Help Needed

It’s not often that I ask for help.  Whether it’s because “I can do it myself” or because I’m too damn proud to admit that I can’t, asking for help has never been a common practice of mine.  But, God is working to change this in my life.

I first decided to write a book in my freshman year of college.  A couple of years ago I discovered self-publishing and figured out how to publish this book on a shoe-string budget.  With my marketing skills, I would be able to write, publish, and sell this book all by myself…  And its success and/or failure would belong solely to me.  Unfortunately, this methodology of selfish, self-reliance isolates and distances me more than it connects me to the community that I desire to connect to and build up, which is completely counter-productive.  As such, I decided to change my methodology and align it more closely to my desire for community building.

Why do a Kickstarter?

There are so many reasons why I decided to do a Kickstarter for this project.  Here are the Top 5…

  1. To be a part of Something Bigger than Myself.

    By involving my community, this project is no longer just mine.  It becomes ours, and it’s success / failure becomes shared.  As I believe that relationships are all that matter in this life, it is essential that this project be one of a community effort.

  2. To Test the Market.

    Is there actually any need or demand for a book about my Notes?  If my friends and family aren’t interested, what is the probability of mass-market success?

  3. To Create a Superior Product.

    Not hiring an editor or a cover artist would definitely reduce the cost of the book by about 33%.  At the same time, it would most likely reduce the quality by by 100%.  Additionally, working with an Editor & Artist enables me to empower and promote the dreams and goals of others, while at the same time fulfilling my own.  (Love your neighbor AS yourself).

  4. To Put Pressure on Myself.

    A funded project has a timeline!  This takes it from an dream / wish to a commissioned project with a due date.

  5. To Be Vulnerable.

    There’s is a great TED Talk about how vulnerability is the birthplace of creativity and innovation.  I also believe it to be the the void that hope, love, and inspiration exist to fill.  In general, I believe most people are yearning for a chance to help out…  They’re just waiting for someone to invite them in.

I need help and I need support.

I don’t necessarily need YOUR help & support, as help & support can come from many places, but I desire YOUR help & support.    I am making a conscious decision to make myself as vulnerable as possible and ask my family and friends to cast a vote, with both your prayers and your dollars, either in support for or against this project.  And I am trusting that the outcome of this project will be perfectly in line with the Will of God.

To those who have already backed the project:  Your support means more to me than you could ever know.  For now, a simple “thank you” is all I have to give.  I also listed your names below. :)

To those who have been hesitating:  I simply ask you to prayerfully consider backing the project.  As Kickstarter is an all-or-nothing funding platform, unless the goal is 100% funded, nobody gets charged.  Thus, the reason for the high funding goal…  Go big, or go home.

Awesome Backers!

  1. Kaylene Fairchild
  2. Devin Schechter
  3. Dan Denney
  4. Aiyana Baida
  5. Hilda Bravo
  6. Ricky Manivong
  7. Leslie Mohlman
  8. Michael Hayes
  9. Shital Chheda
  10. Heather Hendershot
  11. Jeff Van Dyke
  12. Maria Gibson
  13. Annalicia Bravo
  14. John B. Rodgers
  15. Aaron Lukosavich
  16. Becky Hamm
  17. Mike Posso
  18. Elizabeth Bunbury