John David's Blog: Life--Observed and Reported, page 2
November 28, 2012
Writing to the Sequel
Must everything we create be a series, a collection, merely a part of a body of work?
Can nothing simply stand proudly on its own?
A single, epic, awesome work, with a beginning, a middle, and most importantly, an END?
I definitely understand the need that the starving artist/author has to develop an audience, a body of believers, thirsty for every word they produce, like pilgrims three days lost in the desert.
But must this awful perspective corrupt and infect everything we do?
Believe me, I too have been both a victim and a perpetrator of this mindset, as I was sold on this idea as a methodology of achieving "success" as a writer.
But at what price?
No longer can we as artists simply do art, we must now build a legacy, constructing a house of cards with every work, offering our readers that first taste, but at the price of infecting them with the virus of repeatability.
There is no "formula" for art.
No "prescription" for success as a writer.
If you have talent, desire, skill, and a grand idea, you still will most likely fail to develop a great audience, at least while you yet live. History is littered with the bones of those "failed" writers who achieved "success" only years or decades after their "physical" death.
But this is the peculiar "gift" of our brand of art. It lives on, purposefully so, ages after we ourselves are not even memories.
So, I urge each and every one of you, readers and writers alike, to help us break these rusty chains that bind us to the "next" work in a series, the one that may never even be.
To focus only on that single work which is at hand, to craft it, carve it, even to bludgeon it into perfect existence if we must.
But please, please do not tell me that your work is "Book One" or "Part One" or any other fragment of a greater work. Make it the solo masterpiece that it deserves to be, that you are capable of, in and of itself, nothing more.
I and your audience will love you for it.
Can nothing simply stand proudly on its own?
A single, epic, awesome work, with a beginning, a middle, and most importantly, an END?
I definitely understand the need that the starving artist/author has to develop an audience, a body of believers, thirsty for every word they produce, like pilgrims three days lost in the desert.
But must this awful perspective corrupt and infect everything we do?
Believe me, I too have been both a victim and a perpetrator of this mindset, as I was sold on this idea as a methodology of achieving "success" as a writer.
But at what price?
No longer can we as artists simply do art, we must now build a legacy, constructing a house of cards with every work, offering our readers that first taste, but at the price of infecting them with the virus of repeatability.
There is no "formula" for art.
No "prescription" for success as a writer.
If you have talent, desire, skill, and a grand idea, you still will most likely fail to develop a great audience, at least while you yet live. History is littered with the bones of those "failed" writers who achieved "success" only years or decades after their "physical" death.
But this is the peculiar "gift" of our brand of art. It lives on, purposefully so, ages after we ourselves are not even memories.
So, I urge each and every one of you, readers and writers alike, to help us break these rusty chains that bind us to the "next" work in a series, the one that may never even be.
To focus only on that single work which is at hand, to craft it, carve it, even to bludgeon it into perfect existence if we must.
But please, please do not tell me that your work is "Book One" or "Part One" or any other fragment of a greater work. Make it the solo masterpiece that it deserves to be, that you are capable of, in and of itself, nothing more.
I and your audience will love you for it.
November 9, 2012
Congress - Our Love/Hate Relationship
There is so much anger in our great Nation over the so-called "leaders" who infest our government.
Everyone complains, but no one ACTS. The solution is SIMPLE.
Are we afraid?
Too lazy?
Or do we simply like to complain more than we like to do anything?
Read these two SHORT essays on your lunch break TODAY.
They are free for the Kindle and all ereader devices at the links below:
www.amazon.com/Essays-99%25-Auction-C...
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Essays...
http://www.lulu.com/shop/john-david/e...
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/essa...
Post your opinion here, about my work and about our "leaders."
If you are not willing to ACT, then please, stop complaining about something that is, after all, YOUR fault.
Are you mad at me now? Good.
The failure to act is at least as heinous of a crime as wrong action itself. There is no more time for inaction.
-John David
Essays for the 99%
Everyone complains, but no one ACTS. The solution is SIMPLE.
Are we afraid?
Too lazy?
Or do we simply like to complain more than we like to do anything?
Read these two SHORT essays on your lunch break TODAY.
