Would You Like To Be An Editor?
I am writing a book about communication and the way in which new media has changed delivery and consumption of information.
It seems that there may be some value in the stuff I am writing about and (probably because I am going to ramble on anyway), I have been recommended by numerous people to write ‘a book’.
In an attempt to avoid a common mistake as we see when new businesses start up just because their friends tell them their idea rocks, I have listened and asked many people throughout this year about the potential demand for such a publication. Indeed, why have a publication at all? Surely this blog is sufficient.
Well – despite my love of a paperless office, it appears a physical product (containing this ‘Communication Ideal’ stuff) may have some value.
My mission in life is to have a positive effect in communication.
If this publication has any positive effect at all, it would make the hundreds of hours I have spent scribbling and the thousands of hours listening and learning to the public, peers, colleagues and mentors, all worthwhile.
What I (and any future readers of the scribbles) need is someone of your expertise to be able to point out any glaring points of nonsense and unnecessary rhetoric (my ability for which is arguably proven in this post alone) so they can be removed. Better still – but entirely optionally – any additions that you feel you would like to add.
Armed with the introductions of each chapter and some editors of integrity, I will approach some ‘warm’ publishers I have been singled out. There will be no editing required until a publisher is eager to proceed (unless of course the writing is so bad nobody will touch it until there has been intervention).
What’s in it for you?
Well, aside from the numerous name-checks and free publicity for your personal brand equity (!), I would like to offer you my services to use.
The ‘menu’ you can choose from is:
- Columnist/content provider on your site/blog/publication
- Workshop co-ordinator at an event of your choice
- An amount of consultancy, free of charge
- Event speaker at a conference/internal gathering
- Links and in-depth review of your site/product/service/software
Now obviously not all of these are of value (depending on your point of view) but hopefully one is and its entirely up to you what you choose!
Book details
The question of course is “How many words do you need to make a book?”
And as a wise man once answered, “As many as you need and not one more.”
Looking at the stats:
1. Malcolm Gladwell’s Book, Blink is a 70,731-word message.
2. Steve Farber’s Radical Leap tells the story in 33,825 words.
3. Seth Godin uses 30,655 words to describe a Purple Cow.
4. Stephen Covey needed 100,519 words to explain The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
5. It took David Allen 76,858 words to write his way of Getting Things Done.
6. Race Through the Forest, a fable, by Timothy Johnson needed only 18,508 words.
7. Writing White Papers by Michael A. Stelzner required only 38,664 words to do what was necessary.
8. Beyond Code by Rajesh Setty is about 30,000 words.
9. Robert Scoble and Shel Israel spent 78,994 words in Naked Conversations.
In my book, there are 9 chapters, each is around 3,000 words in length. But hey, quantity does not equal quality. That’s where you (hopefully) come in 
The sections are:
1. Advertising Is Dead, Long Live Advertising
- Emergence of useful information, brilliant content and the re-definition of the term
2. It’s Time For A Re-think
- Sociological impact and consideration of personal brand communication
3. The Abolition Of Toleration
- When ‘putting up’ with irrelevance is no longer enough
4. Perception = Reality
- How a brand is translated from the boardroom to the community
5. The Advocacy Dial
- Power of recommendation and peer influence
6. The Rules Of Engagement
- How, why and when people engage emotionally with products and services
7. The Vaporframe
- Intrinsic links between the products and services individuals use, buy and advocate
8. Disruption quietly grows
- The rules of having no rules
9. The Communication Ideal
- Convergence of engagement methodology and its impact on the future
Once I have collected the editors (if any), and have secured some form of interest from a publisher, I will create an editors ‘lounge’ where you will be able to log in and edit documents as and when you desire.
You can email me at jonathanmacdonald dot com between now and the end of July 2008 – remember, you need do no more than show intent at this stage.
Thanks for your consideration
