Military smart book for writers

If you want to write…

2012-03-03T12:34:00.001-08:00

…engage in some self-reflection:

I do hope that those who are hobbyists—or who view writing as therapy or just want a book under their belt or write for any reason other than to make literature—understand when I have to tell them no, they cannot audit our graduate literary fiction workshop. That workshop is populated by people who have already put in years of study and practice, who may have gone into debt or alienated sensible family members or at the least have bypassed or forsaken profitable careers. They have done this and moved from wherever they were to my city for the sole purpose of apprenticeship in a particular art form. They don’t want to be writers; they are writers.

See if you have what it takes at Is Everyone a Writer? - Brainstorm - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Combat Reads

2012-02-28T20:53:00.001-08:00

Background reading:

Veterans of several wars plus one former combat correspondent share their quick-and-dirty book lists and literary notes.

Find out what they are at Jules Crittenden » Combat Reads

Self-Sufficient Robots

2012-02-26T16:44:00.001-08:00

We’re already taking steps in that direction. The US military reduction is going the direction of a strong special operations element, a strong support element for technology like unmanned systems, and a smaller conventional force:

The autonomy paradox, according to the article, is the systems that are designed to reduce manpower will actually require more people to support them, Stone said.

If you’re going to write on military topics, you need to be aware of robotics.

Get privy to the thinking at Self-Sufficient Robots | Armed with Science

How well do you know your Army acronyms?

2012-02-26T14:38:00.001-08:00

Some terms writers could find useful":

Check out today’s Army Trivia to see just how many Army acronyms you are familiar with.

Learn the terms at How well do you know your Army acronyms?

How ‘Grammar Girl’ Turned Her Podcast Hobby Into A Media Empire

2012-02-22T14:00:00.001-08:00

A source of answers for your grammar questions and a model for your own marketing efforts:

Fogarty’s writing is approachable and easy to digest. A recent podcast starts off: “Grammar Girl here. This week I’m going to talk about why spelling matters.” It was a response to a recent piece in Wired arguing that “with new technologies, the way that we write and read (and search and data-mine) is changing, and so must spelling.” Though it’s obvious that Fogarty disagrees with the article’s thesis, she’s quick to concede whenever she thinks the Wired author has made a fair point. Fogarty comes off not as a lecturer, but as a referee between two grammar philosophies, acknowledging the ambiguity and nuances that plague English grammar — a language rife with inconsistencies and lacking concrete rules.

Get the lowdown at How ‘Grammar Girl’ Turned Her Podcast Hobby Into A Media Empire

Get your book to libraries

2012-02-20T20:51:00.001-08:00

Here are some notes from a conference:

Using results from a nationwide study of patron profile conducted by Library Journal and Bowker, it was found that library power patrons, those that visited the library at least weekly, are all book purchasers. More than 50 percent of all library users go on to purchase books by an author they were introduced to in the library.
The study also showed that patrons that read ebooks as part of the book consumption, read more books overall than those that don't use ebooks. Patrons want more ebooks, yet many of the largest publishers still don't want their ebooks in public libraries for fear of losing sales.
Genco's final argument is: " The library channel has money to spend. Libraries are ubiquitous delivery systems. They are a discovery zone for readers and a proven marketing engine. It is a win-win-win for the publishers, libraries and readers."

Think it through at Changes eBooks are Bringing to the Publishing World from the TOC Conference - Technorati Business

James Cagney welcomes a young person to the real world

2012-02-17T22:29:00.001-08:00

Not directly related to writing, but the teachable moment can apply. A college classmate recollected a visit to school by James Cagney. One of the students asked about one of his movies and sprinkled the question with sophisticated literary terms like leitmotif. Cagney replied, "Son, we had six weeks to make a movie and make a buck. That's pretty much it."

Sometimes the simplest answer is the right answer.

Why your profs don’t want you to cite Wikipedia

2012-02-17T11:34:00.000-08:00

One expert’s experience when he tried to post recently unearthed facts:

So I waited two years, until my book on the trial was published. "Now, at last, I have a proper Wikipedia leg to stand on," I thought as I opened the page and found at least a dozen statements that were factual errors, including some that contradicted their own cited sources. I found myself hesitant to write, eerily aware that the self-deputized protectors of the page were reading over my shoulder, itching to revert my edits and tutor me in Wiki-decorum. I made a small edit, testing the waters.
My improvement lasted five minutes before a Wiki-cop scolded me, "I hope you will familiarize yourself with some of Wikipedia's policies, such as verifiability and undue weight. If all historians save one say that the sky was green in 1888, our policies require that we write 'Most historians write that the sky was green, but one says the sky was blue.' ... As individual editors, we're not in the business of weighing claims, just reporting what reliable sources write."
Read more of his frustrating experience at The 'Undue Weight' of Truth on Wikipedia - The Chronicle Review - The Chronicle of Higher Education

Wikipedia is a great way to get an overview of your topic, but don’t cite it because it’s a tertiary source, not really helping you support your assertions.

Book reviews in the Wall Street Journal

2012-02-15T21:57:00.001-08:00

To get an idea of what the critics are thinking about your chosen genre:

…one of the best book sections in this new era has turned up in the Wall Street Journal.

Read why at Book Reviews Aren't Dead (Just Ask The Wall Street Journal) - Peter Osnos - Entertainment - The Atlantic

Contractors now do most of the dying

2012-02-12T07:37:00.001-08:00

A topic some writer might want to explore in fiction or non-fiction:

More civilian contractors working for American companies than American soldiers died in Afghanistan last year for the first time during the war.

Read more at NYT: Risks of Afghan war shift to contractors - World news - The New York Times - msnbc.com

CRITICS: Too Much Publicity Puts Our Special Ops Teams In Danger

2012-02-08T16:01:00.001-08:00

The quest for accuracy in writing on military topics creates a demand for inside information, something for writers to be aware of:

"You've been splashing all of this all over the media and I flat don't understand that," Maj. Gen. James Vaught, a former special ops member, told the admiral. "You're gonna fly in and you're gonna shoot down every damn helicopter and kill everyone of your Seals. Now what should happen, mark my words, get the hell out of the media."