They are free for the Kindle and all ereader devices at the links below:
www.amazon.com/Essays-99%25-Auction-C...
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/Essays...
http://www.lulu.com/shop/john-david/e...
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/essa...
Post your opinion here, about my work and about our "leaders."
If you are not willing to ACT, then please, stop complaining about something that is, after all, YOUR fault.
Are you mad at me now? Good.
The failure to act is at least as heinous of a crime as wrong action itself. There is no more time for inaction.
-John David
Essays for the 99%
November 1, 2012
Why You Aren't Selling
This post is my response to the original thread of the same name, by the esteemed author Russell Blake, where he has graciously shared his experience and knowledge with other self publishers.
I agree with you regarding the "visibility" of a work being the key.
How to obtain that visibility is the question.
I read your posts with great interest. They are always cogent and persuasive. We share many of the same belief systems, but I would respect your opinion even if we did not.
There is no sure-fire methodology by which a writer magically transforms into a "successful" writer, and, like you, I believe there is as much luck in that metamorphosis as there is skill, or even marketing.
I have heard it said here that one should spend fours marketing for every one hour spent writing, and besides agreeing with that, I will add the following:
For newbie authors, contemplating the release of your first work. Calculate the number of hours you spent writing, proofing, editing, and polishing the work. Make sure that you are releasing the finished product, and not a draft.
Take that number and multiply it by four. This is the total number of hours that you should spend promoting your book BEFORE you push the "publish" button for the first time. This time would include preparing/formatting the book for paperback, Kindle, Nook, ePUB, and even audiobook as well, so that all versions can be released simultaneously.
The one author that I know and have worked with who went on to make the NYT list followed that strategy. She tied her work in very nicely to pop culture, and made sure that she had huge social network visibility, garnering over thirty reviews within ONE WEEK of release.
Contrast this with my first title, which now stands proudly with seven reviews (after the removal of several, of course).
My first work was my baby, and it still is, but I rushed into publishing it out of sheer exuberance and joy at the opportunity to do so. This was a mistake.
Two years later, at least four revisions later, for both Kindle/ePUB and print versions, the book is now where it should be, and should have been, two years ago, BEFORE I released it.
In my defense, it is a non-fiction work, extremely relevant to MILLIONS of Americans, and I thought it would soar like an eagle simply because of the information it contained.
It did not.
The bright light for me is that I was recently contacted by a reporter for the #5 fastest-growing media company in the US. She asked if she could interview me for a series of articles that will be released soon, probably around the New Year.
IF the articles are positive, my sales of this title could potentially hit 4 digits monthly, or more, even if only a fraction of the millions of readers convert to buyers.
My point is simply this:
Now that I am on the brink of "instant" success, (after two years of polishing and promoting) would I or my work have been ready for this two years ago?
NO. The work would have been met with a resounding "MEH" from all, and universally panned, despite the value of its content. It would have died, stillborn, and never had a chance to live. At least now, it MAY become what it was intended to be. Chance and fate have given me the opportunity that I almost lost through impatience and willfulness.
For that I am grateful.
I apologize for taking this lengthy path to bring you to my conclusion, which is simply this:
Avoid complacency at all costs. Take the VERY long view towards your career as a writer. It is very possible (and likely) that you will fail in the BUSINESS of writing, even if you have succeeded at the ART of it.
You will certainly fail if you do not respond immediately to market forces, if you do not evolve rapidly, if you do not produce work that is AT LEAST as good as those authors you seek to exceed and emulate.
To stand out in this business, your work must be BETTER than what the Trads release, better written, better edited, better promoted, because it WILL be scrutinized much more carefully. Every flaw will be magnified, every opportunity to criticize exploited, both by those within the industry, and by the very readers you seek to reach.
Never miss an opportunity to promote, to perfect, to proceed. Always network, contribute, review, share, be a part of the community.
Like the shark, we must swim . . .
or die.
I agree with you regarding the "visibility" of a work being the key.
How to obtain that visibility is the question.
I read your posts with great interest. They are always cogent and persuasive. We share many of the same belief systems, but I would respect your opinion even if we did not.
