Before I get to the "book deal," a quick word about Facebook. I get a lot of friend requests from readers but I must ignore them all. As my about page states: "Please note that I do not accept Facebook Friend requests from anyone who is not a current or past in-person friend or a family member." I’m not trying to be mean. I can be engaged in comments and I answer emails when I have the time. But Facebook is intended as a personal space for me with my family, physical world friends and a select few virtual world friends I’ve had for years and years. Please understand, and no begging to make an exception, please (as I’ve been subjected to a few times). Also, there is a Facebook Page for the blog. Onward.
So, yes, I have "book deal;" that is, I’ve made a deal with myself to self-publish my book and work has begun in earnest on all fronts. So, the book is pretty much planned out, cover to cover, and I have made a number of competent & successful contacts in terms of consulting, editing, design, proofreading and distribution into the brick & mortar and online booksellers.
It will be a hardcover, professionally done in all respects. And while I know a lot of published authors (including in the non-paleo world) and have many ways to be introduced to agents in order to seek a conventional deal, I also have an understanding of the economics of publishing and what authors really make for their efforts. Essentially, unless you’re Black Swan lucky, you’re pretty much destined to earn minimum wage. Read up sometime on Tim Ferriss’ marketing efforts for 4-Hr Workweek, on his blog. Essentially, he had to do most of the work, not only to write the book, but market it. My point is, if I’m going to have to market it myself, which I have to do either way, why settle for a couple of bucks per copy on a $25 hardcover?
Plus, I have the wherewithal to finance the up-front costs of production and printing.
Moreover, far from being afraid, I’m elated. It’s a challenge I’m up to and am very confident that I have a far higher chance of big success through self-publishing, since my reward for success will be immeasurably greater. And besides, self-publishing is the wave of the future.
And oh, one other thing: I don’t have to put up with milquetoast editors and a publisher that wants to tone down my invective, dumb down the message, or run in fear of lawsuits. Screw that. When my book comes out, every single word will be just as I want.
So why the sudden surge now, when I’ve been talking about it for a long time? Enlightenment. I recently got a piece of advice from someone in the know (familiar with my blog), that I definitely ought not write another how-to paleo diet, fitness and health book. That that should be only one aspect of it in the larger context of Free the Animal. So, it’s going to be part telling the story and laying the basis for an evolutionary outlook to everything: society, culture, politics, public policy, and yes…religion.
Or, to put it another way: nothing is safe.
This opens a whole new realm, as I have posts on politics, culture and religion going back to 2003 for reference. While this book most definitely will not be a compilation of blog posts, there will be a few dozen included in the book, all tied together with a narrative, a story.
So, here’s the plan:
- I’m concurrently writing a "Quick Start Guide" (~ 10 pages) on Paleo practices primarily for new visitors to this blog. This will be available for free download within a couple of weeks, in exchange for an email address.
- I’m also concurrently writing a more detailed How-To-Manual (~100 pages) on Paleo practices as an eBook download for purchase. This will be available in a couple of months. The Paleo section of the hardcopy book will be more story than How-To.
- I am currently working on the TOC and sub-chapters, with a lede for each chapter.
- It should then take about a month to go through the 2,800 posts to find the few dozen for inclusion in the book.
- Then, 2-3 months to rough draft the narrative that ties it altogether.
- Goal for completion of the initial draft: July 1, 2011
- From there, I will strive to have it on bookshelves by the holiday season
I will hold myself accountable by giving a progress update at least once per month, so expect the next one by April 1. Please encourage me to meet these milestones, on time. That’s why I’m posting this: accountability.
In the end, I think I will have met two goals. I do want to have a book that gives good detail on how to do Paleo. I just didn’t want to write a major work on it, scour for scientific reference, go bug-eyed reading studies, and so forth. I just want a simple, practical, easy to implement guide with my take and style thrown in.
The second goal is to write a book that old-hand Paleos and longtime readers of this blog just might be interested in reading, because it will go far, far beyond Paleo, into areas of self-discovery, success, failure, disappointment, and enlightenment.
The title will be, of course, Free the Animal. I should have a half dozen or so subtitles by my next update and perhaps you all can help me decide which hits nerves best.
