Hmmm…..
I read some interesting things today. The first is something called The Bestseller Code. This gives me the willies. One posts an excerpt from one’s writing, and using algorithms revolving around word complexity and sentence length, said code comes up with how well your work should do as one of several categories (literary, YA, romance, SF, or thriller). Though amusing, this greatly bothers me, because if not already used, I’m sure it will be, now (though, secretly, I thought there already was something like this used at The Big 6, et al)! Sheesh. Yet another cookie cutter method of defining one’s salability.
When will this ever end?!
Now, I know this group of enterprising individuals claims to have the writer’s best interests at heart, but I cringe at anything that tries to apply math or cold, calculating ANYTHING to emotional, visceral, and blood-sweat-and-tear efforts. To me it’s far more than the mechanics of writing that makes a piece of work “best” or “worst.”
It’s “heart.”
How’s an algorithm gonna measure that?!
I’m sure someone’s working on it right now.
I don’t care how well written or poorly written something is, the piece has to have something of value in it, and I don’t see how any earthly algorithm can determine this. I’ve read poor pieces of writing as well as divine pieces of inspiration, but whatever kept me reading had to be some kind of a HOOK…something of VALUE, something of INTEREST. I’ll give up a lot (readability, error-free text, etc.) if there’s something of value somewhere.
Incidentally, I plugged in some of my words, and my range of “bestsellerness” ranged from 1.2 to 18.4 out of the perfect 20…within the same work.
Hmmm…
The other thing I read was from The Biting Edge, regarding rethinking the book reading. I thought this insightful! I always found the traditional reading, well…rather uninspired. I mean, yes, I can read a passage as well as the next guy or gal, but what I always found most interesting, was the stuff BEHIND the words. The writing. The interesting anecdotes, comments, and trials-and-tribulations of the authors themselves. Meeting and seeing the author. Interacting with them. THAT’S what I found interesting.
But, PowerPoint presentations?
Hm.
I’ve done up a fair number of those throughout my professional existence, so, sure, I can throw up a few slides and talk to them. So, okay, PowerPoint or no, I like where this is going. Bring along a friend or blurb-provider or two. Make it interesting. Engaging. Entertain with any mode desired, but get away from the dull stand-there-and-recite mode. Yes, I do like that. Maybe I could call in my brothers to provide muscle-testing (always a crowd pleaser) and a stand-up routine to warm up the crowd.
I just hope that whatever it is I’d end up talking about would be interesting enough to whatever crowd forms…hopefully one devoid of tomatoes, expletives, and crowbars….