AMERICA - The Right Way!! (WEEKEND EDITION: Days 875 and 876) [Remember the Trade Center!!]

Various News Sources and FReepers | June 14, 2003 | All of Us

[Chairman_December_19th_Society]

We will not tire, we will not falter, and we will not fail!

Good morning!!

Do not let the victims of the attacks on New York and Washington, nor the brave members of our Nation's military who have given their lives to protect our freedom, die in vain!!

The President is visiting family in Kennebunkport, Hitlery says there should be an investigation on Iraqi intelligence, and Rome is complaining about temperatures that will be in the low 90s.

For AMERICA - The Right Way, I remain yours in the Cause, the Chairman.

[JRandomFreeper]

What kind of indexing do you use? A human indexer? or one of the techno-parsers followed up by a real indexer? Indexing in general has really s&cked since 1990. And I read a lot of stuff where I consult the index first.

/john

[nicollo]

Don't you start enjoying your poverty, dammit! (lol!)

That article sounds fascinating. I'd love to bring it to my chemo-biologist sister who has studied the effects of chemicals on the brain. (She does NOT recommend aspartame...). I'll have to ask her about tamales.

[nicollo]

I had to do my own #**$# -ed index myself. Took me a week, 24/7. My publisher insisted on it, nay, required it in the contract. I'm glad they did. My first publisher sent out to a professional indexer, and that book suffers for it. While most of the proper nouns made it in, no concepts did, and there were some rather embarrassing typos. Once you're at index stage, galleys are all done, and the author is not allowed any other looks. That's standard MO in publishing. I suppose most publishers have gone to professional indexers since 1990, thus the deficiencies you've noticed. I don't know otherwise, but I do not doubt what you've noticed.

Doing the index myself allowed my knowledge of the text to guide it, and it also allowed for a final pass through the text. I found three more errors. I suppose if I were to look once more, I'd find another ten errors, but that precisely why publisher's have strict cut-off dates on proofs.

It was not fun doing the index, but I'm glad for it. I hope it's useful.

[JRandomFreeper]

Don't you start enjoying your poverty,

I've figured out 2 different ways to profit from it that don't cost society anything.

Certain Monkish orders were embarassed by profit from their poverty. And Lord knows that if I want a walnut liqour, I'll buy the one made by a certain order of monks. Dang, those guys have it NAILED.

Tamales by themselves are not complete, even with the meat (beef in this case) filling. Beans on the side add the required amino acids in correct proportion.

[nicollo]

I think I missed your real question on indexing, how it was done, not why. Sorry 'bout that.


I did mine by hand.

[Iowa Granny]

I am facinated by your discussion of the steps necessary to write and publish a book. I knew nothin' of this indexing process. I've learned so much from your posts.

[JRandomFreeper]

On the last thing I wrote that required an index, I used sort, uniq, wc, yakk, and lexx (unix things) to start me off. It gave me a word frequency list that I could cut off at both ends. And then I waded through the text. Finding all of the errors I missed during galley proofs.

Tip of the hat to one that wades through manuscripts. I'm no longer willing.

/john

[JRandomFreeper]

I knew nothin' of this indexing process.

And you don't want to. Anymore than you want to see sausage being made or laws being made. It's required, but very ugly. Very.

/john

[JRandomFreeper]

I did mine by hand.

Ouch. That's going to leave a mark. Are you still married? Who paid for the high-lighters?

/john

[JRandomFreeper]

On the last thing I wrote that required an index,

Pretty clear memory of something that 'didn't matter'.... eh? Grumpy old barstid.

[nicollo]

JRF, I wouldn't -- couldn't -- have written my books if I were married. I think I started my first book within a week of splitting up with my second wife...

For the index, I read each page and wrote down the names and concepts that seemed relevant. I think your ways of electronic searches would be more accurate, only I didn't have an electronic version to work from. Publishers -- mine, anyway, don't give up electronic versions of manuscripts. It's just the way they are, borne, I think, of fear of authors, a legitimate fear, I'd say.

