A PRELIMINARY PROPOSAL ON EDITORIAL SERVICES FOR

PROFESSOR ZAHRAH SAAD’S BIOGRAPHY

1. OVERVIEW

This editorial project involves the write-up on the life of Professor Zahrah Saad, who has been one of
the leading practitioners of the nursing fraternity in Malaysia. With over nearly 50 years of active
service in the nursing profession, this biography documents her early years, how she first got into
nursing to becoming one of the main frontrunners of the nursing industry in Malaysia.

The book also talks about her challenges, achievements and her principles that have carved her
future, and which has gone a long way towards the development of the nursing sector.

2. Purpose of Book

To tell Prof Zahrah’s story that comprises nearly 50 years of active service in Malaysia from the early
years of nursing to the current decade. It is also meant to highlight her achievements and
contributions in Malaysia in the nursing profession, and her personal outlook on the future of this
profession.

3. Target Audience

The targeted readers where the biography should be distributed:

a) Primary

i) Academic circles
ii) Nursing personnel, practitioners
iii) Healthcare workers

b) Secondary:

Students or academicians keen to know more about nursing

4. Proposed Book Title

The proposed book title: ‘My Life Story’ by Prof Zahrah Saad

5. Working Chapters

Preface

Chapter 1: Introduction

Chapter 2: Simple Beginnings

Chapter 3: My Bridge to Nursing

Chapter 4: Of Nursing, Marriage, and Balance

Chapter 5: Shoes of The Teacher

Chapter 6: Road to Success

Chapter 7: Outlook on Nursing

Chapter 8: Anecdotes and Life Lessons

Chapter 9: Final Words

Acknowledgements

6. OUTLINE OF WORKING CHAPTERS

Chapter 1: Introduction

This chapter will have a personal introduction to this biography from Prof Zahrah. The chapter will
provide a short summarization of her life, her career, her achievements, and her personal thoughts
regarding what she hopes the reader will gain from this biography.

Chapter 2: Simple Beginnings

This chapter goes into detail about Professor Zahrah’s early life of growing up in Yan, Kedah. It will
comprise of her childhood all the way to her teenage years, and discusses about any prominent
stories that have shaped her growing up, and how she overcame any challenges along the road.

Sub-sections:

a) Life in Yan
b) Family Life
c) Childhood and Teenage Years
d) Primary and Secondary Education

Key Messages:

a) Family Matters Most,

b) Make the Best of One’s Circumstances
c) Living in The Moment

Chapter 3: My Bridge to Nursing

This chapter details about Professor Zahrah’s early exposure to nursing, and taking the first steps to
entering this career, and the challenges and sacrifices she had to make before entering it.

Sub-sections:

a) Post School Life

b) Working in Jitra Health Center
c) Taking the Leap into Nursing
Key Messages:

a) Growing Up and Maturing

b) Taking Risks
c) Networking

Chapter 4: Of Nursing, Marriage, and Balance

This chapter talks about Prof Zahrah’s time in adjusting and getting through nursing school, while
balancing out active service in various hospitals for a decade.

This chapter will also provide excerpts about how her marriage has affected and moulded several
avenues in her life in nursing.

This chapter will also provide her own personal comments about her experiences in the still
developing healthcare system of Malaysia as well as receiving international exposure have trained
her to become a competent nurse.

Sub-sections:

a) Nursing School Period

b) Being an Active Nurse
c) Marriage and Motherhood
d) International Exposure
e) Graduation

Key Messages:

a) Competence and Mastery

b) Seeing the Big Picture
c) Outlining Goals for The Future
d) Exploring the Unknown
e) Finding Your Support System
f) Nurture and Care for Your Loved Ones

Chapter 5: Shoes of The Teacher

This chapter details about Prof Zahrah’s progression from active service, to becoming an educator.
This will comprise of her tenure of being a principal/dean in nursing schools and becoming
recognized in nursing circles.

