{"id":693,"date":"2013-10-25T22:20:37","date_gmt":"2013-10-25T22:20:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/annetarsia.com\/?p=693"},"modified":"2013-10-25T22:24:42","modified_gmt":"2013-10-25T22:24:42","slug":"the-bottom-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/2013\/10\/the-bottom-line\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bottom Line"},"content":{"rendered":"

It’s funny how something is really, really important to you…until it isn’t. \u00a0This is very apparent with children, who take everything so seriously – the world will end if they don’t get to go to this thing, or have that thing. \u00a0Then they change their mind. \u00a0I remember this time…no, I won’t go there. \u00a0But I have observed that as I get older, it is easier for me to go with the flow and accept loss and change. \u00a0Especially after my heart scare, which put things into ultimate perspective. \u00a0It came home to me the value of using every minute wisely, and not worrying so much about possibilities that may or may not occur.<\/p>\n

So, as the book is taking final form, it is just a big relief. \u00a0And when the world-class team of Ann Budd (editor) Sarah Jaworowicz (book designer) and Donna Druchunas (project manager) met at Rhinebeck to discuss it without me (I have to be Dr. Anne SOME of the time), I had complete confidence in their judgment and taste, in deciding what to do with the manuscript. \u00a0Because we all knew it was too big. \u00a0The book that a publisher told me wasn’t a good idea because “there wouldn’t be enough for a full book”, was sitting at 260 pages, and Ann thought 160 pages would be just right. \u00a0I thought we could re-format some things, and change some chart sizes, check for any redundancies and get it down pretty easily. \u00a0Most books improve with trimming, let’s face it.<\/p>\n

But, when the days after Rhinebeck passed with no word from anyone, I started to get concerned. \u00a0Gentle queries about what happened got me “it was a great meeting, we are 90% there. \u00a0Donna will e-mail you with notes”. \u00a0Uh, not reassuring. \u00a0I started going through the Table of Contents in my head, thinking about what patterns were taking more pages and might be cut. \u00a0Finally, after some days of this, I shared my anxiety with Bill. \u00a0When I mentioned one pattern I thought might go, he said “Oh no, those were some of my best photographs”. \u00a0Crap. \u00a0I knew I was probably borrowing trouble to discuss it, but Bill is someone I can talk to about anything and he always helps clarify my thinking. \u00a0As we continued to discuss the pros and cons of losing patterns, he said something I really didn’t like. \u00a0“You have to figure out what is really important here. \u00a0What is your mission statement?” . \u00a0Double crap. \u00a0I hate coming up with mission statements. \u00a0By that time we both had to leave for work, so shelved the conversation. \u00a0Saved by the bell!<\/p>\n

This morning I finally got Donna’s e-mail. \u00a0Yes, they want to cut content. \u00a0Lots and lots of content. \u00a0It turns out that the teaching stuff is really enough to fill the book, and have a clear vision and flow. \u00a0Some of the patterns, although not complicated, aren’t really needed here. \u00a0They don’t actually teach anything, they just give you great stuff to do with the technique. \u00a0I can publish those separately. \u00a0Of course, this means I have to plan OTHER BOOKS, but a lot of work has been done already, so that isn’t so bad. \u00a0Ann wants knitters to have \u00a0small enough book to carry around easily, and I agree with that. \u00a0I hired Ann because she is one of, if not THE, best editors of knitting books in history. \u00a0I am definitely going to trust her judgement when it comes to creating a great book.<\/p>\n

Coming to this decision, I found, if not a mission statement, my bottom line. \u00a0We might cut patterns and other content, but not people. \u00a0No knitter, model, photographer or designer will be left behind. \u00a0The support I have gotten from these folks who believed in me, my work, and have contributed their time and talent is beyond price to me, and I’ve told the team that we have to make sure that all of them have presence in the book. \u00a0Some of them will be in the subsequent book, booklet, pattern…whatever, also. \u00a0But I want them all to be in Annetarsia Knits<\/a>. \u00a0Period. \u00a0So, we will make that happen.<\/p>\n

Books evolve. \u00a0People tell you this, and you believe them, but it is still an understatement. \u00a0It’s like when someone tells you how much you will love your children, and then you realize that you didn’t really know what that meant once your child is born. \u00a0So, the book is evolving, as all books do. \u00a0And it will continue to do so for a bit more time. \u00a0But let me tell you, it will be a great book, and the community that built it – all of us – can be very proud.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

In other news, Monomania<\/a> is so much fun to knit! \u00a0Making great progress…<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Monomania<\/a>
Monomania body. Almost up to the armholes! Special Reserve colorway, Plucky Feet. Not just for socks, baby!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

It’s funny how something is really, really important to you…until it isn’t. \u00a0This is very apparent with children, who take everything so seriously – the world will end if they don’t get to go to this thing, or have that thing. \u00a0Then they change their mind. \u00a0I remember this time…no, I won’t go there. \u00a0But […]\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11,10],"tags":[46,47,45],"class_list":["post-693","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-book","category-blog","tag-annetarsia-knits","tag-monomania","tag-plucky-knitter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/693","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=693"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/693\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":699,"href":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/693\/revisions\/699"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=693"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=693"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bartonriveryarn.com\/annetarsia\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=693"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}