Lights, Camera, Action

One of the thoughts I’ve had about the book is how to extend the work into different accessible formats.  The most obvious solution is something I’ve already talked about, which is simply translating it.  Translating a book isn’t necessarily a difficult thing, there are services available who not only translate the work, but also help promote it in the target countries.  The pro of this is that all I have to do is cut a check (investment) or take some potential profits from the English language version and use that, which would delay the benefit of the initial payout on all of my work so far.  Sadly I can’t do the work myself because, well, I’m not fluent in other languages.  As it was recently pointed out to me, the grammar here on the blog is atrocious and I’m going to need to find myself an editor soon.  

A second area, one that’s also somewhat simple, is to release an audio version of the book.  This one I can do myself.  I’ve been practicing by reading parts of the book out loud.  I’m not very good, but I think i’m good enough to bang one together with lots of retakes.  Like the self-publishing, we live in an age where near studio level quality can be achieved with minimal investment in a home audience.  There are even neat ways to enhance an audio version of a book.  But both of these options, the different translations and the audio book versions are really just reformating the book.  The next step is reimagining the core content completely.  

One idea that occurred to me just today, is that I could make a documentary as an extension of my work.  This concept was somewhat shocking to me but the more I thought about it, it makes sense.  I say it was shocking as I have never, ever, had any desire to play around with film.  As a gadget guy I don’t even like digital cameras.   I’ve mentioned podcasts yes, but film?  nope.   I’m not a fiction guy, i’m analytical and i’ve always thought about film as platform for fiction, for telling stories.   I guess that’s why it hit me, the plight of the professional individual contributor is a complex story that intertwines the professional world with the world of our common culture.  It includes elements of conflict, a david and goliath story between the PIC and the systems that they have to work with every day.  There is the added benefit of a tremendously interesting back story in how the current environment developed as a response to the demands of the industrial age and World War II.   

I always thought the next step after finishing this first book was to roll right into another one, but I have to admit, the idea of film is intriguing.   It’s something i’m going to have to look into, and thankfully we are transitioning into the information age so the knowledge I need is readily available.  I just have to go get it.