I Hate Irony (and When People Confuse Coincidence For Irony)

Today I got to thinking about the irony of modern communication and its effect on society's communication skills. In an age when connecting and conversing is easier and more prolific than ever, how is it that our communication skills are at an all-time low?

Two hundred years ago communication was limited to speech and the written word. There was no texting or twittering and language was something to be admired. People prided themselves in precision of word usage and pronunciation. Language was like the best kind of boyfriend: rich and romantic.

Fast forward to the 21st century: we tweet in 140 characters or less, spend more time emailing than we do having actual conversations and would rather text in acronyms than use complete sentences. 

(For the record, LOL is a complete and undeniable deal-breaker.)

This little rant has reminded me of one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite TV shows, Californication. Hank Moody, an attractive, extremely pessimistic, self-loathing, sharp-tounged writer I can't help but love to hate, detests the Internet's effect on modern English as he explains:

"The Internet was supposed to set us free, democratize us, but all it's really given us is Howard Dean's aborted candidacy and 24-hour a day access to kiddie porn. People, they don't write, the blog. Instead of talking, they text. No punctuation, no grammar. LOL this and LMFAO that. You know, it just seems to me that it's just a bunch of stupid people pseudo-communicating which a bunch of other stupid people in a proto-language that resembles more what cavemen used to speak than the King's English."

I couldn't agree more.

I realize I am a hypocrite, as I too blog, text and email one word responses - all from my iPhone that, like Hank, I love to hate.

Let the self-loathing begin.  

When Did We Start Marketing Ourselves?

Part of my job as an author’s assistant includes social media marketing. Basically this includes using social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and even blogs to promote your product and expand your platform.

With that being said, I was a freshman in college when Facebook was created. I’ve watched it evolve (or perhaps devolve is the word I should be using) from a network where only college students could connect with other college students, via friend requests and pokes, into a tool used by companies and PR representatives to advertise their brands.

Lately I have run into some trouble concerning my Facebook, mostly from a guy questioning why I have certain pictures posted (nothing scandalous, just relating to people I am pictured with), or why I am friends with certain people.

Although we are blessed with a plethora of information, the digital age and all of its wonders is making it harder and harder to keep our personal lives personal. Can we connect with friends and upload the pictures we took last weekend without the whole world judging us? With the advent of social media marketing, are we forced to market ourselves by using sites such as Facebook and Twitter?

Perhaps I should have taken the advice from a good friend I met while living in LA. When I asked him if he was on Facebook his reply was “Absolutely not, I don’t put my business on the street”. At the time I thought that was silly, but now I understand the wisdom of his statement. It is now becoming impossible to keep our personal lives separate from our professional lives. Should my Facebook profile match that of my LinkedIn profile? While I am careful about who sees what, it is becoming apparent that it is impossible to keep up with who sees what, regardless of when it was posted.

I guess it’s time for me to untag some pictures.

I Know We Aren't All English Majors, But Good Grammar Is Hot.

This weekend I took a copy editing class at the request of my boss. It was a nice little refresher course (I was a copy editor for my college newspaper) and reminded me of a few pet peeves I would like to share.

Incessant exclamation points: For the love of all things punctuation, use exclamation points sparingly.  I understand that these punctuation marks have become more common in the digital age because it is harder to convey emotion through text. However, this phenomenon does not mean you need to use five of them at a time. It just makes you look ridiculous and for me, is a deal breaker. The same goes for question marks.

That and which: These words are NOT interchangeable. “That” should be used with restrictive clauses and “which” should be used with nonrestrictive phrases (also called essential and nonessential). How can you tell which is which? A nonrestrictive clause can be eliminated from a sentence without changing it’s meaning. And as long as we are on the subject, do NOT use a comma to separate a restrictive clause (that), but DO use a comma with a nonessential clause (which).

Redundant idioms: It seems these days people think the more words they use, the smarter they sound. Unless you are struggling to increase your word count on a term paper, I can’t stand the redundancy. Why say “manner of which” when “how” will suffice, or “over-exaggerate” when the meaning of the word “exaggerate” means to overstate? Can we over-overstate? No.

