Log #13: Draft one

I’ve been conflicted over the structure and scope of the info product. Just how much do I write about a specific topic? Part of the issue is that the format is uncommon. Do I repeat explanations for things? Do I separate explanation and instruction? My latest thoughts have been to separate and allow the explanations to evolve independent of the instruction.

I have what looks like a first draft of the info product, or at least something that’s close enough. I say that only because I had to set a cut-off point eventually - there’s plenty I could have kept adding and tweaking. But it’s at a point where I need to zoom out and figure out the next steps. I also just want to put together a PDF to see what the content actually looks like on paper. Seeing the first draft in action before I decide on how to progress on draft two sounds sensible.

I’ve been writing in markdown, so I might try using Asciidoctor or something to build the PDF. Maybe use LaTex? It’s been a while since I actually used LaTex for anything, but I don’t think it can output epub. For previous PDFs (at a smaller scope), I’ve used Pages. Pages is fine, but I want version control and a format/style that I may be able to use in future. That separation between content and style is super important.

The cover is on the back burner for now. I looked for artists again, but couldn’t find any listings for people who have the style I’m looking for in their portfolios. Maybe it’s a bad sign that the style I’m looking for isn’t common? Or it’s a good sign depending on your point of view.

The chair saga continues. There have been “unforeseen logistical challenges” so “the shipment has been delayed”. But “rest assured that we are actively working to resolve the situation” and “we deeply regret any inconvenience this may have caused”. So it’s all good (it’s not).

What’s next

• Try out Asciidoctor.
• Turn draft one into a PDF.
• Think about draft two.