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Do You Need an Agent?

Yes, you need an Agent if you plan to have a serious career as an author — especially as a book author — because an Agent has value in adding what you don’t know to the publishing equation. In my Writing Advice for Authors message, I dug into the process of writing and I also touched on the importance of having an Agent on your side no matter what sort of paid writing path you choose to pursue.

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Purchase David Boles Works Online

I am pleased to announce you can now instantly buy online original unpublished articles, essays and papers I have written from the Boles Books website and the range of work available for purchase is wide and deep.
You’ll enjoy poking around Boles Books and perhaps you’ll find something interesting to read. Here are some of the titles available: 

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When Good Blogs Go Bad

Over the weekend I decided to be really smart and improve this blog. When I announce big plans like that people in my house run for cover because they know from past experience blood will be likely spilt, usually mine, and tears of frustration will flow, always mine. The run-for-cover gang were right.

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INTJ Rational-Mastermind

My personality type is INTJ or “Rational-Mastermind” according to the Keirsey Temperament Sorter — one of many tests and examinations I have taken over the years to determine my INTJ status.

There are less than 1% of others in the world with the INTJ personality type.
That means I am often misunderstood or negatively judged by those who are frustrated by their inability to bend me to their unreasonable orders.

No matter where I am or what I am doing I am always alone but never lonely.
It was a great relief to discover my “Rational-Mastermind” diagnosis because it brings years of experience into a new and satisfying light.

eBooks Smash Paper

One of the harbingers of how fruitful the continued marriage of technology and research can better serve the future is found in the status of the New York Public Library’s position on electronically borrowing books. One can head off to the NYPL eBooks online library and actually check out books by downloading them to your home computer.

These downloaded books are “time bombed” to expire at the end of three weeks so instead of taking the book back to the library you just let the book expire on your hard drive. There are certainly sticky copyright issues that must continue to be dealt with in the internet “borrow but don’t return” lending scheme for libraries; but for those who understand eBooks are good for authors and publishers and libraries the concern over digital rights borrowing can be resolved in the greater favor of the consumer.

Publishers will rent individual licenses for their books that will expire the same way a parking space expires after you purchase its limited use for a quarter. eBooks, for libraries everywhere, means they can finally sustain a relationship with their patrons beyond the walls of their libraries.

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On Morality

Joan Didion is one of my favorite writers. Her writing style is barbed and cool. My graduate students and I had a great time last night discussing her On Morality essay in class.

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Making Excellent Teachers

Excellent Teachers are made, not born.
It takes a good six years of teaching two courses a semester or six courses a year to understand exactly what works and what doesny’t work in the classroom.
Creating a learning environment where students can engage, comprehend and remember is both difficult and sublime.