Adverb usage: Many people seem to be confused about adverbs. I can’t decide which is worse, not using them when needed or using them incorrectly. For instance, bad vs. badly. To say “I feel bad” expresses an emotion, whether sympathetic or not well. To say you feel “badly” implies there is something wrong with your sense of touch.

If you feel as strongly about good grammar as I do, you can order the shirt shown above here.

Is It August 14th Yet?

The month of August is going to be a very exciting month. Not only will it mark my sixth month anniversary since moving to the city (August 15^th), and not to mention my sister’s birthday (Happy Birthday, Mel!) but it also brings something I have been waiting three years for. That’s right, my all-time favorite book, The Time Traveler’s Wife, is finally premiering as a movie.

The movie was originally due to release on Christmas day of 2008, but to my dismay it was pushed back (Merry Christmas, Brenna. You will now have to wait 8 more months for the one present you were most excited about). My patience is wearing off. Is it August 14^th yet?

I couldn’t be happier with the casting: Eric Bana as Henry and Rachel McAdams as Claire. My only concern is that IMDB has not listed Ingrid as a character. I’m going to be upset if she is not included, as she is an important character that reveals much about Henry before he met Claire.

Check out the trailer here.

And, it goes without saying, if you haven't read it yet pick up a copy asap. You will not be disappointed.  

Publishing and Dating: Not So Different

After a few more weeks working as an all-around editor, social media marketer and personal assistant, I am beginning to learn a few ins and outs of the publishing world. After considering the last few weeks I have come to conclude that the publishing world is not much different from the dating world (at least here in New York) and this is why:

As an editor, you can’t spend your nights cooped up at home, endlessly going over manuscripts. If you want to further your career (which I do!) you’ve got to get out there and meet as many people in the industry as you can. This means attending book release parties, signings and any other industry event you can manage your way into. It might be easier to come home from work and jump on that stack of manuscripts you’ve got to read, take notes on or edit – but the rewards of finishing up your work early aren’t nearly as exciting as shaking the hand of an editor at Simon & Shuster (which I did last night) or meeting the Ambassador of Sri Lanka (which I also did last night) and telling them a little about what you do.

As a dater (for lack of a better word) you also can’t spend your nights at home gossiping with your roommate about last weekend’s debauchery and her bewilderment of why the guy she is dating hasn’t called her back after he watched her give her number to another guy – it’s not like they were exclusive (but clearly, not a good idea). It might be easier to pick up a bottle – ok two bottles – of wine and lay around in pajamas chatting while watching reruns of Sex and The City. But this behavior will not promote meeting new people and, more importantly, new investment bankers. Sometimes you’ve got to switch up the pajamas and wine for a pair of peep-toed pumps and a dirty martini to get out there. Expand your horizons and your opportunity!

I’ve also learned a lesson of disillusionment. One day, you get a new manuscript and can’t wait to begin working! The synopsis sounds fabulous – it’s got to be good. The beginning starts a little slow, but you swear it will pick up. Keep reading… still slow. Make a few more notes, reader further… crap. It’s not what I expected.

I am going to compare this let down to men. Yes, we have all been there. You meet a cute guy, he asks you out. He seems smart, not too cocky and is tall enough that you can wear heels when you meet again (thank God). You meet again, have a drink or two and become disillusioned by the whole thing. It turns out he is cocky, because he’s so smart, and can’t stop talking about himself. Great. The synopsis seemed promising, but once you open it… crap.

However, in both cases, you’ve got to finish up (making notes or downing your drink) and move on. Not every manuscript and not every guy will turn out as exciting as they seem, but it’s those few inbetween that do live up to their potential, that make it all worthwhile. 

Book Worth Reading: Prep

When I picked up Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld I thought I was in for a light read. Girl goes to High School and leaves enlightened and changed. Published by Random House, Prep earned the title of One of the Ten Best Book of the Year (2005) by The New York Times Book Review.  After finishing this quick read and allowing it to sink in, I realized this novel reaches much deeper issues.