There is no sure-fire methodology by which a writer magically transforms into a "successful" writer, and, like you, I believe there is as much luck in that metamorphosis as there is skill, or even marketing.
I have heard it said here that one should spend fours marketing for every one hour spent writing, and besides agreeing with that, I will add the following:
For newbie authors, contemplating the release of your first work. Calculate the number of hours you spent writing, proofing, editing, and polishing the work. Make sure that you are releasing the finished product, and not a draft.
Take that number and multiply it by four. This is the total number of hours that you should spend promoting your book BEFORE you push the "publish" button for the first time. This time would include preparing/formatting the book for paperback, Kindle, Nook, ePUB, and even audiobook as well, so that all versions can be released simultaneously.
The one author that I know and have worked with who went on to make the NYT list followed that strategy. She tied her work in very nicely to pop culture, and made sure that she had huge social network visibility, garnering over thirty reviews within ONE WEEK of release.
Contrast this with my first title, which now stands proudly with seven reviews (after the removal of several, of course).
My first work was my baby, and it still is, but I rushed into publishing it out of sheer exuberance and joy at the opportunity to do so. This was a mistake.
Two years later, at least four revisions later, for both Kindle/ePUB and print versions, the book is now where it should be, and should have been, two years ago, BEFORE I released it.
In my defense, it is a non-fiction work, extremely relevant to MILLIONS of Americans, and I thought it would soar like an eagle simply because of the information it contained.
It did not.
The bright light for me is that I was recently contacted by a reporter for the #5 fastest-growing media company in the US. She asked if she could interview me for a series of articles that will be released soon, probably around the New Year.
IF the articles are positive, my sales of this title could potentially hit 4 digits monthly, or more, even if only a fraction of the millions of readers convert to buyers.
My point is simply this:
Now that I am on the brink of "instant" success, (after two years of polishing and promoting) would I or my work have been ready for this two years ago?
NO. The work would have been met with a resounding "MEH" from all, and universally panned, despite the value of its content. It would have died, stillborn, and never had a chance to live. At least now, it MAY become what it was intended to be. Chance and fate have given me the opportunity that I almost lost through impatience and willfulness.
For that I am grateful.
I apologize for taking this lengthy path to bring you to my conclusion, which is simply this:
Avoid complacency at all costs. Take the VERY long view towards your career as a writer. It is very possible (and likely) that you will fail in the BUSINESS of writing, even if you have succeeded at the ART of it.
You will certainly fail if you do not respond immediately to market forces, if you do not evolve rapidly, if you do not produce work that is AT LEAST as good as those authors you seek to exceed and emulate.
To stand out in this business, your work must be BETTER than what the Trads release, better written, better edited, better promoted, because it WILL be scrutinized much more carefully. Every flaw will be magnified, every opportunity to criticize exploited, both by those within the industry, and by the very readers you seek to reach.
Never miss an opportunity to promote, to perfect, to proceed. Always network, contribute, review, share, be a part of the community.
Like the shark, we must swim . . .
or die.
September 1, 2012
The Business of Self-Publishing
To pay, or not to pay for publishing services, that is the question.
From my own experience . . .
Few to no sales without a "professionally designed" cover.
A few more sales once professional covers are in place.
HOWEVER:
I highly recommend that self-publishers learn how to do their own cover art and design, if only for the simple economics of the equation. Paying for a cover may simply not make sense.
My series of children's bedtime stories, for example. I paid $50 each ( X 3) to have good covers produced for the trilogy. The titles sell for $1.49-$1.99, depending on the platform.
The math on this (at a 35% royalty) means that I needed about 150 sales of EACH title just to break even on the cover investment, or about 450 sales for the series.
Fortunately, the Purrennium Trilogy has become rather popular, especially in English-speaking countries outside the U.S. (go figure) and I reached the "break even" point long ago.
Self-publishing is a business, first and foremost. Writers need to remember that. Will your title sell if you spend a bunch of money on it?
Maybe.
Will it sell if you do not?
Maybe.
The key is knowing when to spend and when to save. In my example, I should have produced my own covers, and used the money elsewhere, on my other, more "profitable" work. Fortunately for me, I am quite capable as an editor and proofreader, even for my own work, so I do not spend anything there.