Read more and watch the report at CRITICS: Too Much Publicity Puts Our Special Ops Teams In Danger

TEN Laws of Predictability and ONE Reason you can Break Them ALL

2012-02-06T18:01:00.001-08:00

Some plot tips for fiction-writers:

A surprise ending is only important for a book that's intended to be read once. These are books that bank their entire short-lived popularity on having a huge release and little following.
The thing is, when a book makes its way into popularity, chances are, you're going to know how it ends anyway. Hopefully, the book is popular because it's good, and if it's good, you'll read it again.
Shared by Nicole Miller on Facebook. Find out the ten laws and one reason at The Writer Coaster: TEN Laws of Predictability and ONE Reason you can Break Them ALL

Pinterest and Book Blogging: Use The Latest Social Media Craze To Your Site’s Advantage

2012-02-02T21:03:00.001-08:00

Another way to get the word out about your books:

Pinterest has the potential to be a very useful part of your book blog’s social media plan. Pinterest has the advantage over Twitter and Facebook when it comes to our particular niche, because it promotes the cultivation of information in as simple a way possible. Unlike Facebook, Pinterest users don’t have to restrict their searches to information pinned on their friends’ walls. Users can choose to search the entire site. So while a user may not be following your profile, they can still look at and click your link even if they don’t repin the link or choose to follow your profile.

Read more via Blogher at Pinterest and Book Blogging: Use The Latest Social Media Craze To Your Site’s Advantage | BlogHer

Children’s Books Increasingly Ignore Natural World

2012-01-30T18:05:00.001-08:00

An insight about the direction of children’s literature:

There have been significant declines in depictions of natural environments and animals, while built environments have become much more common.

Read more via Miller-McCune via Children’s Books Increasingly Ignore Natural World - Miller-McCune

Obama: the US can no longer fight the world's battles

2012-01-18T18:33:00.001-08:00

Via The Independent: The US military will lose up to half a million troops. Obama: the US can no longer fight the world's battles - Americas - World - The Independent

Can you think of fiction or non-fiction ideas addressing military transition?

Web 2.0 tools writers can use

2012-01-18T07:16:00.001-08:00

VIa OnlineDegree.com: The list of 100 tools was recommended to teachers, but they look useful for writers as well.

So Why Read Anymore?

2012-01-17T06:48:00.001-08:00

Via PJ Media:

So what are the reasons, in this age of the iPhone, Xbox, and PlayStation — or Fox News blondes and HBO — to sit down and read old stuff for an hour or two each week?
Here are a few reasons other than the usual defense of the “classics,” the “canon,” and the glories of “Western civilization.” Works and Days » So Why Read Anymore?

Why indeed?

Evernote Tips For Freelance Writers

2012-01-16T20:56:00.001-08:00

Tips for using Evernote in writing: Here are just a few easy ways I’ve found you can use it to make your writing life more efficient. Evernote Tips For Freelance Writers | The WM Freelance Writers Connection

Evernote for Students: The Ultimate Research Tool

2012-01-16T20:54:00.001-08:00

Tips for using Evernote:

For students, it’s an invaluable way to organize research and streamline the collaboration process. Evernote for Students: The Ultimate Research Tool – Education Series « Evernote Blogcast

Get writing advice in your inbox

2012-01-16T15:30:00.001-08:00

Via Boing Boing: Figment has started Daily Themes, a free email service that sends subscribers a writing prompt five days a week. Get writing advice from Lev Grossman in your inbox - Boing Boing

Novel Matters: Behind the Stacks - Judy Gann Explains Marketing to Libraries

2012-01-06T19:57:00.001-08:00

Via Novel Matters:

…the key is to think of libraries as an additional market, not instead of bookstores, but as another piece of your marketing plan. Novel Matters: Behind the Stacks - Judy Gann Explains Marketing to Libraries

Congress wants to limit open access publishing for the US government's $28B/year subsidized research

2012-01-06T08:28:00.001-08:00

Via Boing Boing:

Rather than allowing an open marketplace to decide which model is best, Congress -- including Rep Darrell Issa, who has taken a strong stand for open networks in his opposition to SOPA -- is putting its ~~thumb~~ fist on the scales to support the incumbent closed journals. Congress wants to limit open access publishing for the US government's $28B/year subsidized research - Boing Boing

When you read the rest of the article, you’ll get the impression traditional publishers lobby the government for protection from the consequences of technology. Although this particular case is academic publishing, the strategy could be seen as feasible by other kinds of publishers.

Working through Michael Novak’s Business as a Calling

2012-01-06T00:52:00.001-08:00

Check me out at the Military Transition page on Google + to chat about Michael Novak’s Business as a Calling: Work and the Examined Life. We’ll take a look at how military people, used to thinking about their military careers as a calling, can think of their civilian careers as a calling as well.

Working through Michael Novak’s Business as a Calling

2012-01-06T00:49:00.001-08:00

Tips on writing paragraphs

2012-01-05T20:54:00.001-08:00

Thoughts about writing paragraphs, from anatomy of paragraphs, kinds of paragraphs, and a methodology.

M.I.T. Game-Changer: Free Online Education For All - Forbes

2011-12-29T14:35:00.001-08:00

Via Forbes.com:

those who are able to exhibit a mastery of the subjects taught on the platform will receive an official certificate of completion. M.I.T. Game-Changer: Free Online Education For All - Forbes

Points:

You don’t get an MIT degree out of this.
You don’t get the MIT name on your certificate of completion.
You do get to pay a bit if you want the certificate.
You do get a decent online education.

Ponder:

Will this kill tuition-charging degree programs?
Will this be the new standard for learning environments?

Practice:

For online programs, plan to be an autodidact. You won’t get instant clarification from the profs.
It’s not clear if there will be much in the way of academic writing in these courses. Grading academic writing takes time, and such courses move at a fast pace.

You don't have to look far for ideas about military topics

2011-12-16T16:27:00.000-08:00

For some background, here's a little speech by Kris Kristofferson:

He received an award honoring his military and veteran activities. His stance is anti-war and pro-military. The stereotypical image of military people being pro-war can serve as a seed for for fiction or non-fiction ideas.

A Just War?

2011-12-16T11:47:00.001-08:00

Via The American Spectator:

Theoretically, there are three conditions for a Just War: Jus ad bellum (the justice of going to war), jus in bello (justice during the war) and jus post bellum (justice after the war). The first condition is based on what justice must be demonstrated to resort to war. Concepts of just cause blend with best intentions and the reasonable hope that going to war will cause more good than harm and that is realistic to believe that this cause will be achieved. The second stipulation pertains to the conduct of a just war. Jus in bello is based on the presumption that noncombatants will be given the immunity and protection they deserve and that military action will be minimal, yet proportionate to an end result that produces more harm than good.
For my money, the third condition is the most difficult to satisfy. Justice after the war demands the development of law and order that protects human rights, establishes a lawful, working government and reconciles the victims and aggressors before the a court of justice

The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : A Just War?

Points: The linked item presents an opinion about the Iraq war the United States engaged in from the perspective of Just War Theory.

