A Paleo Diet children's book - an experiment in group creativity

Michael BC said:

That's disappointing to hear Palinurus but thanks for the update. I hope NewOrleans is ok. Anyhow, please excuse my ignorance but how exactly do I signal the mods to do this (having never done such before)? :)

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1. When you are logged in to the forum, the top bar of each page displays the button Messages in between Profile and Bookmarks.

Hovering your cursor on and above it, opens up a drop-down menu. Select "Send a message" --either directly (left click) or indirectly (right click and then Open in a new tab preferably)-- and you will get a message screen in front of you with a text box like the normal posting procedure, including a header for the subject and an address bar to indicate the intended recipient. With it you can PM one of the mods who are active at that moment by name -- or your favorite mod regardless of whether s/he is logged in or not at that point. Just explain the situation and what you want to get done, if possible with reference to a specific post or page in this thread for context.

Eventually, you probably will get an answer in your message box so check there once in a while by clicking the "Read your messages" button.

2. There is an alternative way to go about this. In every single post there is a button "Report to moderator" which when clicked, shows a text bar to send specific short messages to the moderators board about only that specific post, for instance when strong language is used, when a mailto link inappropriately is left active, or with other such things of a more technical nature. It has not enough space for elaborate messages though.

3. Just for completeness: there is also a Contact button on top of each page which opens up a mail-to screen addressed to cassiopaea.org in general. I don't think that one would be useful for this specific purpose as it leads away from the forum environment.

Hope this helps you out. :)

Thank you so much Palinurus for taking the time. Such a detailed and informative explanation which I will follow through on. I will also remember this from hereon in. Very best wishes to you. :D

You're welcome. No big deal.

I had to collect the info first to be sure I wouldn't omit anything relevant and I like to be thorough.

Moreover, I did answer in such detail to have a reference post which I can refer to or outright copy when the need arises for other cases to answer to. Always comes in handy to have something ready for new cases.

I've bookmarked several of such posts made over the years on other subjects which I occasionally re-use when asked about them.

Hello Palinurus and friends. I've been away for a while, but I have not given up. This particular book project was dependent on group participation as outlined in the very beginning. I don't know exactly how it got "stuck", but perhaps it was that I was trying to do both illustrate and write based on suggestions. What it needed was a writer to distill the ideas and make it proceed.

No doubt there has been some concern that circumstances overwhelmed me or that i quit the forum. Yes. circumstances over the last year have been very rough personally, and yet I'm still standing and that, in itself, is a blessing. I have not quit, and find that I have indeed had some internal changes. The Work on self continues.

I haven't looked back to see what remains of the book pages, but if anyone was interested in pursuing the idea of a book for children, i would be happy to continue. I would be glad to find art pages and delete the text and start over if the enthusiasm is there for anyone else. My goal was to leave the book to SOTT to do what they want with it for educational purposes.

Thanks, all.

Hello Palinurus and friends. I've been away for a while, but I have not given up. This particular book project was dependent on group participation as outlined in the very beginning. I don't know exactly how it got "stuck", but perhaps it was that I was trying to do both illustrate and write based on suggestions. What it needed was a writer to distill the ideas and make it proceed.

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I think that's where the problem was too. As an artist you're highly passionate about illustrations, but unless the story gets nailed down first it can result in a colossal waste of your own energy. Authors of children's books will probably not even know an illustrator. It's up to the publisher to consider the style and totality of the script and then decide whose drawing style best suits it. Still, it's a learning experience.

No doubt there has been some concern that circumstances overwhelmed me or that i quit the forum. Yes. circumstances over the last year have been very rough personally, and yet I'm still standing and that, in itself, is a blessing. I have not quit, and find that I have indeed had some internal changes. The Work on self continues.

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I'm sure you already know this, but you're always invited to share or vent in the swamp if you feel you need support or another pair of eyes on your situation.

Yes, a learning experience, whitecoast. That it was, but I have no regrets. It was fun until it got stuck. Most times, the story is written first for continuity, and then illustrated. Perhaps i put the cart in front of the horse. That's OK. Time invested just taught me some things about enthusiasm and planning.

And thank you too for the invitation to the Swamp to discuss these circumstances that overwhelmed me for this last year. That's very kind of you. I need to find some free time to untangle that myself to be able to write clearly, honestly, and without buffers or excuses. Yes, thanks. When I can.

