In the thread http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=15154, I examined the possibility of writing a book about the construction of my shop. I have decided not to go ahead with the book, at least not at this time.
First, here is my analysis of the poll:
• The responses to the poll have just about petered out. I had hoped for about 200 votes but only received about one third that number.
• On the surface the percentage that would or might buy the book is encouraging but then again, 631 folks read the thread but only one tenth of them voted.
• My guess is that of the approximately 570 people who did not vote about 1/3 are not members of Saw Mill Creek. That leaves about 380 people who could have voted but chose not to do so.
• I must assume that, if a person did not vote, then that person would not be interested in the proposed book.
• So, I am adding 380 to the last choice, and this results in the numbers:
would buy the book_______________________________9_______2.2%• These are not good numbers, particularly when I would think that the folks at Saw Mill Creek are a representative demographic of the most likely audience for the book.
about a 50% chance that I would buy the book________9________2.2%
about a 25% chance that I would buy the book________4________0.9%
none of the above, but I might buy if recommended_____7________1.5%
doubt very much that I would buy the book__________412_______93.4%
Other Considerations:
• I think that Christian's observation: "But my favorite topic is basically the inner structure of a shop - shelves, dust collection, well-thought storage, machinery ..." applies to a lot of folks (including me). So any book that I write now would be considered incomplete by a lot of folks.
• Some number of people told me that they would prefer hard copy to a CD. Providing such a thing is a whole other dimension and one that I am not willing to finance (at least, not right now).
• Margaret (my wife) has a lot of projects that she wants me to work on that were put on hold in 2004. It would be best for domestic tranquility not to undertake a book writing and promotion task right now.
What will I do:
• I will continue to make notes and take pictures as I populate the shop with machinery, cabinets, etc in order to have more complete material should a book eventually happen.
• I will work on many of Margaret's projects.
• Later in the year I will pursue the possibility of a magazine article (if anyone has any contacts and would be willing to send them to me, I would appreciate it).
• If the article happens, then I will consider a book possibility as well.
I thank everyone who responded to the thread, everyone who voted, and everyone who sent me private mail on the subject. I am neither disappointed nor discouraged.
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