What Happens When You Write a Book
04-03-14, 10:34 AM
#26
aka Tom Reingold
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Hey, thanks! I just got a free e-book! I look forward to reading it.
A colleague of mine has written about four books now, about our profession (system and network administration). He has become pretty famous as a result. Maybe it helps him get jobs, but he says the revenue is negligible. He says you don't write a book to make money; you write it because you have something to get off your chest. I have a lot of respect for that. I have to start writing for my professional development. I'll be blogging more now. My goal is to take stuff I post to forums and transcribe it and modify it for blogs.
A colleague of mine has written about four books now, about our profession (system and network administration). He has become pretty famous as a result. Maybe it helps him get jobs, but he says the revenue is negligible. He says you don't write a book to make money; you write it because you have something to get off your chest. I have a lot of respect for that. I have to start writing for my professional development. I'll be blogging more now. My goal is to take stuff I post to forums and transcribe it and modify it for blogs.
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
04-03-14, 11:04 AM
#27
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I have a bunch of biking friends who might greatly enjoy this work. Should I wait for the freebie period to expire? None of them are cheapskates --but some of their wives are (...see what I mean about my writing). If they do download a freebie and later want to pay because it's just the right thing to do (most of them really are like that), is there a way to go back and pay?
04-03-14, 11:10 AM
#28
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(1) It's fun to create something, whether it's a book, photo, web page, video, or a funny birthday card.
(2) It's like "show and tell," my favorite thing in elementary school.
(3) It's showing off. I hate to admit it, but part of it is: "Look how clever I am!"
04-03-14, 11:13 AM
#29
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Al, Just downloaded it and will read it while we are on our cross country trip. Which BTW starts next week!
04-03-14, 08:31 PM
#30
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Bought it last week, but got sidetracked by three days of vacation... Reading through it now - It's on my Iconia tablet, RAZR phone, desktop PC and Linux laptop. Ain't technology great? The Napinator is a great idea!
04-04-14, 03:35 AM
#31
Pedaled too far.
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Yeah, I'm on my third book now; guides to using Blender. Last chapter of the first draft is due on Monday. Then the publisher gets the hots to publish and all the updates need to be done at lightning speed.
Blender changes so fast that this third book is a second edition of the first, but for a later version of Blender. Less planning, but still lots of work, and you have to check every sentence. In the first edition, Blender made a small change, they modified the random number generator, it didn't affect the UI at all, but it did mean that I had to completely rewrite the last 1/4 of the book. At least I've had a chance to mitigate what I regard as the weakest points of the book.
And as noglider said, you need a reason for writing. One of mine for the first books was my frustration with other how to books that frequently skipped a step or referenced a control without telling me how to access it, and I would spend hours trying to figure out that one step. I wanted to get revenge by writing a book that would avoid that.
Between taxes in the U.S. and England combined, it's not even worth submitting an invoice. It has led to getting some requests to give talks though. It did get me one interview, but I lost the spot to the writer of the competing book about Blender.
Blender changes so fast that this third book is a second edition of the first, but for a later version of Blender. Less planning, but still lots of work, and you have to check every sentence. In the first edition, Blender made a small change, they modified the random number generator, it didn't affect the UI at all, but it did mean that I had to completely rewrite the last 1/4 of the book. At least I've had a chance to mitigate what I regard as the weakest points of the book.
And as noglider said, you need a reason for writing. One of mine for the first books was my frustration with other how to books that frequently skipped a step or referenced a control without telling me how to access it, and I would spend hours trying to figure out that one step. I wanted to get revenge by writing a book that would avoid that.
Between taxes in the U.S. and England combined, it's not even worth submitting an invoice. It has led to getting some requests to give talks though. It did get me one interview, but I lost the spot to the writer of the competing book about Blender.
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Last edited by Artkansas; 04-04-14 at 03:43 AM.
04-05-14, 07:07 PM
#32
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Don't have a kindle but look forward to the paperback version, hope you'll keep us appraised.
04-05-14, 07:13 PM
#33
Semper Fi
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You can use the Amazon Cloud area to download it during Al's free period, it will be there for you to read from your computer. They give you so much free space when you register to use Amazon. Right now I''m off to Amazon to get a Kindle, my first one, I gave Monica her's several years ago, my 85 Y.O. mom loves hers and our kids have the Fire Tablets, time for the curmudgeon to come into the 21st century.
Al, Monica asked me to pass on that she loves your book, she giggles constantly when she is reading it. At least I hope she is giggling at your book and not at me....
Bill
Al, Monica asked me to pass on that she loves your book, she giggles constantly when she is reading it. At least I hope she is giggling at your book and not at me....
Bill
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I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
Semper Fi, USMC, 1975-1977
I Can Do All Things Through Him, Who Gives Me Strength. Philippians 4:13
04-06-14, 03:10 PM
#34
Getting older and slower!
Got it, read it, enjoyed it.
04-06-14, 05:15 PM
#35
aka Phil Jungels
I'm reading it little pieces at a time ---- and I still laugh at almost every little session ----- a great read!
04-11-14, 09:44 AM
#36
aka Phil Jungels
[I] have a suggestion for one of your inventions, Al.
The "Remote Board!"
Since you already have a "one for all" remote on there,,,,,,,, get rid of the other ones ------ and you save on batteries and refrigerator room....
The "Remote Board!"
Since you already have a "one for all" remote on there,,,,,,,, get rid of the other ones ------ and you save on batteries and refrigerator room....
04-11-14, 05:20 PM
#37
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Great Read thanks for sharing !!!!
04-12-14, 06:35 AM
#39
aka Phil Jungels
One word describes your book,Al......... ENJOYABLE
I'm really sorry it came to an end!
I'm really sorry it came to an end!
