Why I Spent $20 On A Book I’m Not Interested In Reading

I’m spending $20 on a poetry book, and honestly poetry is not something I’m into. I’ve read very little poetry and in fact know very little about it.

Why am I doing that? Let me explain.

Betty James has just published her first book: “Hurtling Through Time and Space . . . A Field Trip for the Soul”, and it’s a poetry book.

The book had been a work in progress. Betty had been “working on it” for years in fact many years, it just hadn’t gotten it finished. We all know about those projects that we have “good intentions” to start or to complete, but somehow it never happens. That was where Betty was with her book. That’s where I am with my book. Is that where you are with something in your life?

Betty attended the first offering of the Dream Project Workshop in 2013. A workshop designed and facilitated by Bert Mitchell and I. The purpose of the workshop is to assist people in the realization of their dream. Betty’s goal in attending the workshop was to complete the book that she’d been meaning to finish. With the workshop complete, she set a time frame and got to work on the book – again.

Betty failed; she did not complete the book, in fact it’s been well over a year. But, Betty did not quit. She pressed on. How do I know that? Because I just received an email from her few days ago letting me know her book was now complete.

Betty’s email:                                                                                                                              Dear Friends, “Hurtling Through Time and Space . . . A Field Trip for the Soul” is finally available for purchase. I am personally contacting and distributing some copies myself and wanted to include the “Dream Project” team in this group. The price of the book was $20.

$20, that’s a little pricey I thought.

So I sent Betty an email:                                                                                                                   Hi Betty,
Great job getting this done
How did you come to set the price of $20?
Bill

Betty wrote back:                                                                                                                          Hi Bill,                                                                                                                                             The Publisher suggested it because of the # of pages + being in 4 color, over sized and a piece of art as well as the poetry.  I will pay shipping and taxes out of the $20 which simplifies it for bookkeeping purposes.

Still don’t know if I’ll clear the costs of publishing and the 1st run of 100 books I ordered.  I did want to sell them to family and friends rather than it just go on Amazon. Besides there are less hands to pay by me selling it directly through me. Once the sales pick up (yes please, thank you God) I’ll have to let go of the hand to hand selling. Until then it’s a fabulous excuse to be with people I like and love.  Not a bad deal don’t you think?

Thanks for your interest hope this answers your questions.  Give yourself a big kudo for being such a pivotal part of my adventure.

What do I think? I thought, yes, not a bad deal at all. The reason for the cost made sense and she communicated those reason clearly and succinct. She also let me know that I wasn’t just buying a poetry book I was also getting an art book as well. She then let me know that she most likely won’t make a dime on the project dues to the cost, shipping, and taxes.

But then that was not her goal – to make money (not that she was against that – in fact she would welcome that) her goal was to write her book, to express herself, to realize her dream. Betty also reminded me that I was a part of her success. I helped the birth of her dream.

Now, back to my three reasons for buying Betty’s book: “Hurtling Through Time and Space . . . A Field Trip for the Soul”.

Reason #1: to support her in the realization of her dream

Reason #2: to send a message to myself – give what I want to receive and what I want to receive is support for my dreams

Reason #3: to use Betty’s book to being an appreciation for poetry, an art form I know nothing about but I am now going to learn