Power in Flux progress

[Richard230]

Here is the latest update from Ted as he works on his Power in Flux - The History of Electric Motorcycles book:

Just a random update and some sincere thanks are in order this morning. 

I just wanted to let you all know I've been hammering away at the Australian timeline and threads, and just plugged the chapters into the book after giving it another thorough read-through.  It's tough, from this vantage-point, since information was hard to follow at the time, dependent on somewhat thin posts on forums and facebook and a lot of the events and discussion happening in pits and garages - events and discussion that would shape everything to come out of Australia in the electric motorcycle sphere. 

The result?  I couldn't be happier with both the story I was able to tell, and how it fits into the bigger story of the book. 

I want to thank Chris Jones, Jason Morris, Jon Eggenhuizen and Tony Castley, along with several others, for their patience and indulgence, and helping me to get it right. 

On to the next chapters! 

[Richard230]

Here is the latest from Ted:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/952491968/power-in-flux-the-history-of-electric-motorcycles/posts/1697289

[Richard230]

Ted has decided upon a cover for is new book and he credits Hugues Laliberte for the inspiration and photos.   

[Shinysideup]

Gorgeous image!

[Richard230]

Here is an update from Ted regarding his book's progress:

At nearly 190 pages, I've gone through the manuscript several times and cleaned sections up here and there, added details and got in some new material, but it gets to the point where I have to print it up, to be able to see it, get my head around it, and get out my red pencils and mark it up. Normally, with the smaller books I've written I'd take it in to work and print it on the boss's nickel. With nearly 200 pages, I wasn't feeling so brave, so I've held off and waited. Off to Staples I went this afternoon. It's a big step. It's the first time the thing takes form.

Over the next week or so, I'm going to do some critical reading and review, and hopefully start porting the document into InDesign, where I'll make the layout, chapter break and illustration decisions...

[Richard230]

Here is the latest Kickstarter message from Ted regarding the progress that he has made writing his new electric motorcycle book.  He has completed 202 pages of text and is now working on editing and selecting illustrative photos:

I spent this past week doing the chapter cuts and transitions, and filling in blanks - printed it out, marked it up with the Red Pencil of Death, and printed it out again...  I'm sure more edits are needed and I've sent it off to a few trusted editor-types, but I like where it's at.   

On to the next phase...  collecting photos and putting together the design.  I'm looking at a fairly simple design since the book is a lot heavier on the copy (and information) than I'd originally thought, and I'm lining up a couple of good people to do that for me. It looks like it's going to be a 6" x 9" format, and a good couple of inches thick. 

[kingcharles]

Here is the latest Kickstarter message from Ted regarding the progress that he has made writing his new electric motorcycle book.  He has completed 202 pages of text and is now working on editing and selecting illustrative photos:

I spent this past week doing the chapter cuts and transitions, and filling in blanks - printed it out, marked it up with the Red Pencil of Death, and printed it out again...  I'm sure more edits are needed and I've sent it off to a few trusted editor-types, but I like where it's at.   

On to the next phase...  collecting photos and putting together the design.  I'm looking at a fairly simple design since the book is a lot heavier on the copy (and information) than I'd originally thought, and I'm lining up a couple of good people to do that for me. It looks like it's going to be a 6" x 9" format, and a good couple of inches thick. 

I hope that he understands that his book is as late as the Empulse was...

I can remember that Ted was pretty hard on Brammo for that 

[Richard230]

Here is the latest Kickstarter message from Ted regarding the progress that he has made writing his new electric motorcycle book.  He has completed 202 pages of text and is now working on editing and selecting illustrative photos:

I spent this past week doing the chapter cuts and transitions, and filling in blanks - printed it out, marked it up with the Red Pencil of Death, and printed it out again...  I'm sure more edits are needed and I've sent it off to a few trusted editor-types, but I like where it's at.   

On to the next phase...  collecting photos and putting together the design.  I'm looking at a fairly simple design since the book is a lot heavier on the copy (and information) than I'd originally thought, and I'm lining up a couple of good people to do that for me. It looks like it's going to be a 6" x 9" format, and a good couple of inches thick. 

I hope that he understands that his book is as late as the Empulse was...

I can remember that Ted was pretty hard on Brammo for that 

Good point.  But when writing about electric motorcycle history that is ongoing and constantly changing, how do you know when to stop?  Frankly, I am not surprised that Ted is about 6 months behind his original schedule. I am sure that it would have taken me a lot longer than that to write a book about the e-bike industry.  Likely I would have never finished it in my lifetime.   

[Richard230]

Here is the latest update by Ted on his Kickstarter page. I think his book is going to be a really interesting and informative read: 

So I am talking to a friend...and HE says, "HEY!  I ought to hook you up with so-and-so, I don't know why I didn't think of that before".  (He's a little busy, since he's in upper management with an EV related company you know and love...  so I'm not gonna hurt him too bad. You know, I've only been working on this for what, two-plus years or something like that?) 

The book was all but wrapped up. Almost final layout, sent it to proofreading, sent out some chapters to some key people for review. Well, it turns out this "so-and-so" may have been one of the most important influences on the whole "beginning of the new age of electric motorcycles" thing, back in about 1998. It was a mother lode of information and I spent the past week exchanging emails with him (35 at last count) and cross-checking information, references, dates and facts.  And yes.  It's a new chapter. 

It's important stuff, especially in the "threads of innovation" story, and it just wouldn't be complete if I didn't include it.  I told a friend, it's like I'm writing a book on the history of the car, and just found out about Henry Ford. 

(What is it?  Can't tell, but I can guarantee it'll make you say "holy crap" when you read it.) 

The page count blossomed to over 360 pages, but I went back and did a brutal edit - reformatting some bits and pieces as well (THANKS Richard!) and got it back down to 350 or so pages, counting the Glossary and Master Timeline and the amazing new photos that came in my email this past week.  I'm still waiting on a few more, too.

So yeah, as I posted on my blog at the beginning of January, never again will I give crap to a startup motorcycle company for delaying their product launch.  My wife says I have to wrap this thing up, but Chris Jones (Voltron) said "Take your time and get it right - this book will be referred to in decades to come."  I love my wife, but this once? I'm going to listen to Dr. Jones.