What a difference three years makes.
Three years ago yesterday I saved a file on my computer. Just a plain text file, nothing fancy. But the contents of that text file (little did I know) would have a huge affect on nearly the next two years of my life.
That file was the first rough draft of the proposal for what would eventually become The Unofficial LEGO Builder’s Guide.
I say “eventually” because this early draft was incomplete and important things, like the Table of Contents, were still months away from being solidified. Though in rereading this material for the first time in a long time I’m actually surprised by how little things changed from this draft to the final published book. Interestingly enough the final version (that topped out at about 15 pages, including rough samples from the Brickopedia) is different in some ways from the actual book. The polished version of the proposal expanded on what you read below but in doing so it actually ended up being too complicated to achieve in the way I wanted. As a result it was refined and pared down to make it more manageable.
I thought some of you might enjoy reading some of the first things I wrote on the road to finishing ULBG. As noted, this is a rough and very much incomplete draft. I’m presenting the proposal here exactly as it was save on Oct 27, 2003. I’ve not edited nor corrected it in anyway. So there are typos and sections that are not yet finished. In particular note the original title of the book. I think the final title actually works better. 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
My Book Proposal
Title: LEGO Builder’s Reference Guide
Description: A nuts-and-bolts approach to building with real LEGO bricks.
This book will draw together techniques, principles and reference
information that has never been available in a single location. Builders
will discover everything from how to craft a sphere to hints on making
better mosaics. The primary focus of the book will be building with real
bricks, not computer generated ‘virtual’ pieces. Through the use of light
humour and plentiful graphic examples, the book will offer a wide range of
subjects linked by the common thread of building better LEGO models.
What makes it compelling and unique? While some of the information in this
book can be found on the Internet it is scattered among dozens of websites
and is not indexed. This book is intended as a comprehensive repository
for building techniques both basic and advanced. Currently there is no
LEGO-related book on the market that focuses exclusively on building with
real bricks; not involving the Mindstorms robotics system nor having any
connection to virtual building using computer software. The book will also
create reference material that is not yet found anywhere online or in
print. An example will be a comprehensive study of the various types of
standard LEGO bricks, their uses both individually and collectively as well
as background information on engineering, design principles and color
theory.
Why will it make a difference? It will pull together information in a
single resource so that it can be used to inspire, teach and answer
questions for builders looking to enhance their skills. This will be more
than just an ‘Idea Book’. This will be a book that will give you the tools
with which you can realize your own ideas in brick form. Heavily
illustrated throughout, this text can be seen as a hands-on reference guide
that sets a foundation for creativity rather than directing the reader to a
specific goal.
Who is your target audience and how will your book meet their needs? LEGO
builders who are of an age where they may be bored with official sets
and/or following a single set of instructions. This could include younger
people from the age of 7 or 8 on up. Or it could include adults who for
one reason or another have gotten back into LEGO building and want to bring
themselves up-to-speed on techniques and skills they may have long
forgotten.
Who will buy your book and why? Young people ages 8 - 12, using birthday
and Christmas money… of course. Also adults seeking information for
their own projects or to better aid their children in co-operative
building. The target audience likely does not include many of the adults
already deeply involved in the hobby.
List any competing titles: Virtual LEGO (Courtney et all), The Ultimate
LEGO Book (DK Publishing), LEGO Modellers: Fabulous Figures (DK Publishing)
How do they compare with your book? None of the books noted above really
focus directly on the subject of actual LEGO building using standard
bricks. The software-related books deal almost exclusively with virtual
building and rendering. The Mindstorms title(s) obviously deal with that
sub-genre of the hobby and are more computer and robotic oriented. The
Ultimate LEGO Book has only a few pages that actually speak to the topic of
what the reader can build. The only title that really covers building with
real bricks is the LEGO Modellers series from DK. However these books are
all relatively short and are essentially just instructions to make the
models featured within them. They do not teach building theories or
techniques which can be applied to original creations.
How will your work compete? By incorporating more humour and a lighter
tone than some of the more ’serious’ books. LEGO is, above all else, a
toy. In comparison to the nearest competition (the LEGO Modellers series
from DK) my book will go into much greater depth on subjects like creating
sculptures, types of bricks, architecture and so on. It will present
principles and techniques, rather than simply a handful of instructions
that make specific models. It will attempt to be, as the title suggests, a
reference guide of building strategies that can be read cover-to-cover or
just as easily out-of-sequence, when seeking a particular piece of
information.
