« Publishing Spotted: First Times and First Paragraphs | Main | How To Tell a Superhero Story »

Jul21
If You Can't Beat 'Em, Write Like 'Em

GamesmanshipAre you tired of self-help books and power of positive thinking schemes that clutter the publishing scene? If you can't beat 'em, write like 'em.

The Wall Street Journal has a whole article about the fine art of fake self-help books. It just ran an essay about Stephen Potter, the author of a surreal set of phony self-help manuals that are still funny fifty years later. Check it out:

"The tone of Potter's books combines the amiability of P.G. Wodehouse with the humorous malice of Evelyn Waugh. Behind them is the Hobbesian presupposition that man lives in a natural state of war. Well, perhaps not all men -- only those of us who are not dazzlingly handsome, impressively athletic, widely learned and deeply cultured, always at ease in the world."

If you want to read more about the fine art of fake self-help, our special guest Ed Park had lots to say on the subject. Check out his interview, How To Write Books-Inside-of-Book to find out how he dreamed up an entire library of imaginary business books in his novel, Personal Days.

Thanks to for the link.

 


0 Comments/Trackbacks




submit a trackback

TrackBack URL for this entry:

post a comment

Name, Email Address, and URL are not required fields.





Comment Preview

« Publishing Spotted: First Times and First Paragraphs | Main | How To Tell a Superhero Story »

Advertise

Related Resources

recent comments

    sponsored ads



    topics

    subscribe


    Prefer Email?
    Subscribe below-

    Enter your Email:


    Powered by FeedBlitz What's this?

    Current News

    Support This Blog

    blogroll


    My site was nominated for Best Education Blog!

    business social media

    Use these fast growing business social media sites to promote your business, feature your products, spotlight your business leaders, create links, and drive traffic back to your company site, all for free!

    BIZZlogos - Add your logo - free link to your site
    BIZZphotos - Add photos of your products and people
    BIZZprofiles - Submit your profile and build your online visibility
    BIZZspotlight - Spotlight your business with free links
    BIZZvideos - Videos about businesses, products and business people.
    BIZZbites - "Digg" for Business - Submit your articles and posts

    Know More Media - Writing / Speaking

    know more media network

    View Network Map

    Network Feed List (OPML)

    Know More Media Network
    Feed


    we support unitus

    PRWeb

    Influencer



    ThePublishingSpot is a member of the Know More Media network of business related blogs.

    Here are some current headlines from some of our business publications:

    ProductivityGoal

    CallCenterScript

    AdHurl

    TheBizofKnowledge

    LandingTheDeal

    CustomersAreAlways

    HealthCareVox

    BrainBasedBusiness

    TheInsurancePolicy

    MarketingBlurb