I'm sure I missed things, but the trade-off is that I included concepts, which a computer can't touch.

IG, thanks for sharing this experience with me. I'll keep you informed about the progress of my next book, if you're willing to go on a three-year journey with me. I'm only now compiling reading lists, outlines, and notes, and I haven't offered to any publishers yet. I'll probably write half the book before I do. Most writers want a contract long before then, but I want the freedom to go my way before hitting editorial constraints. We'll see what happens, which largely depends upon how this new book is recieved.

Thanks for your encouragement!

[kayak]

I just noticed where your publisher is located .... Jefferson, NC .... a small town in the NC mountains.

Did you go there during this process? That's a truly beautiful area ..... if you haven't been, you should look for an excuse to go ..... *grins*

[JRandomFreeper]

I think your ways of electronic searches would be more accurate, only I didn't have an electronic version to work from. Publishers -- mine, anyway, don't give up electronic versions of manuscripts.

You just have to have a military mind that is ok with starting the script on a platform you own by right and title. As I have said, I'm a grumpy old barstid.

/john

[JRandomFreeper]

have written my books if I were married.

Come to think of it, I don't think I've written anything of importance since my last marriage.

/john

[nicollo]

Jefferson, NC.

I had the greatest drive there earlier this year. It was in March, thankfully between snow storms. I loved every bit of the ride. I came from Southeast, gettting there over the mountains, and, at the advice of my editor, I went home to DC straight up Skyline drive. What a magnificent drive I had! I'll never forget it. Through the NC portion of it, I had 100 miles of winding, cool mountain roads, and I ran across three cars the entire way.

I suppose the traffic is up since Winter, but I had my little paradise back in March.

[JRandomFreeper]

Time for bed.

God bless us all. Each, and every one.

/john

[nicollo]

Come to think of it, I don't think I've written anything of importance since my last marriage.

The classic view is that "womins" aren't conducive to artistic creation. Don't say you're conforming to it!

[kayak]

And what about the 'womins' who are creative themselves? .... :-)

I don't have a creative bone in my body but my daughter is extremely talented ..... she's never fulfilled her potential in any of her gifts but she is an outstanding writer (in high school she was one of 12 finalists state-wide in a creative writing contest); we were told from the time she was in pre-school that she was very gifted in art .... and her high school art teacher agreed with that assesment; and she played the piano beautifully, could play anything after just hearing it once, and had a wonderful touch.

I say all those things in the past tense because she no longer even attempts to use any of her skills, except for a little writing ...... :-(

I have always been in awe of her talents .... and told her that repeatedly ..... but she never had any self-confidence .... *sigh*

[nicollo]

And what about the 'womins' who are creative themselves? .... :-)

The theory is the same. Work or relationshopis are easy, for it must be, and one lives off it. The theory is that life distractions detract from creativity. I think it's silly, but it's a silliness with an element of truth. Blame it on "wommins," career, work, "that bastard husband of mine," or the upbcoming 10K run, it just ain't conducive to the effort needed for creativity.

90% of writing, or any art, I suppose, is effort. There's not a published book that wasn't completed. Same goes for everything else. It's all priority and effort. If your daughter applies her talents to letter writing, so be it. That's not a bad thing at all. She need not produce for the outer world to make it worthwhile.

It's the same for everyone, no matter our talents or our directions. We choose our time according to our priorities. I've done better in this regard outside of marriage. Then again, I made the two greatest creations I'll ever dream of within marriage. The problem is that those two little works of art are going on 12 & 14 now, and they're insisting upon their own canvasses.

[kayak]

The problem is that those two little works of art are going on 12 & 14 now, and they're insisting upon their own canvasses.

I hate to tell you this but with them at those ages that gets worse before it gets better ..... LOL!

You're right about daughter not needing to produce for the outside world to make it worthwhile. When one is a writer by nature, the writing will happen, whether it's ever published or not. She turns to writing in some form or another for consolation and comfort. And that is worthwhile in itself.