Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Soulburners: 10,000 Secret Questions and My Race to Answer Them All
Book Proposal Slideshow
Book OverviewOnce he was homeless. Then his startup was bought for $160M. Along the way, he set a world record answering 10,000 questions placed by visitors into his traveling outdoor kiosk. Over one summer, without the money even to feed himself, through this community art project he climbs the campus dome at MIT, is flown out to a movie set by a Hollywood producer, is rushed twice to the hospital, rescues a woman from rape, asks a room of Nobel Laureates about the meaning of life, rolls his art kiosk through Boston’s streets, and disowns and reconciles with his father, all while meeting and advising thousands of people with soul burning questions Can anyone answer 10,000 questions by hand? Why risk homelessness for a crazy marathon to bring love to the world?
These tensions bind the diverse advice topics of Soulburners into a story arc that is part memoir, part advice-giving, and part art book, with dozens of photographs of the questions submitted by real visitors to the community art project. The book is nearly 100,000 at a suggested size of 6” x 9” or 8.5” x 11”. With an MIT MBA and two different platforms of fans, author Johnny Monsarrat is uniquely suited to write this book and has the marketing expertise to drive it to success.
Wheel Questions is an outdoor kiosk that tours urban sidewalks and local festivals six months a year.
Visitors to submit written questions on a colored cards, which the artist answers by hand and posts both on a website and on the outdoor installation for all to see.
Artist Johnny Monsarrat set five world records answering most of 12,500 cards this way. Seewww.SoulBurners.com/book/.
About Wheel Questions
Cambridge River FestivalCambridge River Festival
Newport Folk FestivalNewport Folk Festival
Plymouth Thanksgiving Celebration (Video)Plymouth Thanksgiving Celebration (Video)
Book Expo AmericaBook Expo America
The Wheel is popular with people of all ages. See the video where in 200 minutes, 200 people say “We want the book!” at www.SoulBurners.com/book/.
The Wheel is popular with people of all ages. See the video where in 200 minutes, 200 people say “We want the book!” at www.SoulBurners.com/book/.
www.SoulBurners.com has the author’s blog and
collection of question cards.
www.SoulBurners.com has the author’s blog and
collection of question cards.
http://www.SoulBurners.com/
As part of the project, the author shot and responded to
276 video questions in just two weeks, another world record.
As part of the project, the author shot and responded to
276 video questions in just two weeks, another world record.
Platform 1:Monsarrat runs the most popular events blog in New England
Platform 2: The Wheel itself• 1,000,000 see the Wheel in person per year• 5,000,000 read press about world record attempts• 20,000 submit a question per year
Boston City Hall Plaza
Boston City Hall Plaza
Soulburners:10,000 Secret Questions and My Race to Answer Them All
Every chapter of the book:• Takes its title from a real question submitted to the project• Begins with 6-18 photos of handwritten question cards• Has a memoir component in which advice is given
Relating both the author’s past and the adventure of his running the Wheel Questions project despite financial and emotional pressures, Soulburners has a compelling story arc that draws its various topics into a single narrative with a powerful, surprise ending.
See the book proposal for a full description and
writing sample.
See the book proposal for a full description and
writing sample.
Soulburners: 10,000 Secret Questions and My Race to Answer Them All
Competitive Books
PostSecret, by Frank Warren William Morrow / HarperCollins
More of an art book. Photographs of secrets contributed by the public, but unlike Soulburners,
no story or response from the author.
More of an art book. Photographs of secrets contributed by the public, but unlike Soulburners,
no story or response from the author.
PostSecret seriesWilliam Morrow / HarperCollins
Similar to Soulburners, an ongoing art project that lends itself to a whole book series.
Similar to Soulburners, an ongoing art project that lends itself to a whole book series.
Found series, by Davy RothbartFireside
Lightweight “contributions” from the public are found in the trash and
photographed. Soulburners tells a real story, with topics of more depth.
Lightweight “contributions” from the public are found in the trash and
photographed. Soulburners tells a real story, with topics of more depth.
The 1000 Journals Project, by Kevin KellySterling & Ross / Cambridge House Press
Selections taken from journals passed around the anonymous public.
Soulburners is more focused and includes responses and a story arc.
Selections taken from journals passed around the anonymous public.
Soulburners is more focused and includes responses and a story arc.
This I Believe series, by Allison & GedimanHenry Holt & Company
Collected essays on life from both the public. Soulburners has topics that are ordered and fit
into a real story that is more a dialogue with the reader than standing on a soapbox.
Collected essays on life from both the public. Soulburners has topics that are ordered and fit
into a real story that is more a dialogue with the reader than standing on a soapbox.
One Red Paperclip, by Kyle MacDonald Three Rivers Press (Random House)
A blog turned into a memoir. The author traded up and up on the Internet from a
paperclip to a house. Soulburners is also an uplifting joyride of a story but touches
on serious topics in an arty way.
A blog turned into a memoir. The author traded up and up on the Internet from a
paperclip to a house. Soulburners is also an uplifting joyride of a story but touches
on serious topics in an arty way.
The Last Lecture, by Randy PauschHyperion
Like Soulburners, a thoughtful advice book with a memoir component, but
Soulburners adds visual art and public contribution components.
Like Soulburners, a thoughtful advice book with a memoir component, but
Soulburners adds visual art and public contribution components.
The Kid, by Dan SavagePlume (Penguin Group)
A lightweight memoir written by a syndicated sex advice columnist. Soulburners adds
visual art and much more advice.
A lightweight memoir written by a syndicated sex advice columnist. Soulburners adds
visual art and much more advice.
I See Rude People, by Amy AlkonMcGraw-Hill
This book by a syndicated advice columnist is engaging but Soulburners adds visual art and public contribution
components to a storyline that is a single thread.
This book by a syndicated advice columnist is engaging but Soulburners adds visual art and public contribution
components to a storyline that is a single thread.
The Happiness Project, by Gretchen RubinHarperCollins
Like Soulburners, a memoir that promotes being active in chasing
happiness. Soulburners adds visual art and public dialogue components.
Like Soulburners, a memoir that promotes being active in chasing
happiness. Soulburners adds visual art and public dialogue components.
The Happy Book, by Kempster & LederSourceBooks
This arty and uplifting book contains blank pages to get the reader to engage and “fill in”. Soulburners is a real story with direct advice.
This arty and uplifting book contains blank pages to get the reader to engage and “fill in”. Soulburners is a real story with direct advice.
Ten Fun Things to Do Before You Die, by JackowskiHyperion
Arty and uplifting, but Soulburners offers deeper advice and a public engagement component.
Arty and uplifting, but Soulburners offers deeper advice and a public engagement component.
Soulburners: 10,000 Secret Questions and My Race to Answer Them All
On the website, please find:• The book proposal with writing sample,• A two-minute video overview,• The two-minute video of 200 people saying “We want the book!” in 200 minutes,• Newspaper articles and 5 world records,• Monsarrat radio interviews & lectures, with recommendation letters from the hosts, and• Documentary videos and photos,
at www.Soulburners.com/book/.