Detailing the experiences of a midwestern girl on scholarship at a prestigious prep school on the East Coast, Prep is a modern day commentary on social class conflict. Sittenfeld forces the reader to question and challenge their wider social world.

After I began reading, it was hard for me to put this novel down.  I was truly engaged and wanted to know what would happen to our main character, Lee Fiora. 

Lee finds herself at Ault as a shy, awkward insecure 14-year-old. Of course she changes over the next four years, but these changes are ever so subtle and slow that it is realistic. 

I also liked that Sittenfeld portrayed Lee as having ”wisdom beyond her years,” regardless of the cliché.  It is refreshing to find an author who puts so much faith in today’s youth.  For instance, as Lee reflects on a relationship she had ended with a boy who worked in the kitchen at Ault (and didn’t attend the school - a reason to end it as others in her class began to judge her) she considers, “I was wrong, I screwed up – how else can I say it? But there was plenty I learned from Dave. Later, after all that happened between Cross Sugerman and me, I even saw Dave as practice for Cross, as preparation. He made me ready; there are many people we treat wrong, and later, we’re prepared to treat other people right. Perhaps this sounds mercenary, but I feel grateful for these trial relationships, and I would like to think it all evens out – surely, unknowingly, I have served as practice for other people.

The idea of certain relationships preparing, or prepping, you for others is not a thought that crossed my mind at the age of 15. However it is an idea I believe in. There is no way you can prepare for a mature relationship without experiencing the immature ones first. This is not to say each relationship after an immature one will prove to be the ladder, but it does make you think back to those “practice” relationships and how they changed those that would follow. I believe this goes for romantic relationship as well as friendships. 

Overall, I recommend this book for anyone who has forgotten what it is like to be awkward and unsure of your place in the world.  This book will make you think long after you have closed it. While there are many coming of age novels out there, Sittenfeld tells this story so well. I believe the quality of this book lies in its realism.

 

The Stick Factor: Essential to Memorable Books

Yesterday I had lunch with a Senior Editor at a house that publishes fiction for women.  Not only was she intelligent, (I mean Senior Editor, obvi) but conversation also came easily. We mostly discussed books, movies and pregnancy (she is 5 months along).  More specifically, we examined what exactly makes certain books stand out more than others. I brought up the idea of a book's “stickiness;” a quality that describes how long a book’s themes and ideas remain in your head days, or even weeks, after you read it. In other words, how much does it “stick”.

Looking back on my favorite novels, I’ve come to find that stickiness is an essential element in each of these books. The more I discussed these books with others or the more I contemplated their underlying themes all contributed to their stickiness. 

Think about it. If you had 30 minutes to construct a list of books you have read in your lifetime without looking at your bookshelf or heading to Amazon, what percentage of the total books would make the list?  My guess – 60% (maybe more if you have an insanely good memory, or just haven’t read very many books). And what books would make the list? Those with a high sticky factor.

Therefore, my new approach to reviewing books has changed. I have decided it is best to wait a week or more after I finish a novel to discuss it. Not only will this method allow me to think about the book further, but I will have a better assessment of its lasting impact.

The good news? Mrs. Senior Editor liked the concept of stickiness as well :) 

“Sticky” books soon to be reviewed: Persepolis 2, Shadow of the Wind and Prep

Thank you, Ben

And she’s back. 

I know it has been a while since my last post – over a month to be a little more precise. A lot has happened in the meantime, including quitting my internship at Heeb to become a personal assistant to a boss-from-hell, only to quit that job exactly four weeks later.  

An old boss (from my college internship at Bleak House Books) also contacted me while he was in the city. Not only is he a great friend, but he is also a great person to know in publishing. First, he invited me to an industry party where I was able to network and meet many interesting people who work in publishing.  Then, he brought me to BEA where I had the oppotunity to meet even more people, including authors like James Patterson and Nicholas Sparks (see above picture).  Seriously Ben, I can’t thank you enough.

The good news? I ended up landing a job as an assistant to one of the authors I met!  Not only does my new boss write, but he also runs a company that helps aspiring writers get literary agents who then go on to help the author get published.  I couldn’t be more excited about my new job.