Ponder: Whether you agree or disagree, trying to abide by the principles of Just War Theory raises issues when trying to apply them in practical situations. The recurring headlines about whether “enhanced interrogation techniques” are one example. Another issue is how to respond to foes who could care less about Just War Theory, the Geneva Conventions, and other attempts to reduce the evils of war.

Practice:

If you’re looking for ideas for your fiction or non-fiction writing, the issues raised when trying to function under the requirements of Just War Theory can provide lots of ideas.
Do an Internet search about Just War Theory to get a better understanding.

INDIE BOOKSTORES ARE OVERRATED

2011-12-14T08:36:00.001-08:00

Via Instapundit: “I hope Amazon crushes the independents.” Instapundit » Blog Archive » FARHAD MANJOO SAYS INDIE BOOKSTORES ARE OVERRATED: Buying books on Amazon is better for authors, be…

There’s actually more in the post, but I thought this would get your attention. Seems there are some opposing opinions out there. The takeaway from the blog entry for authors and aspiring authors would be the growing influence of online retail and the need to have a basic understanding of that part of the industry.

Free Kindle book

2011-12-11T20:09:00.000-08:00

Via Instapundit: “Andy Rosen’s Change.edu: Rebooting For The New Talent Economy is currently free in the Kindle edition.” Instapundit » Blog Archive » I MENTION IT BELOW, BUT I DIDN’T REALIZE THAT Andy Rosen’s Change.edu: Rebooting For The New Talent…

A Military Brat Wins The Heisman

2011-12-11T15:45:00.001-08:00

Via Business Insider: “RG3 was born in Japan to two military parents. He moved around as a kid before settling outside Fort Hood, Texas.” Robert Griffin III Wins The Heisman

“Brat” is the affectionate moniker given to and embraced by people with at least one parent in the military. Can you write a story or article about the experience young people have growing up in a family where at least one of the parents is military?

Thinking of a Master’s Degree? Think Again | Via Meadia

2011-12-09T15:35:00.000-08:00

Via Instapundit: “Masters programs hit the sour spot of higher education — they tend to be more expensive with fewer financial aid opportunities than other programs, with a smaller payoff.” Thinking of a Master’s Degree? Think Again | Via Meadia

May not be a popular idea with schools because everyone now offers a slew of master’s programs.

"Although" Versus "While"

2011-12-09T11:23:00.000-08:00

Via Grammar Girl:

I discovered that Fowler's Modern English Usage says it is normal and acceptable to use “while” to mean "although (2)." Fowler even called Partridge's comment “indefensible.” It's a grammar rumble!?

I decided to go over their heads and see what the Oxford English Dictionary has to say, and they back up Fowler with an entry saying “while”can mean “although.” Two additional dictionaries concurred. Further, Bryan Garner says the non-temporal use of “while” (in other words, “while” to mean “although” or “whereas”) ranks at stage 5 on his language-change index (3)--stage 5, which he defines as “universally accepted (not counting pseudo-snoot eccentrics).” Grammar Girl : "Although" Versus "While" :: Quick and Dirty Tips ™

Points:

Although: A concession
While: At the same time

Ponder: So it turns out it’s not always a bad thing to use “while” instead of “although.”

Practice: It’s still a good idea to start with formal usage and then decide when to deviate. It will demonstrate control over your writing and make your deviations from formality more meaningful.

Close enough for hand grenades

2011-12-07T20:15:00.001-08:00

So I helped our church (Life Pointe Church) adopt a unit (HHB, 1-37 FA; 1-37 FA is the artillery support for 3^rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team at Joint Base Lewis McChord) so we could add a focused component to our military ministry program. We’re now sending care packages and starting to work with the Family Readiness Group, and they’re coming out to help with community projects (we traded volunteers for Halloween events). It’s part of a larger community partnership program between 3rd Brigade and Lacey, Washington.

The commander invited some of us to join his unit at the hand grenade qualification course today. Most of the soldiers were young enough to be my son’s little brothers, and when they handed me an IOTV (hadn’t heard that term until today - Improved Outer Tactical Vest), its 30 pounds of deadweight gave me a new appreciation for what modern soldiers lug around. The unit had done a short 4 1/2 mile road march to get to the range, wearing their own IOTVs and carrying weapons, full ruck sacks, and other gear.

The grenade course consisted of stations where we threw grenades from different positions (prone, kneeling, and standing). To get to each station, we had to crawl under or hop over obstacles. Or I should say, the younger soldiers did. Us older guys generally acted like upside down turtles trying to get up because of the weight of the gear we had on. I think the soldiers thought we were some USO comedy team. We were too tired from the effort to protest.

We tossed practice grenades at each station, each one equipped with a blasting cap for the explosion. My first couple of tosses fulfilled the ultimate insult from The Sandlot: You throw like a girl! A serious fail that I’m told was captured on video and photos. I expect to get a blackmail note soon.

We then got to observe the soldiers throwing live grenades (as civilians, we weren’t allowed). The explosions were louder and brighter than what I recalled from my active duty days and shook the observation area we are at.

Got home dirty and sore, and honored to have gotten to know some great individuals a little better.

That’s moi in the photo wearing a borrowed IOTV.

Ponder:

An individual soldier carries a lot of destructive power. Pray for wise judgment and great aim in using that power in the situations they encounter.
Wearing all that gear regularly and moving one’s body in quick, explosive movements creates physical jarring and impact that reminded me sacrifice isn’t just the “last full measure” kind.
- It includes the daily grind of humping one’s ruck as infantry soldiers say even when quitting is the decision that makes sense.
- It also includes the arthritis that sets in prematurely after joints have taken that kind of pounding over the years.
- It includes giving the best years of one’s youth as if this extra line were added to the end of Binyon’s “For the Fallen”: They shall grow old too quickly that we might grow old peacefully.

Practice:

For writers without military experience seeking to understand military things so they can write accurately and authentically about military topics, these kinds of experiences can give some insight into military life. For example, experiencing the weight of the IOTV while trying to complex and demanding physical moves gives a glimpse at how draining it must be to move around in environments like Afghanistan.
These kinds of experiences are also great opportunities for writers to interact with military people and understand the military mind a little more.

Remember the 7th of December | to the heart of history - writer Nicole M. Miller

2011-12-07T14:59:00.001-08:00

Via Nicole Miller upon reading Craig Shirley’s December 1941: 31 Days That Changed American and Saved the World: “Everything is clear through the lens of history. But it isn’t. We all look back with our own experiences, history and biases.” Remember the 7th of December | to the heart of history - writer Nicole M. Miller

Points:

America was isolationist.
No one really believed the US would go to war.
Pearl Harbor changed that.