On that note, I am also a professional narrator. Part of that process is "auditioning" for the work. Here's a tip for any aspiring narrators:
DON'T send a note to a Pulitzer prize winning writer offering to correct the terrible editing/proofreading in their audition script.
Should there be a comma pause after "military?" . . . for the military, of wealth and grace . . . Should the "99s of Biloxi" be continued as plural? (99 degrees, 99 percent humidity) Should it read "$50 OR less," rather than "OF less?"
(My suggested corrections are included in the above quote).
The lesson here? Apparently Mr. Prize Winner paid SOMEONE or several someones to "edit" his work. Was it money well spent? Well, if results are any measure . . .
Nope. The moral is, paying for something does not guarantee quality or performance. NOBODY is as invested in YOUR work as YOU are. If you are going to self-publish, learn the business, ALL of it.
Discover and use every FREE resource that you can. Swap proofreads with other writers, editing for cover design, formatting for . . . whatever.
I cannot count the number of times I have been told about the "hundreds" of dollars some aspiring writer paid to have their terrible work "edited." Don't pay any editor who does not guarantee their work. Don't pay before reviewing it. Don't pay if you are not happy.
Ultimately, it is your name on the cover. Your name that will be remembered for shoddy or great work.
Like I always tell my daughter . . .
When you finish a job . . . walk away proud.
If you do, people will notice.
If you don't, they will notice that, too.
From my own experience . . .
Few to no sales without a "professionally designed" cover.
A few more sales once professional covers are in place.
HOWEVER:
I highly recommend that self-publishers learn how to do their own cover art and design, if only for the simple economics of the equation. Paying for a cover may simply not make sense.
My series of children's bedtime stories, for example. I paid $50 each ( X 3) to have good covers produced for the trilogy. The titles sell for $1.49-$1.99, depending on the platform.
The math on this (at a 35% royalty) means that I needed about 150 sales of EACH title just to break even on the cover investment, or about 450 sales for the series.
Fortunately, the Purrennium Trilogy has become rather popular, especially in English-speaking countries outside the U.S. (go figure) and I reached the "break even" point long ago.
Self-publishing is a business, first and foremost. Writers need to remember that. Will your title sell if you spend a bunch of money on it?
Maybe.
Will it sell if you do not?
Maybe.
The key is knowing when to spend and when to save. In my example, I should have produced my own covers, and used the money elsewhere, on my other, more "profitable" work. Fortunately for me, I am quite capable as an editor and proofreader, even for my own work, so I do not spend anything there.
On that note, I am also a professional narrator. Part of that process is "auditioning" for the work. Here's a tip for any aspiring narrators:
DON'T send a note to a Pulitzer prize winning writer offering to correct the terrible editing/proofreading in their audition script.
Should there be a comma pause after "military?" . . . for the military, of wealth and grace . . . Should the "99s of Biloxi" be continued as plural? (99 degrees, 99 percent humidity) Should it read "$50 OR less," rather than "OF less?"
(My suggested corrections are included in the above quote).
The lesson here? Apparently Mr. Prize Winner paid SOMEONE or several someones to "edit" his work. Was it money well spent? Well, if results are any measure . . .
Nope. The moral is, paying for something does not guarantee quality or performance. NOBODY is as invested in YOUR work as YOU are. If you are going to self-publish, learn the business, ALL of it.
Discover and use every FREE resource that you can. Swap proofreads with other writers, editing for cover design, formatting for . . . whatever.
I cannot count the number of times I have been told about the "hundreds" of dollars some aspiring writer paid to have their terrible work "edited." Don't pay any editor who does not guarantee their work. Don't pay before reviewing it. Don't pay if you are not happy.
Ultimately, it is your name on the cover. Your name that will be remembered for shoddy or great work.
Like I always tell my daughter . . .
When you finish a job . . . walk away proud.
If you do, people will notice.
If you don't, they will notice that, too.
July 26, 2012
More of the Same
Millionaire "A" has purchased the nomination as the "tails" candidate for the presidential election of 2012.
