Publishing: The Old Order Passeth

Some day a doctoral student will analyze the psychology of the publishing world and conclude that writers suffer from a form of masochism.

Agents and publishers routinely treat writers with veiled contempt. How else can one explain a "No simultaneous submissions of queries" policy followed by the faint assurance that the writer will receive an answer within six weeks or even longer?

The e-publishing and publish on demand options are going to turn the publishing world upside-down. When that day comes, much will be said about the impact of technology but there will also be a more emotional cause: An anger sparked by lack of respect.

Quote of the Day

The best parachute folders are the ones who jump themselves.

- Anonymous

Right Direction?

An important piece of advice: If you are heading one direction and the majority of people who are engaged in the same activity are heading another, don't rush to conclude that they are missing the enormously deep insight that governs your own course of action. Try instead to determine the reason why they are not following your course. [Do some research rather than just quickly ascribing a perjorative motive.]

They may have spotted a better way to achieve the same goal or they may have a different goal which is superior to your own.

Or they may be nuts.

Generational Differences

I often use case examples in my management workshops and have tended to give the characters unusual names to avoid the possibility of having a person by that name sitting in the audience.

Charles Dickens novels are great resources if only because Dickens was a master of tagging a character with a memorable name. (Think of Ebenezer Scrooge.) What has been quietly amusing, however, is to see the audience reaction when the name "Uriah Heep" is used.

One group recognizes that it is taken from the vile character in "David Copperfield." [It was.]

One group thinks I'm making a sly reference to the rock band.

And a third group never heard of him at all.

Office Essentials

Components of a productive office:

1. Good chair.


2. Comfortable temperature.


3. Decent lighting.


4. A place to write.


5. Reasonable order.


6. Few disturbances.


7. Reliable equipment.


8. Non-distracting colors.


9. Decent coffee.


10. Self-discipline.

The Prolific Mr. Bock

It is one thing not to keep count of the books you've read, but Wally Bock doesn't keep count of the ones he's written.

Big Spenders

Greenspan on the impact of the stimulus spending.

Stats about Status Meetings

Nelson Biagio Jr. has astute observations on the use of status meetings.

[All meeting planners should remember line by Lin Bothwell: "It takes a darn good meeting to beat no meeting at all."]

Approaching the 4th

The Declaration of Independence: A clip from the series "John Adams."

Quote of the Day

A wrong-doer is often a man who has left something undone; not always he that has done something.

- Marcus Aurelius