Ponder:

What changed in American culture as a result of going to war and becoming a world power?
Speaking of change, a trilogy Axis of Time, by John Birmingham plots the transport back in time to the battle of Midway of a 21st century multinational aircraft carrier battle group led by a US attack carrier. The author’s descriptions of the collision of 1942 culture and 21st century culture make for fascinating reading.

Practice:

For writers incorporating military topics in their work, it’s easy to look at historical events from from one’s own cultural perspective. The important thing is to understand people on their own terms before assessing their views.
Reading books like December 1941 can help writers in their research because authors of these kinds of books have notes and footnotes that can lead you to other sources.

Paper: Kindle:

Did the computer really think that?

2011-12-06T16:35:00.000-08:00

Via University of Washington’s Computer Science Department: “…do not anthropomorphize computers: they hate it. Anthropomorphism, such as “the program thinks that ...”, is unclear and vague.” Writing a technical paper

I came across this advice about technical writing, and immediately wondered what that’s such a bad thing. Other writers do it. For example, we anthropomorphize God when we say He has the whole world in His hands. Reporters do the same when they say, “The White House said…” instead of “The President’s chief of staff said…”

Here’s the difference, academic writing is supposed to be objective, and writing style goes a long way to conveying objectivity. A key element is assigning responsibility to where it’s due. For example, passive voice hides the true subject of a sentence and “we” is vague if it refers to an editorial “we” like the author and reader. In this example, personal pronouns would refer specifically to the author or the specific team of authors.

Such figures of speech are OK in poetry, for example, because the intent is to create associations in readers mind that generate an emotional experience. Academic writing, not so much.

Literary greats answer high-school student's survey on "symbolism," 1963 - Boing Boing

2011-12-06T09:05:00.000-08:00

Via Boing Boing:

When science fiction writer Bruce McAllister was 16, in 1963, he decided that his English teacher's insistence on seeking out symbolism in literature was a tedious exercise. McAllister, who had just sold his first story, was skeptical of the whole idea of symbolism in literature, so he typed out an ungrammatical, mimeographed questionnaire about symbolism in literature and mailed it to 150 authors. 75 replied. Some were secretarial responses on the lines of "Go away, I'm busy," but substantive responses came in from Isaac Asimov, Ray Bradbury, Ayn Rand, Jack Kerouac, Judith Merril, John Updike, Fritz Leiber, and others. Literary greats answer high-school student's survey on "symbolism," 1963 - Boing Boing

From the memory files: A student asked a lecturing poet about the meaning of one of that poet’s poems. The poet replied, “It means whatever your English teacher says it means.”

Is It A Book, Is It A Movie...No, It's Movie-Book! - Technorati Entertainment

2011-12-04T14:59:00.001-08:00

Via Technorati: “…what is more intriguing than the latest enhancements for eReaders is the recent announcement of Booktrack's synchronized music integration into The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore, published by Harper Collins Children’s Books.” Is It A Book, Is It A Movie...No, It's Movie-Book! - Technorati Entertainment

So, will writers have to acquire new skills? A friend of mine who was a writer in Hollywood told me a typical career path for writers was to become producers. That required a new set of skills because producers, as understand the role, pull elements like funding and casting together to make the movie happen. Some scenarios:

Authors figure out how to pull together a multimedia project if they want to stay independent.
Mainstream publishers become the multimedia producers and bring authors and other skilled people together for specific projects.

Military-society gap

2011-11-29T22:44:00.001-08:00

Via Instapundit: As Americans become more isolated from the costs of war, military engagement no longer seems to require the support of the American people. Their disengagement does not limit the reach of American military action, but enables its expansion. Balkinization

And as technology grows more capable, i.e., more drones and robots, the more adventurous national leaders without military service will get.

Something worth an article or story.

Summer Conference Director’s Letter | Oregon Christian Writers

2011-11-29T21:04:00.001-08:00

Via Angella Foret Diehl of Oregon Christian Writers: “OCW Summer Conference is one of the best in the country,” say editors, agents, and conferees. Summer Conference Director’s Letter | Oregon Christian Writers

Seekerville: Seekerville Welcomes Senior Acquisitions Editor for Abingdon Press Fiction, Ramona Richards

2011-11-29T21:01:00.001-08:00

Via Mary Ann Hake of Oregon Christian Writers: “As Senior Acquisitions Editor for Abingdon Press Fiction, I get to work with some of the most fabulous writers in the business. And I’m always looking for more. After all, instead of curling up by this fire with a book, I do it with a manuscript.
So what do I look for in a manuscript?” Seekerville: Seekerville Welcomes Senior Acquisitions Editor for Abingdon Press Fiction, Ramona Richards

Free Technology for Teachers: Read Cube - A Desktop Tool for Organizing Research

2011-11-29T10:59:00.000-08:00

Via Free Technology for Teachers: “Read Cube is a desktop application, for Windows and Mac, that is designed to help students organize their research. Read Cube provides a place for students to save and annotate scholarly documents.” Free Technology for Teachers: Read Cube - A Desktop Tool for Organizing Research

Inside The Mormon Training Program That Turns 19-Year-Olds Into Leaders

2011-11-27T15:46:00.000-08:00

Via Business Insider: “As a 19-year-old, he went through the church's grueling missionary training program, which you might call executive training camp.” Inside The Mormon Training Program That Turns 19-Year-Olds Into Leaders

The question for educators, parents, and church leaders: Can you get past the religious difference enough so you can judge the worth of the teaching/learning approach?

China to Cancel College Majors That Don't Pay - China Real Time Report - WSJ

2011-11-27T15:36:00.000-08:00

Via Instapundit: “China’s Ministry of Education announced this week plans to phase out majors producing unemployable graduates, according to state-run media Xinhua.” China to Cancel College Majors That Don't Pay - China Real Time Report - WSJ

Points:

Targeting majors where less than 60% of graduates fail to find work in 2 years.
Resistance around majors like biology that provide basic research.
Concerns it will drive schools to falsify reporting.
Concerns it will stifle creativity.
Similar questioning in the United States

Ponder:

How would you truly track a job back to a major? I know music majors who have high tech jobs. Does a school’s music program get credit for that?
If we can’t truly track a job back to a major program, can we gauge the major’s contribution to developing job skills? I like to think that a sound liberal arts program provides intellectual breadth and agility. How true is that really?

Unemployed Veterans…we have a new program for you. | Facebook

2011-11-21T21:10:00.001-08:00

Via Facebook: "The Veterans Retraining Assistance Program offers 12 months of training assistance to unemployed Veterans" Unemployed Veterans…we have a new program for you. | Facebook.

