Sarah's+Book

**Process Log**

 * Downloaded blurb's BookSmart program to format my piece into a book format.
 * I used the landscape layout to better accommodate a large number of pictures and text.
 * I changed my font from Georgia to Century and kept the 13 pt size for both the italic and regular text.
 * I decided at one point to play around with the landscape layout and changed it to a smaller book size. It did not translate very well.
 * I kept the landscape layout.
 * I added a dedication page to my father, the source of the family stories included in the piece.
 * I added a summary on the back of the book.
 * I ordered the book, but then realized I had a typo. I had to cancel my order, fix the typo, and re-order. Very frantic.


 * Updates/Progress Report **


 * I have decided to only work with my own writing, rather than recruit contributing writers. The project will be able to stand on its own without supplemental material. I also don't have the time or energy to deal with potential problems that may arise while working with others!
 * It has taken me a week or two to finally decide on a website publisher. I am a total control freak and like to constantly move things around, so I have found my book-making soul mate in blurb. I was originally attracted to Magcloud/Create Space, but I was unsure how to convert my piece into a functional format.
 * The piece I am making into a book was written in Microsoft Word and I couldn't quite figure out how to format the document in a way that easily translated into a PDF file.
 * (the file is too large to load here -- will try again later)
 * The large amount of pictures that I am using in the piece was also of concern, which is why SnapFish was so appealing. Being able to drag/copy and paste images and text into a pre-formatted page was very desirable.
 * I didn't really like the way SnapFish formatted text, so I was discouraged from following through with it.
 * I somehow passed over blurb during my search for an easy program/website and only recently rediscovered it.
 * It meets the requirements of what I prefer in a program. It has variable formatting options for text/pictures that are already created.
 * The program is very easy to use. Moving things around and playing with different formatting is something I value.

=Visual Style Guide:=
 * Font
 * Prose = Regular, Georgia, 12pt
 * Story = Italic, Georgia, 13 pt
 * Spacing
 * 1.5
 * Alignment
 * Left


 * I. Proposal **

//The Family Plot //
 * Title: **


 * Synopsis/Description: **

 A compilation of family stories written by members of said family. These stories should be focused on family history or experiences that define a family -- stories that have stood the test of time and are essential to a family's identity. Stories can also be based upon personal experiences of an individual that relate to their family/family member experiences. These stories can be humorous, dramatic, historical, or all of the above. The featured story is one I wrote entitled //The Family Plot,// which explores a very personal experience that I had while visiting my father's ancestral homestead in Fraser, Colorado. Many photos that I took during the trip are included in the piece, and more pictures will be included in the book, bringing a much more vivid presentation. Reception of that project has been consistently positive, so I am hoping to utilize it in order to create a new and lasting interpretation that can be given to my family and the contributing writers.

The stories will be organized according to their topics.
 * Outline or TOC: **


 * Sample Chapters: **

[from page 7] The serenity of the gravesites reacquaints itself with my wandering eyes, fingers, and thoughts. As I explore the old Lyons cabin, my mind can’t help but replace the fallen roof beams to their rightful positions. I clear the overgrowth of vegetation and replace it with swept floors, remove the cluttered storage spaces, and put back the beds and chairs to their rightful corners. The somber smells of dirt, dust, and time are overcome by the scent of mountain spices brewing atop a heated stove; the silence broken by voices in conversation about the day’s duties and plans. The whispers of women’s work linger in the stillness, the remnants of their own kind of labor left behind for me to find. //Family time was often around the stove before bed and after supper. It was here that Bill’s Irish mother Bridgette May Reilly (Etta) likely wove wistful, colorful tales of family lore about her extensive family from “Back East” in Pennsylvania.//

The Daxton women, such as Etta and Olga, were the axis of everything, yet I know very little about their lives. They were the nurturers of their family and hard workers who labored alongside their men. The emptiness of my grandfather’s absence is now coupled with the realization that the Daxton women are an even greater mystery than the stories resting underneath the headstones.

A sense of loneliness seeps up through the tall grass and into my fingers. I want to extend my hand forward and open the door of the Lyons cabin to see Olga at the stove, cigarette in hand, stirring a pot of her famous stew.

[picture]


 * Materials/Apparatuses: **

Length: At least 50 pages. Illustration: I will include my own photos from the trip I documented, as well as family photos of the ancestors I mention in my story. Pictures from contributing writers will also be included. I do not believe I will have any use of a glossary, however, a map of the areas that are mentioned in the stories could be helpful.

For now, I will say that my family and the families of the contributing writers is the primary audience. Depending on the contents and topics of the stories I collect, this project could likely reach a larger audience. The category this book belongs to is Creative Nonfiction. A mixture of creative writing, as well as historical information will be included.
 * Market/Audience: **


 * II. Publishing Plan **

I will get the material from my own body of writing and pictures. I will also recruit contributing writers to write or recall their own family stories. If I need more material, I can search pieces with similar themes to edit and include out of copyright dates.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">Timeline: Until the end of the semester, about 5-6 weeks.

<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 17px;">Constraints: Relying on other writers who may not meet my deadlines.