One year and two days since the last post. Wow.
What’s up?
A couple U2 friends/fans/acquaintances have checked in during my silence to see how I’m doing and (maybe more importantly) how the book is coming along. Trading those emails, plus a long drive around town today listing to Zoo TV Dublin, has finally compelled me to the post an update here.
What’s going with the book?
In short, not much.
As I said a year ago, the first draft is finished. I started going through, re-reading everything, making edits, etc. … but never finished that.
Real life got in the way. I took a job helping some friends launch their marketing agency last spring (2024), which kept me busy until I bid them adieu in January of this year.
I did that because being my wife’s marketing guy and running my own business meant I had practically three F/T jobs. Too much.
Today, I basically have two F/T jobs. Better, but still not great.
The other thing that’s created inertia is discovering how expensive it is to self-publish a book. I had some good talks last spring and summer with a former @U2 staffer who has self-published. That was super helpful, but I ended up turned off by the process and costs of DIY book publishing.
I think that’s why you see a lot of authors, creators, etc., do Kickstarter campaigns to raise money upfront. It’s a pretty big and risky investment to self-publish a book, so asking readers to help offset those costs up front can take away some of that risk.
I’ve thought about doing something like that. Don’t know. I have mixed feelings.
One thing I think I have decided: If I proceed with the book, it will probably have a different name. The fun and irony of “OTR Vol. 25” has worn off, and I have an idea that I think is better.
Anyhoo…if you’re reading this because you’re still interested in this book, thank you. I’ll try not to let another year go by before the next update.