Amazon E-Library Is Publishing’s Profit Model: Virginia Postrel - Bloomberg

2011-11-14T08:24:00.001-08:00

Via Bloomberg: “Publishers are in trouble. They think their problem is that they are losing their retailers. But the real danger is that, over time, they are going to lose their authors as well” Amazon E-Library Is Publishing’s Profit Model: Virginia Postrel – Bloomberg.

Main points:

Amazon lets you check out one book per month for free.
Amazon thinks prices for e-books are too high (publishers set the price, and Amazon sells at that price for a fee).
Publishers don’t believe consumers are price sensitive.
Even slightly lower prices lead to higher sales.
Authors are beginning to move to self-publishing to get more responsiveness for their marketing strategies. In one example, a self-publishing author can tailor a sale to a conference he’s speaking at.

Ponder:

What does an industry expect that made its suppliers responsible for the marketing element?
A Hollywood friend of mine said screenwriters eventually became producers as well so they could leverage their writing and also have more control over the creative process. It occurred to me the writers also gave themselves access to multiple channels for supporting their screenplays. In a similar way, I wonder if authors need to become producers and surround their works with other media forms. I think I see some of that happening. For example, Steven Pressfield made a small documentary to support his novel, Killing Rommel.

Writers of the Cloud, Come Forth! - Page 2 - Technorati Blogging

2011-10-15T13:10:00.001-07:00

Via Technorati:

This year, a brand-new service for writers just recently launched back in mid-summer as a brand-new writing tool for writers who will be participating this year's upcoming NaNoWriMo called Yarny.
What sets this particular service from the other existing services around the web is that this particular service is a very simple writing tool that helps writers organize not just what they write, but to also take sidenotes and other research notes crucial to writing their pieces.
Best of all, Yarny uses the magical power of the cloud to power up their tool and of course, to save everything you have jotted down on the writing pad. In addition to that, like note-taking software and services such as Evernote and and the MS Office-bundled OneNote, the tool saves your work automatically without requiring you to press the Save button frequently.

Writers of the Cloud, Come Forth! - Page 2 - Technorati Blogging

The whole article is worth reading because it lists other writing resources and tools.

What is a military wife?

2011-10-01T22:01:00.001-07:00

I came across this poetic description of military wives. The phrases resonate with all the military wives I’ve met.

Even the best have their moments

2011-09-24T09:59:00.001-07:00

Via io9: Here’s a collection of Star Trek episodes never produced. As you look through these, take heart that even established writing professionals have less than stellar moments.

Marketing your work

2011-09-06T07:10:00.001-07:00

Via Locus Online: “Getting people to care about the products of your imagination is a profound and infinitely complex task that will absorb as much attention as you give it. Every book and every author brings a different proposition to the negotiation with readers, but there’s one thing they all have in common: unless someone takes charge of doing something, something clever and active and good and slightly improbable, no one will care about the book or the person who wrote it. “

Military sci-fi: Rome meets Generation Kill

2011-09-04T19:59:00.001-07:00

Via Reddit: “Let's say we go back in time with a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)…could we destroy all 30 of Augustus' legions?”

It’s the start of a story idea. The comments are worth reading to get a sense of what readers expected in terms of accuracy and authenticity.

Fake reviews for books

2011-08-23T08:37:00.001-07:00

Via Christian Science Monitor: “As online retailers increasingly depend on reviews as a sales tool, an industry of fibbers and promoters has sprung up to buy and sell raves for a pittance,” writes David Streitfeld in his piece, “In a Race to Out-Rave, 5-Star Web Reviews Go for $5” .

Mind mapping tools

2011-08-23T07:23:00.001-07:00

Via Craving Tech:

Mind Mapping

3. Mindjet:Mindjet is popular as a great mind mapping app and it can be included with Microsoft Sharepoint server. You can visually recognize sales chances with organizational charts with the help of Mindjet Deal Navigator. With Mindjet, you can produce superior ideas using an interactive visual set-up that mirrors the way you want to route your information. You can very easily split and slot in your team’s input.

4. Mindmeister:Mindmeister would help you generate ideas right from the scratch and thereby turning it to more concrete and sagacious form. You can allocate any creation with easiness by inviting users by email or else you can simply send them a safe and exclusive direct link. It is easy to use, safe and secure.

Interview with Steven Pressfield

2011-08-18T16:46:00.001-07:00

He discusses his two new books (one fiction, one non-fiction) dealing with the military.

Forewarned is forearmed

2011-08-15T18:05:00.001-07:00

Some points about the US Department of Defense’s review of the military retirement system from a briefing I saw:

The current system has been all or nothing, based on serving at least 20 years to get a pension. Despite some tweaks over the years, leaving before 20 years means you would pretty much not get anything.
Pensions of current retirees will not be affected, but their medical benefits will get more expensive.
The goal is defined contribution like the private sector 401k, not defined benefit (the pension system).
The cutoff for currently serving military people will be around the 10 year mark. Those with over 10 years would stay with the current system. Those under 10 years of service would come under the new system.

Takeaways:

This is pretty much a given. Military people will therefore have to revise how they approach their personal finances.
Mid-career people will be hit hard if they don’t make the cutoff. Basically, they will have lost that many years of potential compound interest that would have accrued had they started investing for retirement earlier.
Churches can serve the military population by making military people aware of programs like Financial Peace University and Crown Financial Ministries among others.

To read or not to read

2011-08-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

Via CHR: “…much of the anxiety about American reading habits, and those in other developed nations to a lesser degree, arises from frustration at not being able to sustain a permanent expansion of ‘the reading class’ beyond what may be its natural limits.”

Main points:

We shouldn’t expect everyone to want to be serious readers, preferring books to TV or movies. A few others like to read but can be distracted by other pursuits.
Before the printing press, books were rare and therefore read closely and repeatedly.
After the printing press, people felt overloaded with information and began skimming books.
Liberal arts education was more about familiarizing students with the great works and providing tools for navigating information.
The love of reading (reading as a default activity; reading deeply and for long stretches of time) has not been a goal of education nor should it be.
“Over the past 150 years, it has become increasingly difficult to extricate reading from academic expectations; but I believe that such extrication is necessary. Education is and should be primarily about intellectual navigation, about—I scruple not to say it—skimming well, and reading carefully for information in order to upload content. Slow and patient reading, by contrast, properly belongs to our leisure hours.”
The author credits reading on a Kindle for reawakening memories of the pleasures of deep reading.

Takeaway:

According to “Influence of Exposure to Children’s Literature on Teachers’ and Students’ Knowledge of and Attitudes Toward Reading” by Angela Randall (Dissertation, Auburn University, 2011), there did not appear to be a relationship between teaching children’s literature in class and students’ attitudes toward reading.
The focus of the article was on schools. It would be useful to see what influence parents have in instilling a love of reading in the their children.