Soon, the voters of this once greater Nation will flip a coin yet again, and "elect" another nickel or dime to "lead" us.
It breaks my heart to even be writing these words, it pains me to speak them.
Besides my other faults, I have been called "one of the biggest dreamers" in the country today.
Is that such a bad thing? Is it wrong to dream, to hope, to pray for a better future for my brothers and sisters, the 99% of this nation?
Will I live to see real reform? Is there no hope for us, the heart, the soul, the backbone of OUR country?
Or are we really just "tenants" here, serfs and servants of our masters, who by virtue of the accident of birth and "fortune," are now the "owners" of our nation?
My friends, it's not too late. There is yet a chance for us. We can take back what is ours--it is within our grasp. We have only to reach out and take it.
You do not HAVE to vote for heads OR tails.
Why would you want to? What have either of these two failed parties actually done for you, for your family, your friends?
Anything?
Or nothing?
In November, please don't vote for "nothing" again.
Vote FOR something.
www.amazon.com/Essays-99%25-Auction-C...
Soon, the voters of this once greater Nation will flip a coin yet again, and "elect" another nickel or dime to "lead" us.
It breaks my heart to even be writing these words, it pains me to speak them.
Besides my other faults, I have been called "one of the biggest dreamers" in the country today.
Is that such a bad thing? Is it wrong to dream, to hope, to pray for a better future for my brothers and sisters, the 99% of this nation?
Will I live to see real reform? Is there no hope for us, the heart, the soul, the backbone of OUR country?
Or are we really just "tenants" here, serfs and servants of our masters, who by virtue of the accident of birth and "fortune," are now the "owners" of our nation?
My friends, it's not too late. There is yet a chance for us. We can take back what is ours--it is within our grasp. We have only to reach out and take it.
You do not HAVE to vote for heads OR tails.
Why would you want to? What have either of these two failed parties actually done for you, for your family, your friends?
Anything?
Or nothing?
In November, please don't vote for "nothing" again.
Vote FOR something.
www.amazon.com/Essays-99%25-Auction-C...
July 24, 2012
Patriotism in American Politics
I have proposed that our leaders should be Patriots, first and foremost, regardless of party affiliation. That they should love their country and their people more than they love money. This does not seem "un-American" to me.
To the contrary.
While the current owners of our political system might disagree with me, the vast majority of the people of this great nation would not.
Who among you believes that political offices should be bought and sold to the highest bidder?
Who among you has faith that sheer wealth alone (and the ability to acquire it) somehow magically endows a person with the necessary compassion and leadership skills needed to "represent" the hundreds of millions of citizens who do not have vast wealth?
I believe that the two-party system has failed us. That it is folly to remove the crown from the head of one obstructionist party leader, only to place it on the head of another.
This time around, a Republican will be nominated to oppose a Democrat, as if it really matters which face the millionaire wears. A, B, C, or D, they all have one very important trait in common, that is, they are nothing like you and me, the 99%.
Many of you who are nodding your heads in agreement with me right now might immediately take offense when I suggest that our political system has been absolutely corrupted by the economics of capitalism.
What you fail to realize and accept is that democracy is not the enemy of capitalism, but that the reverse is quite true.
This is because "Pure" capitalism does not care about the well-being of the citizens of any particular nation, as people are reduced to mere "inputs" on a balance sheet, their lives and futures to be "traded" on the world market, as any other "commodity" is.
"Electing" leaders who espouse and endorse this worldview is and will be the death of our great nation and our people, because ultimately if there is no love for the people by our leaders, there will be no love for the country by the people.
Why does this matter? Because one day soon we "the people" may be called upon to defend this nation, and when asked, we may simply say "No."
"No, we will not shed blood in defense of your nation, your land, your money. No, we will not risk life and limb to defend your way of life, and ours is already lost."
How can we prepare to face our foreign enemies, if we are usurped and destroyed from within, by that lethal virus that infects us, the 1%? These pathetic excuses for human beings that have no allegiance to God, to us, to country, to anyone or anything but Money.
Remember where the true "loyalties" of these would-be "leaders" (on both sides of the aisle) actually lie when you step into the voting booth.
