Keep on Truckin'

Last minute this week was very productive for this project.

I wasn't planning on working on my DIY project this week, however, I was filling out an application for a scholarship and it asked me to write a personal essay. I sat down and cranked this essay out in about an hour. After re-reading it, I thought it would make a great story for my book! Killed two birds in one stone. Good job Pauline, good job.

My essay is quite personal and I am actually afraid to publish it. I know a lot of people won't read my book, but it makes me feel vulnerable having a very personal moment out there for all to see and my inner thoughts displayed. But I am glad I put it in there because it makes the book that much more special. I won't tell you what my own story is about yet, you'll have to read my book to find out!

I also found the absolute most perfect quote to end my book. You'll have to read it find out what that is as well. Oh I am such a tease!

Very frustrating editor. NOT COOL LULU.

I am also finalizing my cover for the book. It hasn't changed much since the first one I uploaded. However, it's been hard getting the proportions right so that it fits on my book and won't be so distorted. Actually, it's been really hard. I am doing right now and I am super frustrated. I need a professional photo designing person to help solve my problems! I just found out that a considerable amount of the image is cropped off during the printing process so now I have to essentially start all over. Great.

Yes. Finally done formatting the cover correctly. I think that took about an hour and a half. But my goals for this week are just to finish up this book. I need to get the last couple of stories in that my friends have promised me and I think I shall be good! It's been a long journey, but I am happy with how it is turning out.

No one can make you feel inferior without your consent

This week wasn't so bad. Some of my friends came through and actually submitted a story to me, as for the others, I still have to hound.

It was more of the same this week, editing stories and emailing teachers. It's going to be a steady stroll to the finish line at this point. I'm glad I got most of the formatting done early and so I am not scrambling to figure out everything now. Now it's just an easy job of editing, copying, and pasting into my word document.

One my favorite quotes

I am also thinking about putting my favorite quotes sporadically between stories to offer a break between them. They will be inspirational and add to the feel good vibe. The problem is, I have so many quotes that I love that half of my book will be quotes! I am going to ask my friends to choose their top ones out of a list I give them and I will incorporate those into my book.

I have also been brainstorming my own special moment to write about for my book. I have several instances that really stick out but I still don't know which one I will write about.

I have already written an introduction to my book but I haven't re-read it since then. Next week I hope to go back and edit that because some of things that I had previously thought have probably changed in these last 2 months. I also hope to start writing my own story to put in and finalizing the quotes I will place in it.

Stagnation

To be quite frank, I didn't do anything this week in terms of advancing my project. Absolutely nothing, except check my email.

What I've been working on instead of my book...

This week was especially challenging in terms of time management. I blame AP Biology! But in all honesty, it was mainly my fault. It is very difficult crawling out of the sluggish Spring Break days and jumping right back into intense school mode. Also, now that AP tests are just a month away, I have been taking the time I used to spend on my DIY project studying for my tests. In truth, my project is probably going to be very slow for a while, because everyone knows that AP really stands for Advanced Procrastination.

However, I am thinking about slipping one of my personal stories in there. I have been brainstorming some ideas and I think it would be nice to contribute my take on high school in there. I mean it is only fair that I do what I am asking of people!

Also, I will force myself to edit more and email more this week. I must!

With only a little over a month left, I can see the end.

Spring Break? What is a "Break"?

Greetings! Spring Break proved to be a very productive time.

I am so glad the age of the typewriter is over and that CTRL + Z exists.

I finally got around to actually putting in some stories into my word document. I really worked on editing the stories this week. For most of the stories, I just edited grammar and spelling mistakes but for some I changed some of the wording so that they wouldn't sound so cheesy and super cliche. I don't want to edit the stories too much because I don't want to mask each author's individual voice and flavor.

This week I also poked and prodded at my friends to send me stories so hopefully they pull through for me! My original goal was having around an 80 page book but I don't think I am going to meet that mark so right now I am just hoping for a 30 pager. I am more than halfway there and I am still counting on that teacher in Alaska to send me some good stories.

I also went back to bombarding teachers around America to give my information to their students. A teacher from Texas said he would share my project so I am crossing my fingers that some will come from his students. All of my stories so far have been from California and so my original idea of comparing students from around the country isn't working out so well but at least I am going to have something to show for my work. I know that failure is an option but I do not intend to fail!

I am really excited with how this is turning out and no matter what, I am really proud of my project.