Write an adventure novel in several days

2011-08-05T06:59:00.001-07:00

Via BoingBoing: “…you can take mechanical plots and plot-devices and use them to make a book charge forward at a rate of noughts, and still hang many different kinds of story, insight, and language off of them.”

Push Pop Press and innovative publishing

2011-08-04T11:07:00.001-07:00

Via Christian Science Monitor: “[O]verall [Facebook’s acquisition of Push Pop Press] strikes me as validating the development of new kinds of multimedia storytelling tools, no matter how they end up being utilized,” Evan Ratliff, founding editor of the multimedia nonfiction digital publisher the Atavist, told the LA Time’s Jacket Copy.

College is supposed to be hard

2011-07-11T22:43:00.000-07:00

Via The New Yorker:

Soon after I started teaching there, someone raised his hand and asked, about a text I had assigned, “Why did we have to buy this book?” I got the question in that form only once, but I heard it a number of times in the unmonetized form of “Why did we have to read this book?” I could see that this was not only a perfectly legitimate question; it was a very interesting question. The students were asking me to justify the return on investment in a college education. I just had never been called upon to think about this before. It wasn’t part of my training. We took the value of the business we were in for granted.

Some competing theories:

College can help students determine their intellectual strengths and weaknesses so they can get a career focus.
College helps students become self-aware and develop the examined life.
College provides vocational training.

Author’s conclusion:

College (liberal arts and sciences) is the traditional gateway to high status professions.
College is supposed to be hard because graduating is supposed to be a significant achievement.

First hand accounts

2011-07-07T20:39:00.001-07:00

Via Susannah Breslin: “The War Project is an independent online project created and edited by freelance journalist and photographer Susannah Breslin. The site presents the stories of veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Interviews are conducted in person and edited and condensed prior to publication. Letters are submitted by veterans.”

Story/article idea: Insect-sized drones

2011-07-03T18:29:00.001-07:00

Via Northwest Military: “…a new generation of aerial microdrones, shrinking the unmanned aircraft to the size of insects and birds.”

Small, cheap, and numerous beats big, expensive, and few. What can you write on this topic?

Story/article idea: Veterans unemployment

2011-07-03T18:24:00.001-07:00

Via Military Reporter: “The Midwest and Northern states appear to be where some of the highest rates of unemployed 9/11 veterans.”

Story/article idea: Military roller derby

2011-07-03T18:18:00.001-07:00

Via Northwest Military: “In the last few years the rough and tumble women's sport [roller derby] has taken off, and military installations are no exception. Now, with teams and leagues cropping up on bases around the world, the growing network of servicemembers and spouses who skate is getting organized.”

Something writers can build on.

A cavalry tradition

2011-07-03T18:15:00.001-07:00

Via Northwest Military: “The 8th Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, held a "spur ride" that physically and mentally challenged Soldiers during endurance trials.”

The spur ride was a series of tests: “…assembling and firing multiple weapon systems, evaluating a casualty, reacting to a given combat scenario, completing an obstacle course, performing a zodiac assault from the water and completing a road march while carrying a full rucksack.”

Notice one woman took part and completed the tests.

This can be a source of ideas of writers.

What should writers know about military spouses?

2011-07-03T18:09:00.001-07:00

Via Northwest Military: “…advice seasoned military spouses would give to new spouses.”

Writers can look the advice over for vicariously understand the mindset of military spouses. The challenge: Can you integrate it into your characters?

Developments in copyright law

2011-07-02T08:56:00.002-07:00

Via Wired: “A federal judge ruled Monday that publishing an entire article without the rights holder’s authorization was a fair use of the work, in yet another blow to newspaper copyright troll Righthaven.”

Developments in copyright law

2011-07-02T08:56:00.001-07:00

One way to write great sentences

2011-06-15T17:12:00.000-07:00

From The New Criterion via Arts and Letters Daily:

Fish’s central key to good writing, his Open Sesame, is to master forms of sentences, which can be imitated and later used with one’s own content when one comes to write one’s own compositions.

Make your own list of great sentences and try to imitate them.

The Profession by Steven Pressfield - Official Trailer

2011-06-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

Take a look at this book for examples of military fiction. Pressfield is a master of the craft.

What publishing should have been in the first place?

2011-06-01T21:35:00.001-07:00

Listening to customers. What a concept!

Via Mashable: “Kieran and his two co-founders, who are all authors and/or publishers, decided to rethink publishing in a way that shifts its focus from what might sell onto what readers have already declared they will read. Unbound, which launched on Sunday, allows authors to pitch their ideas directly to readers instead of editors. If enough readers support it — usually between 1,500 and 5,000 — the book will be published. If not, they get their money back.”

What the publisher is asking is that you, the reader, kick in some money ahead of time before they publish the book. Basically, you’re buying it on spec.

Note to authors: You have to be already published and/or have an agent. In that regard, this self-proclaimed innovative publisher is relying on the very gatekeepers it calls dinosaurs to keep the great unwashed of unpublished or self-publishers at a distance.

Can you put these into words?

2011-05-27T10:51:00.001-07:00

Check out these excellent videos about military action in Afghanistan and life on the home front from the NY Times. If you’re interested in incorporating military topics into your writing, a useful exercise would be to try turning these into written words.

Yet another book sales portal

2011-05-08T09:03:00.001-07:00

Via Technorati. One blogger’s response to publishing trends:

Instead of recreating the wheel (an Amazon clone rather late to the online book selling business), why not create a truly innovative publishing platform that will allow much more democratic access to publishing while still providing profit to the few publishers that remain standing?

Takeaway: Authors may be getting more power. What’s needed, however, are more ways to help authors market their works effectively.

Outrageous self promotion isn’t a new thing

2011-04-30T10:42:00.001-07:00

Interesting piece via Boing Boing about how writers marketed themselves back in the day. They apparently didn’t need TV and an Internet to be outrageous.

Analytics instead of grades?

2011-04-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

Via Newsalert, Khan Academy founder confident he can eventually provide analytics that indicate level of effort and learning better than the university degree can.

What is peer review

2011-04-23T16:20:00.000-07:00

When you’re writing your academic papers, you want to cite articles from peer-reviewed journals. A common question therefore is why it's important to use peer-reviewed articles.Here’s a good overview about peer review.

Examples of stylish writing

2011-04-23T14:49:00.001-07:00

Examples of rhetoric to imitate. Sit down and try to copy the examples in the book to learn how beautiful writing works. Well regarded by reviewers.

