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Post by GM-Neal on Mar 16, 2006 12:56:57 GMT 8
I am in the Process of Writing a Book Dealing with the History & Linage of The Shaolin Temples, This as you can Imagine is a Great under taking. The Fast Information that is contained in the Shaolin Temples is Great, and some even {I am sorry to say Lost forever}. As we all know when a weapon is placed in our hands, it stops being a weapon and becomes "Us" a Extension of us, the same it is with our history in the Martial Arts, we are a Extension of the ones {Our Masters & Teachers} that have gone before us. It is up to us to not only keep this info, but to pass it on to the ones that will go on after us. What we are Living will one day be History, for our students, and all that seek the Vast Knowledge of The Martial Arts. I would except any Help, Info that you could give me too aid in the Book Writing. Lets all get this done before the Knowledge gets Lost for ever like some of the Temple Info was Lost by the Burnings of the them.
Thanks For your Time, In reading This.
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Post by Colin Wee on Mar 16, 2006 13:27:50 GMT 8
GM Neal,
I just sent you a book proposal I used when submitting my manuscrip to a few publishers. As you can see it covers an extensive range of information. If I had to start a major project from scratch, I would try to write that proposal first. Or at least envision how it should be written and include possible alternatives.
Why I say possible alternatives is sometimes a project takes a life of its own. You start with something but as you interact with people, the information, history, etc. Your project may take on a larger scope, or you will grow in the process. This is something that occured to me, and therefore I decided to stop the entire process while pursuing publishers and return to the start ... researching and collecting my thoughts on the subject. Of course one could be laser focused, churn out a book and be done with it. BUt where's the fun in that?
I myself adhere to the thought that history is not a story of what has gone before, but is a precursor to what will again occur. I think this is how the History Channel positions stories - they make it accessible to viewers now in order for them to understand the importance ... and excitement of what they're watching. I shudder to think how it would be if a user had to study lists that chronicled historical events.
Big tips in writing a book: 1. The book is a job. If you're at your job you must do tasks on a regular basis - like 8-5, M-F. So when you approach your book, you've got to write on a frequent enough basis. At least an hour a day. No less! 2. Keep a journal. Everything goes in the journal. Just like writing, you enter info in your journal on a daily basis. If you can't come up with stuff, you comment on stuff you've written! 3. If you want to have one page of readable text, you write at least 2 pages! Or more!!!! Writing is not writing, writing is re-writing! Writing is editing! 4. Photos. Photos. Photos. Visually it helps the author. Also like writing 2 pages to produce one readable one, pictures tend to censure themselves. You always don't have enough photos!
With my TMAC hat on, I'd implore you to make the book accessible to the reader! This is good advice irrespective.
:-)
Colin
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Post by GM-Neal on Mar 16, 2006 17:16:25 GMT 8
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