To Write or Not to Write.

Choice
Originally uploaded by jtpuck.

I've written my first book. At 10,000 words, it's more of a quarter-life memoir. In preparation for having a child, and then actually having the child, the book is about how choice builds character. I've taken five of the most character-building events in my life and written them out in the form of a choose your own adventure book. The intriguing aspect is that I only know the outcome of one of those choices. By going in the other direction, you end up reaching a blank page, allowing you the freedom to write in your own story to share with others.

Writing it was one challenge, designing the book was something else. The craziest bit about it was actually coming up with a title. When I thought of the idea last quarter, I was toying with a title of "Mathematical Birthdaycakes", hoping the story would be about the formula-led life I've lived. The story I wrote turned out much different. In fact, you've probably experienced the same stories I did, perhaps with different results. For a day, I had used "I Can't Decide on a Title, But I Can Setup A Projector." The title kind of made sense when you got to the last chapter of the book, but it just seemed like a cop out.

In the end, I really like the simplicity and power that comes with the main idea of my story, choice. I'm still working on the cover, but here is the right page of my Title Spread in the book. I'm sure the type treatment has been used before, but I'm happy to use it because in my case it actually means something.