Examples of stylish writing

2011-04-23T14:48:00.000-07:00

Examples of rhetoric to imitate. Sit down and try to copy the examples in the book to learn how beautiful writing works. Well regarded by reviewers.

Free and worth reading

2011-04-23T10:51:00.001-07:00

Free and worth reading

2011-04-23T10:50:00.000-07:00

Writing in the workplace

2011-04-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

Via Boing Boing, one man’s battle for clear writing.

That was fast

2011-04-17T08:24:00.001-07:00

What’s bad for publishers may be good for authors. That’s what traditional publishers get for pushing marketing responsibilities on to authors. Now that authors are developing marketing skills, who cares what traditional publishers think?

In case you think it’s easy

2011-04-10T07:35:00.001-07:00

One person’s observations about the writing life: offering training in writing to people willing to pay for it is a racket.

You are your own marketer

2011-04-08T20:23:00.001-07:00

Some thoughts on promoting your own work and the realization you’re responsible for doing it. No one else will.

The relationship between a liberal arts education and the military mind

2011-03-29T21:56:00.001-07:00

The linked article discusses the mutually supporting relationship between the liberal arts and the warrior arts.

Main points:

“…can yield better-trained, more culturally sophisticated soldiers and officers.”
“$100,000 from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to organize forums (one next month and another in the fall) that will help liberal arts colleges collaborate with neighboring military institutions of higher education.”
“…traditional military education has erred by training most young officers chiefly in operations and tactics.”
“…exposure to the liberal arts ought not to be restricted to the elites, but also provided to lower level officers (or entry-level workers, in the more general sense) so that they can adapt to complex and even unforeseeable situations.”
“But the melding of military objectives to educational pursuits is deeply discomfiting to some in academe.”
“The true risk, said Weissman, isn’t that military imperatives will co-opt educational ones. ‘It’s the divorce and separation of the American military from democratic society,’ he said.”

Think about it:

Non-fiction writers especially have a chance to get in on the ground floor. There are a number of journals and other publications that might be interested in writing about education and the military. Stay tuned to this blog.
Fiction writers are well positioned to write thoughtful stories depicting military situations. If you check the reading lists of the armed services, you’ll see a lot of fiction recommended.

Group gives women place to fellowship, grow

2011-03-20T08:40:00.001-07:00

Protestant Women of the Chapel (PWOC) is a fixture on US military bases:

The PWOC is a chapel-based women’s ministry established in the 1950s to help chaplains carry out religious programs and to bring fellowship and spiritual growth to military installations. The organization is international and recognized by all branches of the military.

Fiction and non-fiction works for women will appeal here, and the groups can need speakers for their meetings. To work with PWOC, check with the base chaplains.

Master resilience trainers working to train assistants

2011-03-20T08:35:00.001-07:00

Resilience training in the military being provided to non-commissioned officers (NCO):

Research by the University of Pennsylvania suggests that humans have about 1,000 counter-productive or negative thoughts a day. Those numbers increase when put into fear-producing situations like preparing for a convoy outside the wire. But using evidence, optimism and perspective, Hedspeth said, those fears can be overcome.
While the 20 NCOs who completed the class join a growing number of assistants who return to their units, Comprehensive Soldier Fitness classes are being taught at the other end of the spectrum, in Basic Combat Training for new recruits. Master resilience training courses are making their way into the NCO Education System schools like the Warrior Leadership Course and the Basic NCO Course. Drill sergeants are now master resilience trainer-qualified.
Robinson wishes he could have had training like this when he was a young sergeant.
“In order for us to get any real measurement of (Comprehensive Soldier Fitness)’s effectiveness, that takes time,” he said. “The culture change may not happen in my time, but the young E-5s and E-6s who will become senior NCOs will benefit from this in the long run.”
The spotlight on resilience is another way Army leadership can show how much they care about our nation’s warriors, Robinson said. For the past nine years of war, the word “resilience” has been used in a medical context, as doctors and nurses needed to be resilient to provide effective health care. Now, resiliency is required by all Soldiers to maintain the high operational tempo.
“We needed to become concerned with prevention as opposed to treatment, and that’s what these skills are — prevention techniques,” Robinson said.
Resilience training has spread beyond the Army. The Air Force Comprehensive Airman Fitness program is thriving at McChord Field. Air Force first-line supervisors are key in helping build the Comprehensive Airman Fitness culture and according to the Air Force Professional Development Guide at airforce.mil, more “resilient” Airmen by reducing “self-defeating behaviors, feelings of hopelessness and despair ... and yield stronger, healthier, happier, more resilient Airmen and families who are better equipped to manage the rigors of 21st century military life.”

The idea of of internal conflict is a staple for writers, especially fiction writers, and can lead to some ideas for written pieces.

Idea: Govt support to veterans

2011-03-18T08:39:00.001-07:00

For those who like to write informational pieces in the Puget Sound region, here’s something about veterans programs awareness to follow up:

Many state, federal, county and local agencies, including UW Tacoma, have joined forces to increase awareness of veterans’ programs on and off campus. Participants will foster social support, acceptance and a welcoming environment, provide a setting that acknowledges the contributions of veterans, and help veterans succeed in higher education and training.

VOW Talk Radio | Internet Radio | Blog Talk Radio

2011-03-14T16:57:00.001-07:00

Via Operation We Are Here:

VOW has been created to bring awareness to situations our military men and women face during war time and after.

Strong Bonds: Single soldier parent retreat

2011-03-11T12:11:00.001-08:00

The photo gallery should spark some ideas for writing about issues facing single parents on active duty or at least provide nuggets of detail for stories.

Honored military kids step up for communities - Marine Corps News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Marine Corps Times

2011-03-11T12:07:00.001-08:00

What these Military Child of the Year awardees did may inspire ideas for writing about military families.

Conflicting new

2011-03-11T11:50:00.001-08:00

Some good news employment updates for those interested in ideas for writing about transition issues facing military people:

Thirty percent of employed veterans who served in the military since 2001 have public-sector jobs, compared with 15 percent of nonveterans.

Some not so good news:

The Labor Department is expected to release new unemployment numbers Friday for Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans ages 18-24. More than one-fifth, 21.1 percent, were reported unemployed in 2009, and veterans’ advocates say the number is expected to be just as high for 2010.

It looks like the federal government is taking up the slack from the private sector. The discrepancy could be fodder for a good short story or a non-fiction article.

Largest source of military transition assistance information and jobs for today's veterans

2011-03-10T07:53:00.001-08:00

For ideas and knowledge about what military people use when transitioning from the military world to the civilian world:

Transition Assistance Online, TAOnline.com, is the largest source of transition assistance information, jobs, and tools for today's separating military. On this career site for military veterans, service members can find the resources needed to transition from their much appreciated military service, to the perfect civilian career.