In the meantime, I have been going into Forum discussions to get the benefit of others discussions and insights. A million thanks. Oh. one last thing: i had submitted the partial book to a big animation studio's call for ideas and a concept proposal, but, alas, it was turned down as being "too food oriented". I thought a professional writer there could finish the story and then it be animated. Never hurts to try.

Hi again NewOrleans and welcome back,

It's very reassuring to learn you're still up and running so to speak and willing to complete this project provided someone else does the writing for it.

I brought this project to renewed attention in this topic: Cassiopaeans are attested ! , notably here.

I hope a relaunch of it will be possible soon. All the best to all involved from my part.

Hi New Orleans. Great to see you resurface. I was going to try and contact you directly (thanks to Palinurus) as I noticed that one of the things hindering you is what your term 'a professional writer'. I am not that but I can write reasonably well and my profession is as a story teller in theatre etc so I am immersed in the techniques of bringing tales to life for whatever the audience (including young people). I don’t know if I can be of help but if you wanted to let me see the draft of the story outline you have and any other suitable guidance I would be more than happy to have a go at putting some shape to it. Feel under no obligation though; it’s just a thought and obviously no strings attached. Its not that I want to get involved but rather I hate to see your work standing idle for the want of some support. I have attached a pdf file containing a sample chapter from a book I have been writing for young teenagers. It might offer a flavour of what ability I have. I leave the rest to you. :)

Dear Michael BC, Welcome aboard the project.

Years ago when i was in Art school - Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY - we were visited by the famous children's book writer Maurice Sendak. His gold mine was "where the Wild things Are". He told us that he had years of very discouraging rejection letters that all told him that his characters were too scary for kids and the story was awful. But he persisted. It was inspiring.

I'd recommend that you look up his early illustration work in "Little Bear" by Else Holmelund Minarik, I say this because it has the right kind of minimal, charming text that a good children's book should have. If we can pull that off i would be most happy. The book I will donate to SOTT for publication.

Dear NewOrleans

Yes I see what you mean - it's simple, direct, unaffected and charming (I am also old friends with 'Where the Wild Things Are' having loved it as a child and having read and re-read it to my young ones). I think I can have a go at something like that for you. Have you got a blue print for the book e.g. list of chapters/contents, thematic through line, illustrations that point to text, etc, that you are happy to post here and I can start to sketch something out? Very happy to give it the time but I would need such a guide map to start.

Michael BC, I am thrilled that you find the idea of a children's book interesting. It can be an adventure. I wanted to respond quickly to the conversation. Here's what I can do next: 1.) an loose outline of the whole story with an invitation to make it go to the finish in whatever way entertains, 2.) open-ended creative suggestions, and 3.) some additional rough sketches.

At the moment I'm scrambling to pay the mortgage and bills, but I won't procrastinate. My job as a freelancer is hard, but I manage. Remembering that I chose this, makes complaining foolish. I have dropped off Facebook, which was a waste of time, and instead make new connections that lead to art assignments. I need to dream up a better future as an artist. LOL Fast.

You may want to read through prior comments by others, there's some valid ideas to avoid preachiness and not solve all the problems right off in character conversations. Which is what I did. Our girl Polly needs to discover insights in action. Most importantly, we needn't get tangled in over-thinking this. arly on I bought some classic old children's books, to examine what made them classic: simplicity and genuineness.

What I love about Maurice Sendek's book, and even Dr. Seuss, is the joy preceeds any deeper message. All else is propaganda, yes? If this is a book about the Paleo diet, it needs to find a way to be uncomplicated and readable at a kid's level. My foray into writing was simply because there was no offer by anyone to write the thing. I'm no writer. I can draw characters and scenes, but it needs a hand. I've come to realize invitations to group creativity don't work. Maybe because it IS work. But that's OK. No harm in trying, right? Take a shot at dreaming this up. Anyone else who wants to add something: be our guest.

Hi NewOrleans. Sorry for slow response; I didn’t see your post above until now. Being also a freelancer in the 'arts' I understand the pressures, so no pressure from my end! Mortgage and bills are always screaming for attention! When you have the time go for option (1) i.e. a loose outline of the story as you see it, and I'll then see what I can add. Open-ended is the word! Let's see if between us, and others, we can put some shape on this and take it forward. Ready when you are. :)