Bad Writing Advice

I receive (as I suspect Curly does) a number of writing-related e-newsletters. I appreciate the resources they offer in terms of markets and manuscript calls. Sometimes, I appreciate the articles as well.

Unfortunately, more often than seems reasonable, I find articles--articles that are supposedly meant to instruct and advise writers on how to go about various aspects of writing and publishing--filled with bad advice.

Such an article arrived in my e-mailbox a few days ago. Its premise: that "reviews are one of the best and quickest ways to gain visibility, expand my portfolio, and make money from writing, for the least amount of time and effort."

Huh? I'll acknowledge that reviews can help gain visibility and expand one's portfolio. Definitely. But the process is rarely "quick." And in my experience, not to mention that of others I know (want to chime in here, Curly?), reviewing is by no means among "the best and quickest ways" to make money from writing, especially considering the amount of time and effort required!

For the amount of time and effort I put into to identifying review possibilities, requesting review copies, reading and then re-reading the book (I'm primarily a book reviewer rather than someone who reviews restaurants, videos, or music), and THEN writing the review AND reviewing the galley when it's sent back to me, the job is about as far from "quick and easy"--or lucrative--as one can imagine.

Maybe the article's author is just a much faster reader than I am. Maybe she's simply not as much of a perfectionist, and can complete the selection, evaluation, and writing up of a product for review in, as she suggests, a mere two hours or so. Maybe for her, reviews really "are not labor intensive." But that's certainly not my review style or experience, and again, it does not correspond with what I know to be the style or experience of many other reviewers.

I worry not only that this kind of "advice" is misleading (at one point, the article also implies that writers can easily place reviews of used books--again, huh?), but that it will prove harmful. Because I worry that sloppy advice will lead to sloppy writing.

And I'm peeved when such "advice" gets promulgated (not to mention paid for!).

--Prunella

The Happy Face of Apostrophes

Anyone who knows me knows that I have a slight obsession with apostrophes. I've posted about them here before, but in my opinion, you can never have enough posts about apostrophes!

Recently, I was at a bus station in the center of the city where I live. I noticed a new sign advertising a route with frequent trips to the local university. The sign featured a big happy face and this happy face was wearing a mortarboard. Our supposedly-educated happy face was directly under large words that read: "Departure's to the university." Yes, of course, it should have read: "Departures to the university." So much for education!

Personally, I feel that the happy face should have its diploma taken away from it and that it should be blushing in shame, not smiling like an idiot!

--Curly

Primo Peeve: Plagiarism

As Curly knows, plagiarism is one of my chief peeves. I am really, really, really ticked off by people who appropriate others' research and writing without any attribution whatsoever. What peeves me more is that we actually need rants like this one (which I originally found on the JournalismJobs.com Web site) to draw attention to the problem.

--Prunella

Table for One

I have never been the kind of person who minds going out to eat by myself. Sometimes, I rather enjoy it. What I don't enjoy, however, is the treatment that lone eaters can get from some restaurants or servers. They can act like people who are alone aren't worthy of a good table or of good service, or they can even seem to pity us.

Last night, I went out to eat at a restaurant and was told that there are no tables for one person. All single eaters have to eat at the bar. There were, I noticed, plenty of free tables for two people, but I suppose the restaurant thought it was a waste to give those tables to people who were alone.

Ah, well, I thought, I'll eat at the bar. The menu was the same, after all. Well, the service at the bar was awful. I had to practically beg to get the menu, and when I asked to order, the man behind the bar looked at me and said, "What is it you want?" And then, of course, there is the fact that bar stools are not exactly comfortable to sit on and that there is no support for one's back.

When I left, I noticed that those tables for two were still free, and that there were soft chairs set up at them. Why would it have been so awful for this restaurant to let me and the other lone eaters enjoy the comforts of an actual table? I was a paying customer, so why did it matter if I was alone?

--Curly

Is Prunella M.I.A.?

No, I haven't gone fishing, but none of my peeves are publishable right now. I'm essentially ticked off most frequently and profoundly these days by the words and actions of someone in my personal life, and while it might well be cathartic to post here about the situation, I know that that's not a good idea. Trust me, it won't be long before I find something rantworthy in writing, publishing, etc. to get myself back on the blogging track!

--Prunella

Inspired by Janus: Two Faces of Friendship

I may sound naive, but I don't quite understand why some people act one way towards their friends (or even partners or relatives) at one point and then another way later. I wish there were more honesty and/or that people didn't pretend quite so much.

Recently, I was out with someone. I happened to mention something (it wasn't a big deal, really, but still...) and she showed a lot of understanding for it. Not an hour later, we met up with other people and suddenly she brought up the issue again and mocked me for it, making me look bad. It wasn't the first time she did this, and it certainly wasn't the first time in my life I experienced such an event, but it was nevertheless hurtful and disappointing.

Sometimes I wonder: what is with people?

--Curly

The List of Don'ts for Sharing an Office

For those who share an office with others, it seems to me that people should follow common sense and try not to disturb their office-mates. This means: don't talk on the phone a lot, don't have other people over for social visits (or, if you do, go into the hallway or some other public space), don't play noisy games on your computer, don't use your cell phone to text people so that each letter you press becomes a chirping beep, don't use Skype to have long discussions with your relatives or friends in other countries, don't eat smelly food, and don't expect your office-mates to chat with you whenever you need a break or feel like having some conversation.

Doesn't all this seem obvious? Well, in my office, it apparently isn't. 'Nuff said about that.

--Curly