Quite Funny

As someone who is writing a book
I found this smileworthy

If you add this RSS feed thing to your Netvibes page
You too can get a load of new cartoons daily

and then blog about the slightly relevant ones

plus or minus

Whether you write an email, a manuscript, a query letter or a book proposal, never forget the positive or negative impact of your words.


This, I kind of agree with, but, surely before you write, you should have in mind what effect your words are going to have, shouldn't you?
Otherwise you're just writing with no plan.
Again.

By all means write just for the sake of it, for the fun of it, to try things out, to experiment, to test yourself, stretch yourself, just to see what it look like on the damn page. But. Keep that for yourself. Don't release that unpolished stuff into the world. Especially if it is a letter or an email.

Get a roadmap. Use it.

Choose and Book

Hmmm, I'm not usually a fan of systems where people have been replaced by machines, automated phone systems, computer booking systems, call centres in Bangalore or the horrendous scan & bag your own stuff tills in many major supermarkets. (what on earth is the TGWU playing at?)

Anyway, I've been referred back to the neurologist who made my initial diagnosis of PVFS. This has been prompted by 7 months of B12 injections that have done precisely nothing. So, I think I'm due an upgrade now to something more horrendous.

This said, the NHS 'Choose and Book' system I used today was:

• quicker than phoning up
• cheaper than phoning up
• easy to use
• straightforward and intuitive

Blimey, what next?

As a book author, it's your responsibility...

As a book author, it's your responsibility to cast a vision for your book about the length and the appearance before you pitch the idea to a publisher.

Why? I'm not sure I even know what this means - are you? I'd agree that forward planning in relation to the length of your book or novel is relevant, yes, but the appearance? I think most publishers are intelligent enough to have their own vision(s).

A lot of writers get obsessed with the 'concept' surrounding their work rather than with the work itself. The look of the text, the font, the font sizes, spacing, use of white space, the title, chapter titles, or the lack of etc etc etc. Just write the book. Leave the marketing to someone else. If the book is good, it shouldn't need pitching very far now should it?