I was reading Trent’s post on writing and publishing his book, where he explains in detail how he went about writing the book. It’s actually a very interesting read, and I assume the process I’d be going through will be similar. Trent will be taking questions about the process, so I will point out that you [Trent] never answered my question on Twitter, but it’s ok. Trent points out one step in particular I find interesting:

I hit my social network pretty hard and found two people who were in the publishing industry and another who had published five (or so) books, and asked them what I should do to get my foot in the door. They all told me that the first thing I should do is put together a book package, describing exactly what I wanted to do.

That’s why it’s important to have connections. On my personal stuff, I don’t have a single connection to a published author (other then a few professors,) but on the Twitter, I have at least three. Maybe it’s time to bring in a few more personal connections (And I DON’T count textbooks…lousy overpriced books..

Trent makes a good description of the various things one must do in order to get a book across, including the book’s “package.” Basically, the package consists of this:

1. A Cover Letter
2. A Justification
3. Book outline
4. A sample chapter

Sounds awful similar to a thesis prospectus approval procedure. Anyway, a more descriptive outline can be found on Trent’s post.

This brings me back to my original problem. I want to write non-fiction, but I have a fiction idea that I’m actively working on. I don’t know if I want my fiction work associated with any non-fiction that I write, and I’m tempted to use a pseudonym for the fiction work. And believe me, I’m not the only one who used a pseudo to separate one part of their work from the rest. 

I also know I have no chance of finishing ANY book before I get my Master’s degree, because I already know that come september, I have to leave the blogosphere again (hopefully for the last time) and concentrate on graduate school 24/7. Lousy work, but it will pay off. I still can’t think of a blogger who has a degree higher then a B.A. But I don’t want to sound arrogant about that.

A lot of bloggers often take old posts from their books, revise them, and put them on their books as their material. What are the ethics of this, having people buy what they could get for free? (I’m looking at you both, Seth Godin and Gina Trapani.) Not that there’s anything wrong with it, apparently, but it sorta feels like cheating to me. 

In other news, I received an email from Amazon telling me that the price of the Kindle was “recently reduced” to $359, The same price it’s been for SIX MONTHS! Way to try a fast one on me, Amazon. I’ll probably get the Kindle, if only for the boring ass trips across California for the Northern California speech tournaments. But honestly, don’t F*** with me. I do my research.