VA scopes out medical needs of female veterans - Air Force News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Air Force Times

2011-03-01T11:07:00.001-08:00

Here’s an issue writers can sink their creative and analytical teeth into: a doubling of the number of women veterans.

Main points:

Number of female veterans doubled since Vietnam and will double again in the next 5 to 10 years.
Women = 15% of active duty force and 18% of the National Guard and reserves.
1.9 million women are veterans.
Women who are veterans can be easily overlooked because of the low ratio of women to men.
Women’s health is a growing priority for the Veterans Administration.

Darpa’s 5 Radical Plans for Military Medicine | Danger Room | Wired.com

2011-03-01T10:40:00.001-08:00

Ideas for writers from advanced research in military medicine that can lead to fiction and non-fiction works. Here are the highlights:

Advanced diagnostic kits that don’t need a doctor’s eye
Advanced tissue regeneration
Blood cleansing technology
Artificial vision
Technologies to stop excessive bleeding

Dating Site Is the New Hotspot for Libyan Protest | Danger Room | Wired.com

2011-03-01T10:34:00.001-08:00

Looking for ideas on how to incorporate military related topics into your writing. The linked article describes how rebels use an Internet dating site to coordinate action. This technique might find its way into stories depicting espionage, guerilla warfare, or other plots where one opponent is weaker or smaller than the other.

Indie writer finds success with e-books - Boing Boing

2011-03-01T09:04:00.001-08:00

Via Boing Boing, one indication electronic readers will make this a golden age for writers. For publishers, agents, and editors still wedded to the traditional publishing industry, not so much.

Hand to hand

2011-02-26T22:17:00.001-08:00

If you want to spice up your stories with vivid action, check out this video. Can you turn the images into words that grab your readers?

Preparing to make the move

2011-02-24T09:44:00.001-08:00

Thanks to a student from Ms. Eva Valo’s 5th grade class at Monument Charter School for sharing this resource about moving for military families. Why should writers know about military moves? Here’s something from the website:

Military dependents are often faced with PCS (Permanent Change of Station) moves every three to six years. This means clearing the old house and financial preparing for a new one. For those that own homes this can be financial over whelming.

The term “dependents” means family members. It used to be used as the official term because family members were “dependent” on the military member of the family for benefits like shopping on the base or using the medical facility. However, its use has declined as it became obvious the word was unnecessary. After all, being a family member was the real source of being able to use the military benefits. Not to mention, “dependent” seemed to have a demeaning sound to it as more spouses of military people began holding jobs outside the home.

Writers will benefit from information like this because their works will likely depict some form of home front life, and moving is a large part of the family side of military life.

Ranger Pre-SCUBA course

2011-02-22T20:41:00.001-08:00

Video of hard military training. Can you put it into words? Youtube is a source for videos you can use to help you visualize military activities and equipment.

Some tough stuff

Book Trailers for Readers - How to make a book trailer

2011-02-20T13:50:00.001-08:00

Some tips for teachers and writers: Book Trailers for Readers - How to make a book trailer

Military smart book for writers

If you want to write…

Combat Reads

Self-Sufficient Robots

How well do you know your Army acronyms?

How ‘Grammar Girl’ Turned Her Podcast Hobby Into A Media Empire

Get your book to libraries

James Cagney welcomes a young person to the real world

Why your profs don’t want you to cite Wikipedia

Book reviews in the Wall Street Journal

Contractors now do most of the dying

CRITICS: Too Much Publicity Puts Our Special Ops Teams In Danger

TEN Laws of Predictability and ONE Reason you can Break Them ALL

Pinterest and Book Blogging: Use The Latest Social Media Craze To Your Site’s Advantage

Children’s Books Increasingly Ignore Natural World

Obama: the US can no longer fight the world's battles

Web 2.0 tools writers can use

So Why Read Anymore?

Evernote Tips For Freelance Writers

Evernote for Students: The Ultimate Research Tool

Get writing advice in your inbox

Novel Matters: Behind the Stacks - Judy Gann Explains Marketing to Libraries

Congress wants to limit open access publishing for the US government's $28B/year subsidized research

Working through Michael Novak’s Business as a Calling

Working through Michael Novak’s Business as a Calling

Tips on writing paragraphs

M.I.T. Game-Changer: Free Online Education For All - Forbes

You don't have to look far for ideas about military topics

A Just War?

INDIE BOOKSTORES ARE OVERRATED

Free Kindle book

A Military Brat Wins The Heisman

Thinking of a Master’s Degree? Think Again | Via Meadia

"Although" Versus "While"

I discovered that Fowler's Modern English Usage says it is normal and acceptable to use “while” to mean "although (2)." Fowler even called Partridge's comment “indefensible.” It's a grammar rumble!?

Close enough for hand grenades

Remember the 7th of December | to the heart of history - writer Nicole M. Miller

Did the computer really think that?

Literary greats answer high-school student's survey on "symbolism," 1963 - Boing Boing

Is It A Book, Is It A Movie...No, It's Movie-Book! - Technorati Entertainment

Military-society gap

Summer Conference Director’s Letter | Oregon Christian Writers

Seekerville: Seekerville Welcomes Senior Acquisitions Editor for Abingdon Press Fiction, Ramona Richards

Free Technology for Teachers: Read Cube - A Desktop Tool for Organizing Research

Inside The Mormon Training Program That Turns 19-Year-Olds Into Leaders

China to Cancel College Majors That Don't Pay - China Real Time Report - WSJ

Unemployed Veterans…we have a new program for you. | Facebook

Amazon E-Library Is Publishing’s Profit Model: Virginia Postrel - Bloomberg

Writers of the Cloud, Come Forth! - Page 2 - Technorati Blogging

What is a military wife?

Even the best have their moments

Marketing your work

Military sci-fi: Rome meets Generation Kill

Fake reviews for books

Mind mapping tools

Mind Mapping

Interview with Steven Pressfield

Forewarned is forearmed

To read or not to read

Write an adventure novel in several days

Push Pop Press and innovative publishing

College is supposed to be hard

First hand accounts

Story/article idea: Insect-sized drones

Story/article idea: Veterans unemployment

Story/article idea: Military roller derby

A cavalry tradition

What should writers know about military spouses?

Developments in copyright law

Related articles

Developments in copyright law

One way to write great sentences

The Profession by Steven Pressfield - Official Trailer

What publishing should have been in the first place?

Can you put these into words?

Yet another book sales portal

Outrageous self promotion isn’t a new thing

Analytics instead of grades?

What is peer review

Examples of stylish writing