Friday, October 22, 2010

My lessons learned


I've been very busy the last days - hence my absence from my virtual desk - polishing my last version of the book on communications I am going to publish (hope) soon. This was the third editing and, I dare to say, I would need probably at least one more final lecture. Most probably, it will not be possible, as the very generous edition house that accepted to publish my 400 pages booklet is already having enough of my neverending work. Taking into account this aspect, I tried to do my possible best to send a final and perfect copy.Here are a couple of my lessons learned, to be taken into account for my future writing plans (which are, quite a lot and I am full enthusted about the perspective of being back in my world of words, research and ideas):

- Make as many corrections as possible. Polish and re polish the words and the sentences for a final copy more than perfect. By offering to your readers a correct and clear and interesting book is sharing the best of you. Be exigent and don't hesitate to change as much as possible. It will take longer until your book will be find in the libraries, but it is better to give a good impression. Consider every book as the most important book in your life.
- Keep a diary of your progress and write down useful observations about your writing, the style, the grammar and the management of the writing process.
- There are many advantages and disadvantages of doing the editing process on your own. On one hand, you are in control of your ideas and words and nobody else but you will operate the changes, without the perspective of misunderstanding your words and ideas. On the other hand, the supervision made by a complete stranger will help in gathering the observations you might expect from the part of one of the readers. In many situations, we are so much trapped into self-admiring exercises that our guards are down and we are more tempted to be severe enough for making all the interventions required.
- You must have a unitary style of design of your works: the same writing style, the space between paragraphs, the bold inter-titles. 
- Avoid using too many expressions encountered in the verbal discourse: As we already said, for instance is a polite reminder to your readers of previous ideas. In writing, it is artificial and boring.
- Don't start sentences with verbs. Even your book is a technical and advices-oriented book, too many verbs turn the lecture into a very pedagogical and dense experience, but without keeping a high level of style and clarity. 
- Don't try to write as you think. To be precise: stop your waves of thoughts by logical and clear sentences. Your reader - and almost anybody - will be able to enter your mind. You are the writer able to share and translate your thoughts and experiences to unknown and impersonal audiences. 
The biggest success of my week: I am finally ready with my booklet - I've worked to for almost two years. Time to reorganize my other plans and start the new writing journeys. More enthusiastic than ever!

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