04-12-14, 08:05 PM
#40
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I might have to provide you with a profit since I'm late to this party. Despite qualifying for this forum, I've been using electronic book readers for a dozen years. One issue, since I indirectly know the author, how do I get my copy signed?
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See my Hyperlite 411 it's the photo model on OutRiderUSA web page
See my Hyperlite 411 it's the photo model on OutRiderUSA web page
04-13-14, 08:01 AM
#41
aka Phil Jungels
Mail him your e-reader???? or accept an e-signature
04-15-14, 06:14 AM
#42
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"Enjoyable" is the proper term to describe this well written story of real life.
As one frugalitarian to another I have special appreciation for the way you handle life's little curve balls.
I highly recommend this to anyone that needs a relaxing fun read to pass the time.
Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy this sample of your life.
Pirk
As one frugalitarian to another I have special appreciation for the way you handle life's little curve balls.
I highly recommend this to anyone that needs a relaxing fun read to pass the time.
Thank you for the opportunity to enjoy this sample of your life.
Pirk
04-18-14, 11:35 PM
#43
Senior Member
A very nice read, and I rated it highly on Amazon. Thanks for the nice "slice of life", and please continue to write and publish. You never know what the future holds!
04-19-14, 07:02 PM
#46
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I am a member of a couple of professional Linked-In publishing groups. We discuss the future of publishing quite frequently. There are only five major publishing houses for books in the USA. The rest are all minor players and mostly what is known in the business as "vanity presses". Those are the ones that people pay to print limited-run editions and hope to create a bit of a stir to attract one of the five BIG publishers. It seldom works and most authors are sitting on a pile of books for years. Yes, the Kindle has changed everything.
I have been publishing e-books for a long time, though. We made Palm versions of books long before the Kindle was on the market. Amazon had the clout to actually make a real difference.
The future is electronic publishing. There is no doubt. Distribution costs are next to nothing and Al summed it up well from the author perspective.
The one advantage of print sales is the "back of the house" sales in speaking engagements. I will be doing small runs on print editions of my next book for that reason.
I have been publishing e-books for a long time, though. We made Palm versions of books long before the Kindle was on the market. Amazon had the clout to actually make a real difference.
The future is electronic publishing. There is no doubt. Distribution costs are next to nothing and Al summed it up well from the author perspective.
The one advantage of print sales is the "back of the house" sales in speaking engagements. I will be doing small runs on print editions of my next book for that reason.
Last edited by MickeyMaguire; 04-23-14 at 02:57 PM.
04-19-14, 07:18 PM
#47
Bicycle Repair Man !!!
Thanks, Guys! What a sign of the times that so many of you have reading devices. I do almost all my reading on the Kindle reader app on my Nexus 7. I like the illuminated screen (don't need a reading light), and the ability to search for a character name when I forget who he or she is.
And what a change to the publishing industry. The total cost to publish this book was, just a second, let me add it up: ZERO Dollars. I'll have the paperback version out in a few weeks, and the cost for that will be about $4 to order a proof version (it's Print On Demand, meaning that Amazon will print a book each time one is ordered).
And what a change to the publishing industry. The total cost to publish this book was, just a second, let me add it up: ZERO Dollars. I'll have the paperback version out in a few weeks, and the cost for that will be about $4 to order a proof version (it's Print On Demand, meaning that Amazon will print a book each time one is ordered).
Shared the link on my FB sites and when I update my blog will also post it there.
05-18-14, 07:08 PM
#48
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I bought an iPad to keep track of my students grades. I hadn't used it for much else. When i saw the offer of a FREE book, I thought I'd give reading on it a try.
School has been annoyingly busy lately. As a result I've mostly waded through this book in 4 minute sessions. It's story telling style made that easy and enjoyable. It has lots of micro-tales linked together.
At last the semester is winding down, and I had a chance to relax and finish it today. What fun! I almost got in trouble for trying to relate some interesting moments to my wife, who was reading her own book and didn't appreciate my interruptions. But this book has a lot of "Hey, listen to this" moments.
I really enjoyed it.
One funny thing, This is my first e-book, so I was clueless about how it worked. At the bottom of the screen it kept warning me with messages like "1 hour left." I thought maybe, because it was free, it would expire. Now that I've finished, I think it was noting how fast I read, and about how long I had until the end. I was getting worried as it counted down, thinking it would time out before I finished. Apparently not.
Anyway, thanks for the free, and enjoyable, read. Though I'm not sure free is a great business model.
School has been annoyingly busy lately. As a result I've mostly waded through this book in 4 minute sessions. It's story telling style made that easy and enjoyable. It has lots of micro-tales linked together.
At last the semester is winding down, and I had a chance to relax and finish it today. What fun! I almost got in trouble for trying to relate some interesting moments to my wife, who was reading her own book and didn't appreciate my interruptions. But this book has a lot of "Hey, listen to this" moments.
I really enjoyed it.
One funny thing, This is my first e-book, so I was clueless about how it worked. At the bottom of the screen it kept warning me with messages like "1 hour left." I thought maybe, because it was free, it would expire. Now that I've finished, I think it was noting how fast I read, and about how long I had until the end. I was getting worried as it counted down, thinking it would time out before I finished. Apparently not.
Anyway, thanks for the free, and enjoyable, read. Though I'm not sure free is a great business model.
05-18-14, 09:34 PM
#49
aka Tom Reingold
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Al, I enjoyed it a lot. It gave me laughs and chuckles and things to think about. Thank you!
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Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog
“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author
Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
05-19-14, 06:52 AM
#50
aka Phil Jungels
Wonder of wonders, Al..... my wife read it!
Her remark - "this guy sounds like you!"
And, she even read the whole thing!
Her remark - "this guy sounds like you!"
And, she even read the whole thing!