Infrequently-Asked Questions, #3

A note from John, on Facebook: "Hi Jeff. I’ve noticed that [you] are making a systematic effort to find the coolest stuff on Facebook, presumably in an attempt to achieve total consciousness.

Charles Eames' Manifesto

“Beyond the age of information is the age of choices.”

Douglas Idugboe's Social Media Manifesto

I think I just broke the first rule.

Dieter Rams' Design Manifesto

The legendary Braun designer who taught that upstart Jonathan Ive everything he knows had 10 core design principles.

Henry Miller's Writing Manifesto

Great advice from the fastidious Miller:

One Man's Relationship to the World

"I have come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element.

How e-Book Buying Decisions Are NOT Made

(or: Why Patriots won't be priced at $2.99)

'Books Born as Blogs, & Kindred Beasts'

While looking for something else entirely, I was shocked (pleasantly, but still shocked) to stumble upon The Patriots of Mars included in this Delicious collection of "examples and illustrations of uses of new media forms (such as blogs, Twitter, and so forth) in the creation of significant scholarly and popular content." Patriots looks to be in some fine company here, too!

Rent, or Own Your Audience?

For most of my life, to be an author without a publisher was preposterous, shameful, and vain.

The Geek Zodiac

(source)

Embracing Doomsday

or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Dystopia.

Why Books are Like Hamburgers

When the 'net was young – and so much smaller – a band of college students and techies hand-assembled pages of links in an attempt to map this new world.

Neil Gaiman Gives Good Interview

Neil Gaiman has a gift for turning interview questions upside down, transforming the reporter into an ally against a strawman issue.

Everyone Tries to Kill Hitler

This was a very popular meme by Desmond Warzel a few years back, but the original link's long gone. So, for the benefit of those who missed it the first time, it's reproduced here (appropriately enough) courtesy of the mighty Wayback Machine.

Characteristics of Human Relationship Patterns (video)

How people relate and share information in an increasingly-networked world.

The Key Step in Creative Writing

The one few writers are ever taught, because it's little understood and even less believed. Yet, nothing great was ever accomplished without it.

The Disconnect of Sci-fi & Fantasy

Highly-regarded sci-fi author Poul Anderson in a classic rant detailing heroic fantasy's disconnect with reality:

A Writing Manifesto

On September 7th, 1982, the quintessential Mad Man David Ogilvy sent the following internal memo to all agency employees, titled “How to Write”:

Notes on a Dying Industry

James Altucher makes some salient points re the 'morgue' of the Traditional Publishing Business. We've heard that before, but Altucher's broader focus makes this rant a bit different:

Great Book Promo Blog

Author Ben Nesvig cites Seth Godin as one of his influences, and it shows. His book promo blog is full of pithy Godin-isms, such as:

Sticky Situation

What's America's 'stickiest' social network, and (more important) why should you care?

Searching for Heroes

I recently met Kevin Domenic, a writer from New Jersey (now in St. Louis) who runs the review site Searching for Heroes. I was gratified that he expressed great interest in my work.