This is part of the Bittersweet Book Launch case study, where Dan Blank and Miranda Beverly-Whittemore share the yearlong process of launching her novel. You can view all posts here.
by Miranda Beverly-Whittemore
This week, I’ve started reaching out to possible contributors to FriendStories. So far, I’m reaching out to women, because this project extends from the friendship of Ev and Mabel, the two young women in Bittersweet whose friendship lies at the heart of the tale. I’m so excited to see what the world is going to do with this tiny little seed of an idea of mine, the notion that every woman had a girlhood friendship that marked her in some profound way, and that other women are interested in reading and thinking about such tales.
The people I’m reaching out to initially are friends, Facebook friends, and members of various listservs I belong to. Not everyone is a writer (although many of them are, because many of my friends are writers), and I hope very much that this project will extend beyond both the writing world and my circle of friends.
I’m reaching out to ten people a day. Why? Because that’s a manageable number for me to handle along with all the other work I need to accomplish in a given workday. Because that way this part of the experience stays pleasurable for me, and I feel I can make a genuine connection with every person I’m asking to help me in this endeavour.
It’s been so thrilling to get such an overwhelmingly positive result already. People have replied with a majority of yesses, and most no’s come from the wonderful news that they are working hard on something else they love. I’ve already gotten two submissions, and man, they’re really really good! This is actually turning into something! I believed that it could, but I didn’t know it would.
If you’re reading this and you’re interested in contributing as well, please visit FriendStories.com for further information. Yes, I’m reaching out to folks I know, but I’m so excited for folks I don’t know to become part of the conversation. Also, today, I opened a Twitter account for the project: @FriendStories1. If you’re on Twitter, please consider following the account! Onward and upward!