Titled Founders Speak, this 101-page document is a compilation of 190 quotes by our founding fathers in topics such as religion, government, slavery, and more.

The History

I originally compiled these quotes for a different project died early.  Keeping it on my computer, I used this document myself over the past year during discussions about the founding fathers.

A couple of days ago, I got the idea of releasing it on Practical Manliness so that other people could have the benefit of these great quotes.

Yesterday morning, I automated the entire buying process and created a “cover” for the electronic document.

I used…

• PayPal – For the payment system.
• Aweber – For the delivery system.
• MyEbookMaker – For the 3D cover.

Released!

With everything ready, I published an announcement article and started promoting.

So far, I have promoted Founders Speak using the following methods:

• Twitter – Mentioned on my Twitter account.
• Facebook – Mentioned both on my business and personal account.
• Facebook Ads – Ran a short advertising campaign.
• Reviews – Sent review copies to a few bloggers.

In the day that has passed since the launch, I have had only one sale – perhaps because the price ($3.99) was too high.

What I Learned

• Practiced setting up PayPal stores
• Created my first Aweber delivery system
• Worked with other bloggers to get the news out

Recently, however, a series of events have revived my interest in the art of letter writing.  First, I received a letter from a friend in Southern Oregon.  Reading his kind letter, I realized what an encouragement letters can be.  Then, before I had actually gotten down to the business of writing, I read an article on the Art of Manliness which explained a few of the different types of stationary.  On of these, the correspondence card, particularly grabbed my attention; it was short and looked like a good way to start writing again.

I decided to design my own, personal correspondence card.

Planning

First, I looked at some example cards.  Recognizing my favorite parts on each of those cards, I decided to include three parts in my card:

• My Initials – The article I read said using your initials instead of your full name is the more formal way.
• Lighthouse Picture – I have enjoyed lighthouses for as long as I can remember.
• Bible Verse – I want to be an encouragement in the Lord to my friends.

Designing

Step 1: Draw The Lighthouse

Using colored pencils, I drew a picture of a lighthouse and scanned it onto the computer.

Step 2: Add Opacity

Using Paint.net, I added a layer of opacity to the picture and moved it to the lower left-hand corner of the 4×6 card.

Step 3: Add Words

Adding another layer, I inserted the Bible verse and initials.

Completed!

With the card design completed, I printed it out and started writing!  My goal is to write at least three cards a week.

Step 1: Planning

Before I started designing my logo, I came up with two criteria for it.  First, I wanted it to convey the idea of saving money, and, second, I wanted it to make people think of college.  Basically, I wanted it to make people think of college finances.

Step 2: Brainstorming

After I chose my goals, I began sketching my logo design.  In all, I came up with about four different designs.  Most of them used a blue background with white lettering, to match my website.  The designs varied from atom-shaped to abstract designs.

Step 3: Perfecting

Once my basic plans were completed, I choose the design that seemed to convey my meaning best without being too “busy” or crowded looking.  The final design combined a dollar sign for the “S” in Debt-free Scholar using a collegiate-type font.  This “$” was then displayed on a circular blue background with faded edges.

Complete

I think this design fits my goals perfectly.  The dollar sign in a collegiate font portrays the idea of college finances, while the color scheme matches my site perfectly.