sjw

Roger, it's not quite so finely honed as I'd like (and I think the post you're replying to there didn't make it on your wall), but I drew a line. It was all self-published, I used OpenOffice (now LibreOffice) and CreateSpace. My son created the cover with my input. I got quite a bit of feedback from a circle of friends and family as I was writing it.

Most of the ideas came to me in fragments while I was pedaling my bike, then I'd get home and jot them down. After doing that for a while the idea for the structure of the book started to take shape, but initially it was very vague to me. It started out as a laundry list with no logical order and had several false starts on trying to order them. Initially I didn't even think it was a book, but more of a shorter article or essay. Then one day I had an insight about the logic and the outline and then it was largely just placing all the little fragments in the right place, and then editing, editing, editing... until I said enough is enough.

Shayne

I think what we're seeing with Phil and OL is two kinds of vice playing off of one another. There are always important truths in what Phil likes to say, but he doesn't ever learn that those truths are of no interest to most of the members here. Also, he mixes in truth with half-truth or falsehood, which certainly doesn't help his case (which would be hopeless regardless but it's even more hopeless if it's not precisely correct).

Instead of bitching and moaning about how wrong/bad people are (which he indeed may be right about in many respects), Phil should formulate his points into a philosophical essay. He could then post it here, get criticisms, and honestly apply those to revising the essay. Obviously he'll get a lot of bullshit criticism, but some of it will be helpful. Call it the "Gorillas in the Mist" phenomenon. I use it with George all the time ;)

He has an ax to grind, and that's fine, but I say forge and grind and polish; don't just hack a crude ax out of stone, make a finely honed carbon-steel instrument.

Shayne

"To admit to the honest, shameful, embarrassing truth, I have a certain kind of what's-the-use depression+cynicism+hopelessness that tells me no one will read it, appreciate it, and I'll end up feeling even worse."

Rand gave the best reason I've heard of for writing a book: to create something you'd want to read. That is what my book on rights is. (it has imperfections that I can't afford to work on at the moment, but I don't regard them to be of fundamental significance).

It is disappointing when people you think should be interested have no interest in your work. However, this does not fundamentally detract from the value of your honest effort. And the effort itself makes you a better writer and thinker.

The only thing I would advise is the same thing many writers advise: don't count on making a lot of money. If it's not a labor of love, don't do it.

Shayne