A lot of this depends on how I approach it: is this something I should work on after the kids go to bed, when I typically write blog posts? Or should I consider trying to go part-time at work, take leave, or quit? I haven’t yet talked to people at work about this, but I would lean towards taking leave or going part time: if this is worth doing it’s probably worth focusing on. That I think what I’m currently doing is valuable, though, means that there’s a higher bar than just “does this seem like a good book to exist.”
It seems it could provide the usual advantages of agile development, and get you some quick (self-)feedback in a lower-stakes environment (even though as you mention this has many downsides).
As someone who’s trying a bit of community building, I would love more books, and the topics you are suggesting are super interesting in terms of helping many people do more good.
I wonder if it would make sense to write it as a series of blog posts (like the sequences, HPMOR, and “Wait But Why Year One: We finally figured out how to put a blog onto an e-reader”), at least for the first few chapters.
It seems it could provide the usual advantages of agile development, and get you some quick (self-)feedback in a lower-stakes environment (even though as you mention this has many downsides).
As someone who’s trying a bit of community building, I would love more books, and the topics you are suggesting are super interesting in terms of helping many people do more good.