Remember also that you certainly do not owe "them" any allegiance, or loyalty.
For they have none to you, your family, or your neighbors.
They have sworn (or will swear) an oath to "represent" you. Do you think that they do, and will?
To the contrary.
They are perfectly content to see our despair, they will show us no mercy, no compassion.
They will not redress the harm they have caused us. Our present and future mean nothing to them.
Whether you agree or disagree with me, ask yourself these questions before you vote:
"Does candidate X love this country and its people more than they love money? Are they a Patriot?"
Before you answer, remember this:
World English Dictionary
patriot (ˈpeɪtrɪət, ˈpæt-)
-a person who vigorously supports his country and its way of life.
Now then, if the answers to those two questions are "No," "Perhaps," or "Maybe," why on earth would you vote for them?
www.amazon.com/Essays-99-Collection-W...
To the contrary.
While the current owners of our political system might disagree with me, the vast majority of the people of this great nation would not.
Who among you believes that political offices should be bought and sold to the highest bidder?
Who among you has faith that sheer wealth alone (and the ability to acquire it) somehow magically endows a person with the necessary compassion and leadership skills needed to "represent" the hundreds of millions of citizens who do not have vast wealth?
I believe that the two-party system has failed us. That it is folly to remove the crown from the head of one obstructionist party leader, only to place it on the head of another.
This time around, a Republican will be nominated to oppose a Democrat, as if it really matters which face the millionaire wears. A, B, C, or D, they all have one very important trait in common, that is, they are nothing like you and me, the 99%.
Many of you who are nodding your heads in agreement with me right now might immediately take offense when I suggest that our political system has been absolutely corrupted by the economics of capitalism.
What you fail to realize and accept is that democracy is not the enemy of capitalism, but that the reverse is quite true.
This is because "Pure" capitalism does not care about the well-being of the citizens of any particular nation, as people are reduced to mere "inputs" on a balance sheet, their lives and futures to be "traded" on the world market, as any other "commodity" is.
"Electing" leaders who espouse and endorse this worldview is and will be the death of our great nation and our people, because ultimately if there is no love for the people by our leaders, there will be no love for the country by the people.
Why does this matter? Because one day soon we "the people" may be called upon to defend this nation, and when asked, we may simply say "No."
"No, we will not shed blood in defense of your nation, your land, your money. No, we will not risk life and limb to defend your way of life, and ours is already lost."
How can we prepare to face our foreign enemies, if we are usurped and destroyed from within, by that lethal virus that infects us, the 1%? These pathetic excuses for human beings that have no allegiance to God, to us, to country, to anyone or anything but Money.
Remember where the true "loyalties" of these would-be "leaders" (on both sides of the aisle) actually lie when you step into the voting booth.
Remember also that you certainly do not owe "them" any allegiance, or loyalty.
For they have none to you, your family, or your neighbors.
They have sworn (or will swear) an oath to "represent" you. Do you think that they do, and will?
To the contrary.
They are perfectly content to see our despair, they will show us no mercy, no compassion.
They will not redress the harm they have caused us. Our present and future mean nothing to them.
Whether you agree or disagree with me, ask yourself these questions before you vote:
"Does candidate X love this country and its people more than they love money? Are they a Patriot?"
Before you answer, remember this:
World English Dictionary
patriot (ˈpeɪtrɪət, ˈpæt-)
-a person who vigorously supports his country and its way of life.
Now then, if the answers to those two questions are "No," "Perhaps," or "Maybe," why on earth would you vote for them?
www.amazon.com/Essays-99-Collection-W...
March 27, 2012
About the Essays for the 99%
The original text that was to become the Essays for the 99%, Parts I and II was written back in 2009, obviously before the "Occupy" movement.
So essentially I was writing for an audience that did not yet exist as an "organized" group.
The thought process that was to form The Carrot and The Stick, and A Call to Action, began to gestate during my college years, ironically enough, back at UC Davis, sight of the infamous "pepper spraying" act of terrorism against the peaceful protesters.
You could say that I saw the "writing on the wall," as I watched the decline of "the People" and their interests for the entirety of my adult life.