Sub-sections:

a) Teaching in Melaka Nursing School

b) Principal in Alor Setar Nursing College
c) Returning to Melaka Nursing School

Key Messages:

d) Adapting to Change/Honing A New Skill

e) Cultivating the Student-Teacher Relationship
f) Imparting Your Wisdom to The Next Generation
Chapter 6: Road to Success

This chapter focuses on Prof Zahrah’s journey in the new century onwards. It focuses on her growth
into becoming an important figurehead for nursing in Malaysia.

Sub-sections:

a) MAHSA veteran
b) Contributions Around Malaysia
c) Becoming a Nursing Delegate
d) Acknowledged by the GNLI (Global Nursing Leadership Institute)
e) Achieving ‘local’ Nurse Status

Key Messages:

a) Being in The Bigger Picture

b) Leaving Your Legacy
c) Servicing Your Country/People in Need

Chapter 7: Personal Outlook on Nursing

This chapter contains Prof Zahrah’s observations and personal thoughts regarding nursing in
Malaysia from the past, the present, and the future going forward.

Sub-sections: TBD

Key Messages:

a) Learning from The Past

b) Critical Thinking is Essential

Chapter 8: Anecdotes and Life Lessons

This chapter contains several life lessons that Prof Zahrah has learnt from every important
checkpoint in her life, both in her career and personal life.

Sub-sections: TBD

Key Messages: TBD

Chapter 9: My 2 Sen Worth

This chapter concludes the biography and contains Prof Zahrah’s final words regarding her biography
and her life going forward and her aspirations and hopes for the future.

Sub-sections

a) Aspirations & hopes

b) What you need to be alert of
c) Where to from here?
7. Photographs

It is recommended that photographs, images, visual, etc. be used in the biography. Photos to be
provided by the client and the author can help select/arrange the photos.

Photos should preferably be 300x300 pixels minimum.

8. EDITORIAL SPECIFICATIONS

Broad estimation on word count ~ 30,000 (Dilshaan, you reckon this to be ok/accurate?)

Broad estimation on page Nos ~ 100 – 150 (Dilshaan, need to narrow this down)

9. TIMELINES

STEP 1: Planning and Research (December 2020 – January 2021)

a) Gathering documents, resources from Prof Zahrah

b) Interviews and meetings with Prof Zahrah
c) Additional research (i.e. nursing history in Malaysia, developments in nursing, general
Malaysian history, etc.)

STEP 2: Editorial work – Copywriting, Reviews, Edits & Rewrites (January – April 2021)

a) Editorial work commences

b) Scheduled interview/meetings with Prof Zahrah

STEP 3: Final Review (April)

a) Final review will be undertaken before submission of first draft to Client for review and
approval
b) Targeted deadline: April end/early May 2021

10. PROFESSIONAL FEE & CHARGES

Scope of Work Amount

Professional fee for Research & Editorial Services, which encompasses 16,000
Interviews, Compilation, Copywriting, Reviews, Edits & Rewrites, etc.

Note: The fee excludes any third-party costs such as printing/publication, etc.

11. SPONSORSHIP

In an effort to defray costs of the editorial project, it is recommended that Sponsorship be sought. In
this regard, consultancy will be pleased to craft the sponsorship letter that can be submitted to
targeted sponsors.

The successful sponsor shall have a dedicated page write-up in the biography, captioned under
‘Acknowledgement.’

The client may also consider publishing/printing the biography, in which case additional costs maybe
incurred for printing/publishing.
12. AUTHOR’s BIO

Dilshaan, or Shaan or Shawn as he prefers it, was born in the final spell of 1997 at December 18 th in
Cheras, Malaysia. Once a voracious reader in his younger years to escape from the world he felt
often at odds with, he now follows Camusian and Nietzschean theories to make sense of life, but still
maintains a love for books on his own pace. He describes himself as a laid back, bluntly humoured,
jack-of-all-trades who persists on pursuing various disciplines of art. When not writing, he is
currently attempting to launch his own filmmaking career while shredding poorly on guitar. He
currently lives in Kajang.

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