Sunday 18 October 2015

So, Nepal - what comes next?

I've been home a couple of weeks - surely I've had time to think?

There's never an end to thinking (that's part of the fun of it) but a few ideas are beginning to take clearer shapes.

The first - I'm going to fund rebuilding one house in Nepal. I've seen the devastation and it would be easy to throw up ones hands in helplessness in the face of such need. How can one person make a difference in the middle of all that? I can't rebuild a town - I can't even rebuild a village.

But I can - and will - raise enough money to rebuild one house.

I happen to know which house this is - but I'm not going to tell you anything about the family who live there, nor post a picture of their temporary home, nor go on about the struggle to keep going in one room under a tin roof. I'll not exploit individual misery like that. You'll simply have to believe that the hope we can give to this family will ripple out to others.

How? For starters, I've set up a GoFundMe page - for anyone who is able to spare a pound or two. You can the link here.

But - I hear you spluttering - I'm only aiming for £1500.00!! Because that is all it will cost. The man can rebuild his home himself, so what is really needed is materials. Again, you will have to believe that I've checked this with those in the know.

As well as GoFundMe I'm writing a little ebook about my visit, and all proceeds will go towards the house-build (I know one person who will be pleased, as she has been nagging me - in a kindly way - to write this).

And here I have a very big ask: because this will be a small ebook I cannot sell it for more than about 99p which gives me about 34p. In the past I've always paid full price for a copy editor - but this can easily swallow over £300 - and I'll leave you to work out how many books I need to sell before I make a penny. And so if anyone knows a copy editor who can reduce his or her fees, and work fairly quickly (I'm well into a first draft and want this out as soon as possible), I'd be deeply grateful. I am, of course, aware that copy editors - like the rest of us - have to earn a living, and so will understand if they are all, to a man and woman, struggling to make their own ends meet as Christmas approaches.

So - that's where things stand at the moment. I'll be indebted to anyone can share/tweet/generally publicise the GoFundMe page, or who feels able to support this in any other way. If I could I'd send everyone cake.

22 comments:

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    1. Thank you, Carol - it feels like the one thing I know I can do for them.

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    1. Thank you so much, Jacqueline. We can do this!

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  3. This is lovely, I'll share where I can x

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    1. Have spotted your sharing - many, many thanks.

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  4. Can I help with the editing? I can't donate my cash, but I can donate my time on your book, depending what you need help with. This is my site. http://personalwritingcritique.weebly.com/

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    1. (can't donate cash because I don't have any! LOL)

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    2. Miranda - this is so very, very kind. Thank you. Will contact you via your website.

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  5. I've also had a copy-editor offer reduced fees, so maybe that, too, is sorted. I can't thank everyone for all your kindness and encouragement.

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  6. It will absolutely be done, Jo! And I'm looking forward to the ebook too! What a fabulous and ingenious idea!

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  7. This is amazing. Well done. I can help with editing if the above offers fall through. Just let me know. Would you like to do a guest blog post on my blog either before or on publication of the book?

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    1. That's very kind, and yes, thank you Ros. There will also be a blog blizzy thing for the Go Fund Me appeal - more next Monday. It's Anne Mackle's idea, so I hope I do it justice! It's your call if you want to join in that too!

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  8. Oh yes - well done! It looks as if you have enough editing offers; otherwise I would have offered (but not before December). Happy to have you guest post on my blog. Good luck!

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    1. Thank you Miriam - I'll draft a blog and send it to you (I have a purge of emails, so please can you send me yours again, as it seems to have sunk with all the dross! Sorry.) I'm hoping to get them out sometime during the week after next.

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  9. You will do it Jo.It's not such a big ask and if we can all say we had a hand in putting a roof over someone's head that would be amazing. I'm sure everyone who comments here or who has read this blog will help out with a blogpost for the blitz ,it costs nothing to do it.

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    1. I can't thank everyone enough for all their support - and you, for the great blog-blitz idea.

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  10. None of us can single-handedly save the world, but it's like the story of the woman who comes across a beach covered with hundreds of stranded starfish, and starts tossing them back into the water, one at a time. Another person scoffs at her, and says she can't save all of those starfish, so why is she wasting her time? "No," she says. "But I can save THIS one... and THIS one..." What you're proposing to do is wonderful.

    It looks like you may already have enough offers on the editing, but if you're ever in a pinch, keep me in mind. I've done proofreading and editing for quite a few writers, and I'd be happy to help you. The price is right, too. (Free!)

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  11. I commend you for your actions. It is what I keep telling people who ask me how to help those in distress. You cannot save the whole country, but how about focusing on the one or two families for whom you can make a difference? Thanks, I hope you find your editor quickly. Best of wishes with the fund-raising.

    Greetings from London.

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  12. What a good idea, Jo. I am sure it will work. I have not been visiting blogs for a week or two and so had missed this when it came out. I will now look at your later posts.

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