I watched our wages decline as prices increased, watched our jobs being exported, our country mortgaged, our future traded to our foreign enemies for the proverbial "30 pieces of silver."
Ultimately I could no longer contain the words that I had long spoken to anyone who would listen, and decided to commit them to the printed and digital page.
If I fail to inspire, to motivate, to germinate reform, at least history will know that We the People of this once greater Nation did not silently acquiesce to this "violation" of our American Dream.
We spoke out, we protested, we "ranted" to all who would listen, (and many who would not) as we tried to preserve the idea of a "United Nation."
If you have read the entire series of the Essays for the 99%, you will see the evolution of my thought process from a position of pure outrage in Parts I and II, to a more philosophical and calm approach to the awful betrayal we are now subjected to.
Parts III through VII were written over a three-month span in late 2011, early 2012, so about three years after what was to become the first two parts.
Will there be more Essays for the 99%?
Possibly.
Should there be?
Definitely.
I have outlined at least 12 more already, but when I reach the point that I am simply repeating myself, that will be the natural stopping point, of course.
Part VIII is fomenting now, and is tentatively entitled M.O.T.S, or More of the Same, which is what we can expect if we do nothing to change the path that we are on.
More joblessness, while our "leaders" crow about adding millions of "minimum wage" jobs, more foreclosures while they trumpet "recovery," and more abuse of the people's rights as the 1% shout "Freedom!" from their palaces and high places.
You don’t have to “buy” the Essays for the 99% in order to hear their message. You can listen to the FREE author’s reads at the website:
http://www.johndavidauthor.com/Essays_for_the_99_.html
Agree or disagree, please add your voice to the debate. There is no more time for inaction.
Complacency is complicity, and both are absolutely unacceptable.
http://www.amazon.com/Essays-99%25-Co...
So essentially I was writing for an audience that did not yet exist as an "organized" group.
The thought process that was to form The Carrot and The Stick, and A Call to Action, began to gestate during my college years, ironically enough, back at UC Davis, sight of the infamous "pepper spraying" act of terrorism against the peaceful protesters.
You could say that I saw the "writing on the wall," as I watched the decline of "the People" and their interests for the entirety of my adult life.
I watched our wages decline as prices increased, watched our jobs being exported, our country mortgaged, our future traded to our foreign enemies for the proverbial "30 pieces of silver."
Ultimately I could no longer contain the words that I had long spoken to anyone who would listen, and decided to commit them to the printed and digital page.
If I fail to inspire, to motivate, to germinate reform, at least history will know that We the People of this once greater Nation did not silently acquiesce to this "violation" of our American Dream.
We spoke out, we protested, we "ranted" to all who would listen, (and many who would not) as we tried to preserve the idea of a "United Nation."
If you have read the entire series of the Essays for the 99%, you will see the evolution of my thought process from a position of pure outrage in Parts I and II, to a more philosophical and calm approach to the awful betrayal we are now subjected to.
Parts III through VII were written over a three-month span in late 2011, early 2012, so about three years after what was to become the first two parts.
Will there be more Essays for the 99%?
Possibly.
Should there be?
Definitely.
I have outlined at least 12 more already, but when I reach the point that I am simply repeating myself, that will be the natural stopping point, of course.
Part VIII is fomenting now, and is tentatively entitled M.O.T.S, or More of the Same, which is what we can expect if we do nothing to change the path that we are on.
More joblessness, while our "leaders" crow about adding millions of "minimum wage" jobs, more foreclosures while they trumpet "recovery," and more abuse of the people's rights as the 1% shout "Freedom!" from their palaces and high places.
You don’t have to “buy” the Essays for the 99% in order to hear their message. You can listen to the FREE author’s reads at the website:
http://www.johndavidauthor.com/Essays_for_the_99_.html
Agree or disagree, please add your voice to the debate. There is no more time for inaction.
Complacency is complicity, and both are absolutely unacceptable.
http://www.amazon.com/Essays-99%25-Co...
Life--Observed and Reported
Read at your own risk.
Your opinion may vary.
Comments are welcome.
Your opinion may vary.
Comments are welcome.
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