Progress Report
about 6 years ago
– Sat, Oct 06, 2018 at 12:08:32 PM
Happy Fall everyone! 5 out of 6 major parts have been edited. I've collected contributions from all the expert practitioners that are adding their voices and experience to the book, and I am very excited for the results. Moving to the Pacific Northwest and starting a new job has been challenging. I haven't been able to spend as much time writing or working with my editor as I'd like. Other things became higher priorities without much of a chance for me to determine the order. The good news is that things are settled down, we've moved out of temporary housing in to a longer-term home, and I've almost made it to the 90 day mark at the new job. I'll be able to consistently put effort into this project again starting today.
The good news is that the finish line is in sight. The manuscript is past the target word count and I've hired someone to manage the design and layout of the interior of the book. The next step is to finish up the last part, review edits, and then go through the whole thing with my editor for a last pass and final changes before things move to production. I'll still need to hire a proofreader and indexer; there's a bit more to this whole book production thing than I originally thought. I am hoping to have the book in your hands in Q1 2019. I realize that this project is significantly past the timeline I set at the beginning. If you would like a refund, please let me know and I'll be happy to accommodate you. My goal has never been to make money from this project, and I am committed to putting 100% of funds raised into the final product. Thanks again for your patience and support.
Editing Progress
over 6 years ago
– Sat, Jul 21, 2018 at 04:24:06 PM
Happy weekend everyone! I wanted send out a quick update. I have gotten mostly settled in Seattle, and the big items like figuring out where to live and getting possessions moved from Denver are all figured out. That means more time to work on the book. One third of it has been edited and the next two chapters will be delivered to the editor over the next two weeks. Things have been going well during the editing process, and the parts that I've gotten back are in better shape than my imposter syndrome had led me to believe. I've also engaged a professional to help with layout, design, and formatting the book to get it ready for production. I know it has been a long wait, but the goal has always been to deliver something you'll be proud to have backed. Thanks again for your patience and support! 💖
Life changes
over 6 years ago
– Wed, Jun 13, 2018 at 08:35:41 AM
Big news since the last update: I'm happy to share that I'm joining the AWS team as Evangelism Leader for the U.S. soon, and will be moving to Seattle! I've only worked at small companies and startups, so I am excited to learn how developer relations operates at larger organizations while helping developers of all kinds solve problems.
Interviewing, traveling, finding a new place to live, and getting ready to move takes a lot of time, especially when it is unexpected. I've had to put working on the book in a holding pattern for a bit while these things get sorted out. Some of the big pieces are starting to fall into place, and working with my editor on the book will resume shortly. I apologize for the delay (again) and appreciate your patience and support. My goal has always been to produce a quality product for you and I will not compromise on that due to a few unexpected delays.
Thanks!
Brandon
Heading to Edits Soon!
over 6 years ago
– Thu, Apr 26, 2018 at 09:08:50 AM
Over the last few days, many of the structural questions that remained have been at least partially answered. Several contributors (to be announced soon) have submitted amazing drafts, raising the bar for the rest of the book. The process of selecting a professional editor to move things to the finish line is well underway, and thankfully it will be a very tough choice. Plans for design and layout will follow, and then it'll be production time.
As promised, every dollar raised from the campaign and pre-sales will go towards producing a high-quality product that will make you proud to be a backer. I've also been kicking around a big idea for the future, and so far the feedback has been good. More to come on that soon....
Cheers,
Brandon
Progress and Contributors
over 6 years ago
– Fri, Mar 09, 2018 at 07:46:31 AM
Happy Friday!
Things have been moving steadily since the last update. I've had some colleagues and friends (thank you!) review an unedited draft of the first half of the book. The initial response has been good, and the feedback I've gotten has been informative. I'm closing in on the target word count, though I'm letting the content dictate what "done" means.
I've been engaged with 8 contributors that are adding their voice and expertise to the book. I can't wait to share more news about the amazing authors and their topics once things are farther along.
Soon it will be time to start working aggressively with an editor and get things rolling towards production. Thank you very much for your support throughout this project. It has been both more difficult and more fulfilling than I expected, and the goal is in sight.
Have a great weekend!
Brandon