Onward.
Addendum: It occurred to me that I left out an important detail. The writing style will be decidedly misanthropic. But I suppose you’d have guessed that anyway. The twist is, it’s not misanthropy directed at man qua man, but toward authoritarian aspects in all facets of what’s ironically referred to as "civilization."
Anon 
Lute Nikoley 
Garth 
Rip 
Jeff 
more power to you, richard, in spreading the word.
“..But Facebook is a private space..”
hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahaha
“hahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahaha”
Well, I suppose I get what you mean. Even still, I’m quite certain it’s a lot more private than this blog.
I guess I should do an edit.
“But Facebook is a private space for me with my family, physical world friends, a select few virtual world friends and hackers…”
Or,
“But Facebook is a personal space…”
Perhaps the latter. :)
Yay! You can count on me for your accountability!
Looking forward to reading the book, especially commentary on religion. I’ve only really seen you talk about it in replies (and in the one article about how you don’t have to believe in evolution to go paleo).
Good for you, Richard! There are many reasons to write a book and getting rich isn’t one of them, but self-publishing is the way to go especially since you have a large audience already. We self-published ours which allows us to make changes whenever we see fit and have things our way, including in-text citations. (I hate when “scientists” point to their publisher as a reason for lack of in-text citations)
Good luck!
I’ll get a review up on your book one of these days, Matt. Have been kinda sidetracked reading Sarno books on TMS, which is going quite well. Improvement virtually every day.
We just got the Sarno book – extremely interesting!!
Very glad to hear you’re seeing improvements with that! I’ve been doing some rehab lately and it’s not as fun as balls out lifting heavy and hard. I’m interested to hear more about your results and I’m putting Sarno’s book on my list to check out.
Put me down for a few copies! I can’t wait to see what you come up with Richard! If you need any testing, or something for your recipes, I’d love to help man!
Not going to be any recipes per se. Rather, I want to offer principles that can be applied to all paleoish food preparation. But, nothing is in stone yet and even so, highly likely that I’d want to run some of the cooking by a paleo chef anyway, when the time comes.
Richard, are you considering an eBook version? With little hassle and cost, you can get your book listed in Apple’s iBooks store, as well as Amazon’s, et al. Some of us prefer buying digital copies to save on paper and storage. :)
Yes, but not initially. I absolutely plan to shoot for the moon on this, and unfortunately, ebook sales are not yet counted in the various best-seller lists, so far as I am aware. But if the changes between now and then, sure. And in any case, after the initial push, just like Robb Wolf did.
The New York Times recently changed its best-seller lists to include ebooks (hard copies only, ebooks only, and combined lists). Others will follow. I bought Paul Jaminet’s Perfect Health Diet first as an ebook; he sent the hard copy when ready at no extra charge.
Your writing plan seems sound–doing it in stages. And I like the idea that the final product will be as much memoir as diet/exercise guide.
Very excited for this one!
I hope you gave yourself a generous advance. It’s well earned, as I expect your book will be a big success. :)
Good news, go for it. As for the religion? I think most of us are thick skinned enough that we can take it (except for a few exceptions). If I didn’t read and look at anything anti-Christian, I’d have to stick my head in the sand. So, bring it on, I’ll buy some, but you’ll have to sign them.
I like it. Hope you get this done well.
Just make sure you have a comprehensive index. Something Robb Wolf omitted.
A retrospective downloadable pdf index helps in his case, but I’ll bet he rues the ommission.
As soon as I started reading this post, my first thought was “You should check out some of Tim Ferris’s blog about his latest book..” Only to read you already have. Always a step ahead Richard.. Always.
Just stay the course, and you’ll succeed.
I’ll volunteer to get the first book burning/banning going. Yet another reason not to do an ebook.
That’s actually a great marketing / promotional idea, Paul.
Perhaps I can get someone else to organize death threats…
Vegan death threats….
I know this guy who would do it for a truckload of bananas…
ha ha
As someone striving to get their own book self-published, you have my total support and encouragement. Self-publishing is the way forward; the publishing industry is going the way of the record industry as more and more people realise that they can do it themselves.
