If you’ve seen my New Year’s Day post, you know that I’ve decided to take my travel addiction and my writing compulsion and combine them into a career. Am I crazy? Probably. Am I going through with it? Absolutely.
Yesterday I informed my boss that I’m taking a one year leave of absence, starting next school year. This was a big step. Since then, I’ve been waffling back and forth between over-the-moon excited and under-the-covers horrified.
I mean really–who does this? Who leaves a perfectly good, moderately-paying job for an entire year to try to ‘make it as a writer’? The answer? I do.
I realize I’ve been rather vague with descriptions of the book I’m working on, but since I’m out of the one-year-leave-taking closet, I might as well out the book idea as well. Clearly it is travel-related, or else I would not be posting it here. So without further ado…
I am going to write destination-specific travel books that help parents make every aspect of each particular destination an educational experience for their children. Book One–Walt Disney World.
I have a plan, of course. I wouldn’t be me without a plan. I’ve been saving up to do this, so we won’t lose the house. In fact, we will live exactly as we have been for exactly the one year I’m taking off. I’m also following all of the book publishing rules. I’ve been working on the book proposal for over a month now, and have begun working on my ‘platform’ which, apparently, is something all authors must have before they become authors. To help me out with this goal, please visit the website I’ve managed to create at http://www.tracyantonioli.com and/or tell all of your friends to read this blog. I have several back-up travel writing plans if this book idea does not pan out. Finally, and most importantly, starting at the end of June, I’ll have 14 months to make the dream a reality. If it doesn’t work out, well, I’ll have at least spent a year and two months working my butt off trying.
If I’m going to regret something, I’d rather it be something that I did–not something that I didn’t do.
Wish me luck!
Blog on the Run 
Tracy- I’d rethink the book. Disney gets a bit weird about their name being used like that. And they tend to want to ‘do their own’ things like this. You might want to do something more “generic” and not copyright protected. Maybe Amusement Parks…. or pick a destination- like southern Fla. and include Disney as a chapter. I’m afraid publishers will balk at the idea of “taking on Disney”. This isn’t to discourage you… on the contrary I want to ENCOURAGE you. I just want your first effort to be realistic.
How would it be ‘taking on Disney’? If anything, it would be ‘supporting Disney’, as I’m encouraging people to go there. There are dozens of Disney guide books–they all had to be published, and none of them are published by Disney.
You could be right. Though I think Disney may have approved the guide books. Never hurts to try. I am very proud of you. You are stepping out and pushing the envelope! I’ll follow your progress with real interest and envy!!! Keep it up.
thanks for the support! and i’d love to get disney’s approval–i just need to figure out how to do that. they are very…elusive. but i shall give it my best attempt!