I’ve previously crossed swords with my frenemesis, typographer and public intellectual Matthew Butterick [http://typographyforlawyers.com/], here [http://mavengame.com/2015/09/22/new-media-is-not-a-cargo-cult/], here [http://mavengame.com/2015/09/29/does-tree-go-viral/], and here [http://mavengame.com/2016/07/31/against-fortune-cookie-writing/]. Matthew is the Moriarty to my Holmes, the

This article appeared in modified form in the Maven Game newsletter. Sign up here [http://mavengame.com]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You ever read something that just kind of rambles around endlessly without any respect for your time or level of interest? Check out Josh Bernoff’s Writing Without Bullshit: Boost Your Career

A book proposal about dirt changed the way I think about writing online…forever. Don’t you hate it when something starts that way? Well, as that girl who kissed me in high school told herself, you have to start somewhere. A few years ago, my colleague Courtney Young and

You ever have that morning at the keyboard? “Why am I doing this? Is anybody out there?” You ever not have that morning? Sure, this isn’t a problem for the popular kids with all the eyeballs. They just write and write la la la basking in the instant feedback

This article appeared in modified form in the Maven Game newsletter. Sign up here [http://mavengame.com]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Today, I’m sad to announce that I’m leaving the book business for good. Just kidding, suckers. I’m not sad. I’m excited! Last year, I sold my first screenplay.

> Discard your thirst for books, so that you won’t die in bitterness. —Marcus Aurelius, Meditations A former colleague of mine recently called me “a member of the anti-publishing brigade.” I resent this assertion. If I’m in any brigade related to the publishing industry, it’s the one

After the last Maven Game¸ on dark publishing [http://mavengame.com/2016/07/23/power-of-dark-publishing/], went out, I received an email from my foil/nemesis/mentor/guiding light, Matthew Butterick [http://practicaltypography.com/]: > It’s interesting that there are so many businesses / services / consultants that want to help self-published

> Due attention to the inside of books, and due contempt for the outside, is the proper relation between a man of sense and his books. > —Lord Chesterfield, Letters to his Son Every time I talk to a prospective client, I ask them the same question: Why a book?

This article appeared in modified form in the Maven Game newsletter. Sign up here [http://mavengame.com]. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I’m in the middle of writing a book. According to Scrivener, I’ve got 27,000 words out of a projected 36,000 on draft numero uno. Tentatively entitled The Gist,

You ever get one of those spam calls for credit card consolidation where the recorded voice says “Hello…” followed by a long pause so, just for a moment, you think it might be a real person? Similarly, newsletters incorporate some elements of personal letters like using the recipient’s first