RE: Learning as I Go

Taking good photographs consistently in different situations is where it starts to get a bit harder, but even that I think is not the hardest part. The hardest parts of the business is the non-photography related aspects of the job. There is so much technical knowledge and planning you need to do to be a great professional photographer.

^Spot on! And being sort of OCD would help as well with this. I've been a photographer for over a decade, and I'm still learning every single day. The hardest part that I encounter is to sell myself or actively seeking clients. I think I countered that by letting my work sell itself.

ps; if you're going to be printing your own book and looking for some paper, I bet you would love the matte look. Just tossing this in case you didn't already know; some printing companies may differ when it comes down to bleed/margins (one asks for 3mm, another 5). Even if this assignment is fictional, it might be time-saving to first find a printing company that gives you what you want/need (so you might end up with a real physical printed book of your own).