I guess the only reason for self-publishing is, that you will find no publisher for your book, and I guess you know that.
So you tell yourself and your blogreaders, that self-publishing is the future and more succesfull anyway.
Actually, you’re ignorant, Hans. That’s why you “guess” wrong.
But, since you’ve never accomplished a damn thing that I’m aware of, believe what you want if it makes you feel good.
Just use the damned delete button, like the good anarchist you are.
Whatever you let a dog do, you are training it to do : )
I have friends with book deals. It’s the route to go if you are either poor or already famous. But like you, I also have the means to self-publish and plan to do so. Unless I’m offered a John Paulson-sized advance, I prefer to be in charge of the whole shooting match.
“Whatever you let a dog do, you are training it to do”
Does that go for children, also ;)
aah, seems I hit a sore point. But you`re right, I woudnt find a publisher as well.
But I would nottry to hide the truth behind those palliations.
However, good luck with that!
The sore point, Hans, is dealing with projection.
“I woudnt find a publisher”
Yea, I have no idea what in the world that has to do with me, the 50K absolute unique readers her per month, my interviews in Der Spiegel, Macleans, La Liberte and those less notable.
Understand: I would reject a book deal that didn’t come with a $100K advance or more. And that’s not going to happen because first timers get $25K, typically. I’d rather spend $25K to do it myself, have full control, and get paid what it’s really worth.
Hey, self publishing worked pretty goddamn well for Mark Sisson, I’d say. I was at a Borders in Pennsylvania this weekend and they had both the PB and his Cookbook displayed very prominently. There’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll be very successful with this.
Great news! I look forward to reading it.
Nice to hear about the book Richard. OT: any posts coming up on your LeanGains progress?
Hopefully the fasting one soon. Martin has been slammed lately.
Looking forward to a paleo book with some edge. Right on Richard!
Can’t wait to read it. Will order a copy for sure. And I want a real book, none of that digital shit. I like to touch and turn real pages, not click a button.
Gotta love people like Hans that come in, shit on the page just to get a reaction, and then sit back and wait for the replies. I always wonder, if they don’t like what you have to say, why the fuck are they visiting your page? No one is forcing them to click the link, or type in the address. They’re trolls, and should be ignored just as we would any other shit for brains.
Hans is an unaware troll. Experienced trolls don’t have to post the “sore point” self-validation, then run away. He is also mistaking the reaction, because it is brutal truth, not the provoked whining of a bullied victim. The truth is too hard to face, that the only accomplishment is an attempt at the cheap thrill of trolling.
Will also be buying your book when it comes out. You’re definitely one of if not the most interesting of the paleo bloggers.
Also, anyone else imagining an April Fool’s joke saying he gave up on the book for the April 1st update?
Sounds great. Looking forward to the e version since I’m an old fart that needs to be able to make the fonts big enough to see.
Looking forward to it Richard… especially the breadth of topics. I’ve been exploring primal living beyond food and exercise myself and believe you will have something of interest to say. Best of luck.
I’ve been loving your blog and its archives for a while now, so I can’t wait to get my hands on your book. Kudos for going the self-publishing direction. I think it will be the one thing that saves the publishing world – that and indie presses.
I’d happily purchase the hardcover book if it included an eBook along with it. I prefer reading on my Kindle now, and would give the book away to someone that needed it or even the local library.
Best of luck with it all.
Suggested subtitle: “An Evolutionary Approach to Everything.”
Fucking Health
A bit too pithy, I fear, George. Not to say _I_ don’t like it. :)
I totally want in on the subtitle contest (please make it a contest).
Free the Animal
Buy this book or we shoot the vegan (with cover pic)
Free the Animal
fuckity fuck fuck fuckity fuck
Free the Animal
I get 300,000 hits a day on my blog now buy my fucking book!
Free the Animal
Free your minds and your waist will follow
Free the Animal
Grok this!
Free the Animal
Now with twice the fat and half the carbs
Free the Animal
Nice and slow, step away from the statins
Free the Animal
All the cool kids are doing it!
Free the Animal
If you haven’t realized you’re an animal you ain’t free
OK, I think I’m done.