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Expectations Beyond Abilities
Posted On 03/10/2020 14:44:36 by yourchoice

After some discussion in recent blogs about our use of the English language, it brought to mind one of the major projects that was presented to me some twenty years ago. My abilities on the computer were being honed with persistence, and my first two major contracts were to design and print “advertising cards” for companies who wished to advertise through Welcome Wagon, and announcement cards for Christian Women’s Club. Being a home-based business in a rural setting added a lot of road trips to my adventures.

On one occasion, I received a phone call from a gentleman who said that he had received my business card from the Welcome Wagon representative, and wondered if I did proof-reading and script preparation for publishing; did that fit into the job description of “Your Choice Designs”? He was looking for someone to review his autobiography and ready it for printing. No, I had never done anything like. I told him that I was a retired nurse, I loved to read, and that I was fairly proficient in ‘computer’ and ‘talking’. I passed English in High School, but that was the extent of my language skills. He suggested that if I would come to their home, his wife would be thrilled to serve some freshly baked cookies with coffee, while he told me about his project. I was persuaded (perhaps it was the cookies), and we agreed on the date and time for our first meeting.

In our conversation, I learned that he had previously contacted two editors who suggested that he needed to give more details in his stories before they would continue. He refused, saying that he had written what he could remember, and would not make up details as requested. His son had saved the text for him on floppy discs, and hoped that I would at least take a look at his work. He suggested that I select a random chapter in his files, review it and make any suggestions I might have. My computer accommodated floppy discs, so I decided to give it a try. I was pretty sure that he hadn’t written a book filled with risque stories and disgusting jokes.

To begin this project, I spent a number of days reading his files. It was an interesting read. He was the eldest son of a Seventh-Day Adventist travelling preacher, a conscious objector during WWII, an inventor, a world traveller long before guided tours, and a rancher, raising and marketing domestic buffalo. His formal education was minimal because of family circumstances, but his knowledge was massive in diversity. His loving wife supported him in all of his adventures, and was pleased to now call our town their home. 

I worked on his script for several months, arranging his short and long stories in suggested chapters, and he seemed to be pleased with the segments that I delivered to him for review. I found a local publisher who was very patient and helpful to me in every step of the project, until the book came off the press. The first printing was 1998, titled ‘Unprepared for the Adventures of Life on Planet Earth”. It is a 426-page book that included many vintage and current photographs, and an order form was on the back page, selling for $24.95 + g.s.t. My customer ordered 500 copies and was his own promoter and distributor. At age seventy-three, his life-long dream had become a reality. 

P.S. Not long after the book was finished, he decided that living in town was not for him. He purchased some rural land and a mobile home, and began again to raise domestic buffalo. We were able to visit them on the ranch, and even his wife seemed to be happy and content. However, two years later his wife passed, and he moved to the north country, near his son and family. 

I missed him… he was quite a character!



Tags: English Editing Book Printing



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Viewing 1 - 6 out of 6 Comments

03/12/2020 17:43:44


texasjane wrote:

I truly enjoyed this blog.  It makes one happy on so many levels.  You really took me on a wonderful adventure with you.  Hope and dreams that do come true.  Thank you so much for sharing.

Thanks so much for your kind comments; looking through the book when writing this blog made me think that I sure had a lot of nerve, taking on a project of that size. All that I really remember about it now, it was a great experience to work with such an interesting senior citizen!!! 



03/12/2020 08:31:26

I truly enjoyed this blog.  It makes one happy on so many levels.  You really took me on a wonderful adventure with you.  Hope and dreams that do come true.  Thank you so much for sharing.



03/11/2020 20:46:45


Altara33606 wrote:

Wow--I know editing is not an easy job. Good for you for helping him out.  And running your own home based business was an excellent way to hone your computer skills; you did great!

WOW! You just put a feather in my cap! Thanks very much. That was a fun project but took a very long time. The publisher told me that in all those pages, he only found two misspelled words. I told him that I did that on purpose....

NOT!



03/11/2020 13:03:57


nightfall wrote:

How awesome you helped this gentleman in realizing his dream. You did a wonderful job as editor. Sad to hear his wife passed not long after.

Thank you for your kind words... I neglected to say that the author was in his mid 70s when I was working with him. It was a fun time... he was a character!



03/11/2020 09:36:16

How awesome you helped this gentleman in realizing his dream. You did a wonderful job as editor. Sad to hear his wife passed not long after.



03/10/2020 17:34:25


Jane wrote:

What satisfaction you must have, having made his dream a reality, via your time and effort. What a nice gift you gave him, to be able to hold his dream story in his own hands- to be able to go back to his ranching, and sorrowfully, needing to go to live far away, but near his son.  Well done, jane


Jane, it was a great experience, and showed me that I did know something back then. Now, I'm beginning to think that I have forgotten more than I used to know... but I still keep trying. My project this past few months is relearning how to restore and repair vintage photographs. The software is so much more advanced now, and not nearly as expensive. And you know what....? The payment required is just a 'please' and a 'thank you' as set by the group of initiated the service in the first place. It's not always about the money!





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