Discuss the market for your book. The LEGO hobby continues to grow. When
I re-entered the world of LEGO bricks 5 1/2 years ago as an adult I was
fascinated by what other adult builders were doing. Today, with the
phenominal growth of LEGO-related Internet resources, hobby modelling has
grown not only in quantity but in quality as well. Young builders are
staying in the hobby longer since they see other individuals doing the
same. Mature builders are spending more and more money obtaining bricks to
create ever more elaborate creations. This market can only continue to
grow in the coming years.
How is it changing? The hobby is changing but only for the better. The
LEGO company itself seems to realize that the market for more sophisticated
sets aimed at older builders is one that is worth pursing. The recent
release of the Star Wars - Imperial Star Destroyer set is proof that the
market will bear larger and more expensive sets than was previously
believed. This set was a strong seller, despite its $300 U.S. price tag.
As well, the company seems to have rediscovered some of its own history in
the form of the current Designer Set series. These sets, with their Idea
books rather than single model instructions, are also good sellers and are
a line to which the company is strongly committed. These facts, combined
with the information in the last question related to the market,
demonstrates a hobby with a solid future.
How large is it?
How will your book meet its current and future needs? To help achieve
longevity for a itself, this book will contain few if any references to
specific websites, current trends or unfulfilled initiatives or product
lines. It will also touch on the software side of building only in the
most superficial way. The intent of this approach is to end up with a book
that is more timeless in its approach to the classic form of LEGO building
using real plastic bricks. It will focus almost exclusively on information
about the hobby that is unlikely to change in the near future. Design
techniques, engineering and architectural principles, basic brick geometry
and scale theory are all topics that will be as valid years from now as
they are today.
Outline and schedule. Provide a detailed outline of your book including
parts, chapters, subheadings, illustrations, and any appendixes or additional
material. Describe each chapter, focusing both on its content and fit within the
book. Estimate the length of each chapter and your anticipated completion date.
Will your book contain a CD-ROM or be supported by a web site? Due to the
analog nature of building with real bricks, this book will have no need for
a CD-ROM or other supplemental materials. However, as an author, I would
find it in my best interest to arrange a website of some type for the
purpose of promoting the book. I own a .com domain name which presently
does not have a ‘front page’ that is being used for any other purpose. In
other words, www.apotome.com could become the portal for this book and its
related marketing.
If so, what will these contain? n/a as noted above.
Who are you? I am Allan Bedford, a lifelong LEGO fan and builder. My LEGO
memories and experience stretch back to the mid-1970’s. And while I did
experience a not uncommon dissociation from the hobby I never lost the joy
of digging through a pile of LEGO bricks looking for that one ‘right
piece’. I re-entered the hobby over five years ago as an adult builder
intent on fulfilling some of the large scale models that always seemed
out-of-reach as a youngster. To date, my most ambitious model was a 5000+
piece replica of the famed CN Tower. My version stretched to just over 8
feet in height and was displayed publically at the 2003 Hobby Show at the
International Center in Toronto, Ontario. I have also designed a series of
4-stud wide fire apparatus which bring a modern flair to this small scale
genre of building. Instructions for all of these vehicles can be found
here:
http://www.bricksonthebrain.com/instructions/displayAuthor.cfm?AuthorID=519
What are your goals in writing this book? To provide a collection of
construction methods and ‘best practices’ that can all be applied to
creating original models with actual LEGO bricks.
Do you have any affiliations that will help us to market your book? I have
been an active precense in the online LEGO community for more than five
years. In that time I have created two different websites both related to
LEGO. The first was a showcase of LEGO models from builders around the
world. This site predated some of the ‘post pictures for the world to see’
sites that are now more common. Additionally, I was the first to port ‘The
Art of LEGO Design’ by Fred Martin from .pdf to HTML. This site then
hosted that cleaned up and more accesible version.
I then created a more personal site that focused on set reviews and
commentary with the intention of raising awareness of the shortcomings of
then current LEGO sets in comparison to older releases. I am happy to
report this site has been effective shelved, as the recent crop of LEGO
sets puts more emphasis on some of the traditional construction toy values
that the company helped to create decades ago.
In November of 2003 I organized a gathering of LEGO builders from across
southwestern Ontario, Canada who met at a public event known as ‘The Hobby
Show’, in Toronto. During the 3 day event the LEGO booth we presented was
viewed by many of the 25,000 people who attended the show. Our models and
our interaction with the crowds helped to raise awareness of the LEGO hobby
as an adult activity with distinctly childlike elements.
Please include your resume, vita, or a brief biography, as well as a
writing sample, with your proposal.
Also, list any previously published titles and their sales figures. I have
not yet published materials for sale.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I’m happy to report that the last comment (about published titles) is no longer accurate. I have exactly one book to my credit and if you’re curious, it has now sold over 20,000 copies.
All the best!
Allan B.
