Adjusting the pages to the format of the LIT

This is the second day of working on the book. The countdown timer of the weblog said that there is just 97 days left till publication (do you know where is the time? At the left and top part of the homepage, you see three horizontal short lines? Klick it lightly. You see my profile and the timer there). Actually because I am working on my dissertation to make it as a book, there seems to be not much to do. But practically there are a looooooooot to do!

Firstly I have to pay attention to the format of the book. My book will be published in (23,5 X 16,2 cm), in 256 pages, by the publishing company LIT. That means that I have to adjust the word to the proper format and give it nice and gentle margins! 

Secondly I have to cut parts of the dissertation because 540 pages is much bigger than 256 pages, right? But even after cutting two chapter of method and review of literature, there is still a lot left! After resizing the file of the book in word, I realized that I have 393 pages. I have to reduce 137 pages. 

Do you know how to resize pages in word? Here is a useful website.

Thirdly, knowing how many pages should be reduced is a good step forward. Now I know how rush should I be in cutting and cleaning up. But on the other hand it makes me nervous. Because I like almost all pages that I wrote! (Do I?)

Brain storming about book marketing

Today morning, after breakfast, I talked to “J” about some initial ideas of marketing the book. I showed him the weblog and he liked it. I thought it is good to start to write an email to some friends and ask their help. But which kind of help or support do I need? J asked me. Well! I am in this phase of writing (pre-publishing) not exactly sure what. If my friends can make a little bit of advertising for my book in their social media and networks, that would be awesome. But perhaps it is too early to ask. Advertising what exactly? A book which will be published in December 2018? Well my friends are not that much board and jobless to make noise so early. So I should slow down. It is early to ask for help. Or?

Working in a hot and humid whether

Today the weather was actually a hot day, especially for Germany. It was about 37 degree in Duisburg (in West of Germany). I started to work in the library of the university of Duisburg-Essen at 10.00 am. But around 12.00 I realized that I don’t feel good. So I returned home and continued working in my office-room at home. What is “Arbeitzimmer” in English? In two hours of working in the library I discovered, what I explained above about the format and 137 pages leftover. At home I had to answer some important emails and make a list of applications which I wrote till now. My advisor in the agency for labor of Duisburg asked me to write such a silly list. I hope at least it brings a result. What can be a result of seeing a list of applications that wrote?? No idea! Before defending my PhD I had a big problem which was called “Dissertation”. Now I have a lot of problems. First and most important of course is finding a job; a job which I like. The next is publishing the book. And then visiting my family in Iran. I have really homesick. I did not see my parents for more than one year. It seems that I can’t go till end of this year to Iran. For different reasons including financial problems. Yes the following problem is financial problem. I do not have any source of income since January 2017. I had a scholarship from Brot für die Welt to do my PhD. I got the support from 2012 to end of 2016, almost five years. I will write about the wonderful experience of being scholarship holder of this organization later. So after scholarship I am practically living from the support of my husband. Many people think it is absolutely normal. I don’t like it. He is the most kind and sweetheart of the world. But I really hate to be dependent to family support for living! You know what I mean? I just hate it.

Ok! That was all for today. Till tomorrow.