs and then try and get a manager or lawyer to take you on and get your stuff in the hands of record labels (or at least that's how it used to be when the music industry wasn't just American Idol). Then if the labels like it they will work with you to get the material ready for release.

So I've been working on my demo, and I think it is coming along. Thankfully there are tons of resources to help (way too many, actually). Here are a couple that I've found helpful:

BookEnds - "What is a book proposal for nonfiction writers"

Michael Larsen and Elizabeth Pomada's "Make yourself irresistible"

I'm also ordered Larsen's "How to Write a Book Proposal" and "Publicize Your Book" by Jacqueline Deval. It's a lot of info but I'm sure it will help!

Luxurious distance

Wow I went over a week withouth posting in this thig...sheesh!

The reality is that my marketing consultant / day job life took up tons of time this past week. So aside from reading a few relevant books during my travels (and doing a lot of highlighting), I've been pretty much ignoring the book until today.

One nice thing about taking time away from writing is the luxury of perspective. Rereading some of the work thus far today has illustrated the need for distance every so often - some of it was a real mess and I was too close to it to realize!

So today was spent editing and incoporating a few new ideas, mostly in the "Born to Sin" chapter (where I discuss the evolutionary and bioligical basis for sin). I'm hoping this week will give me more time to continue the work but life's adventure may have another plan for me...we shall see :)

Sloth

The sin of Sloth or laziness is not something I deal with much - in fact quite the opposite, I can be a bit of a workaholic.

Well I am consumed by this book right now, writing and researching for hours upon hours each day. I'm trying to take a day or two off just to reset the mind once in awhile, usually during the week.

The good news is that I am starting to see some heat around the book. I've just had a few more people agree to interviews. And I spoke at a marketing conference this past week in Las Vegas (City of Sin?) and was integrating some of the concepts of the book into my presentation and discussions with other folks in the marketing world. There seemed to be a lot og genuine interest in the topic and concepts...so I'm excited!