13 Comments

Wow, this book sounds so good, I live for the deep dive! Maybe it’ll be the push I need to start baking bread more regularly. I’m also aiming to get a book draft down by year’s end, wishing you all the best with it, it is indeed hard as hell! 🤪

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Wow I have the few bread science books that have been published, and I know from reading and hearing the asides of so many, many bread bakers (which I painstakingly archive) there is a lot more knowledge that can be shared. Your book sounds like it will be great. No pressure though. :-)

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I’m eager to start testing your formulas again. Your shokupan has now moved into the permanent repertoire.

I want to put in a plug for your handmade sourdough stirrers. They have transformed the rather tedious process of refreshing my starters. It works Mapuche better than a spoon and is very easy to clean.

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<3<3<3

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Pro tip. Every month submit everything you have to someone to review it. Clearly define the scope of what you will write about. Follow an outline very closely. The second you veer off - stop. Remember, people have very, very little patience to read nowadays. Get right to the point. Any extraneous riffs can go into back of a book footnotes. That your editor will most likely trash. Your goal should be to rewrite Ruhlman’s Ratio, not an encyclopedia of baking techniques. That never, ever sell. Better to go for an updated version in a few years than to create a huge book. Name any person you know in the last 2 years that sold a lot of books. Don’t ever let a book be anything but one quarter of your assets. Subscriptions to WordLoaf, honorarium and speaking fees, other product sales and the biggest advance for your book you can get are the goal.

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Ken - I appreciate the advice, and will take it under advisement, but I'm writing the book *I* would want in the world, not what I think will sell. There are books on other subjects that I absolutely love and consider essential references, and those are my models for this one. Sometimes a book is meant to be read in pieces and returned to again and again as one's journey with a practice evolves. As I said above, there will be different threads to follow, depending upon what one is seeking at that particular moment.

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Great. I forgot to mention: love the process and sales are just an added bonus.

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Here for all of it.

P.S. I made pan pizza with your focaccia recipe and chef's kiss!

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I’d pre-order your book now if I could, Andrew! 🥖

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Me too!!

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Yay! So happy to have the newsletter back in session! There are no words to express how excited I am about this book without embarrassing myself in public. (Ok too late) I will say that your vision sounds a bit like it could be a legit PhD dissertation lol. Just saying. Doctorate of Breadology! 😆 Will you do book tour??

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I applaud your efforts! 👏 As a sourdough baker and breaducation recipe tester, I can’t wait to be enveloped in the sourdough deep dive that is coming... 🌊

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Best wishes with everything Andrew. I can't wait to purchase your book! I hope you can find some peace as you plow through the rest of the year, lots of work I am sure. And PS I also really enjoy the sourdough stirrer. Such a simple utensil and so helpful, thank you!

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