Revealing interview with Mark Bowden, author of Black Hawk Down. Thanks to my agent Elizabeth Wales for the link.
"When I write a book, I invent the process anew every time. It’s about maintaining files and grouping information as I’m reporting and assembling it in a way so that I’ll be able to find it again when I need it. I then shuffle the files as I’m writing in order to organize the information for ready access. I continue to report as I’m writing.
I always outline. I start making outlines for anything I’m writing, whether it’s a magazine article or a book, very soon after I begin reporting. It’s an old newspaper reporter’s habit.
When you have the story organized in your mind, it helps you with the reporting. It helps you make decisions about what is significant to you and what is not.
An outline is a very fluid thing. I change it many times over the course of writing because I find that in a long piece of writing, essentially what you’re doing is thinking the story through, carefully. On these stories you can’t hold them in your head all at one time. The only way to experience the story is to start doing it. And once you start doing it you find yourself pulled in different directions, so if you adhere rigidly to an outline before you begin writing, in my opinion, you cut short any insights you gain through the process of writing."
Hi! Debbie,
A thought just struck me and felt that
it must be shared with you immediately.
I was just wondering whether you would be exploring in greater detail blogging - industry wise with valuable industry wise insights. Or may be that would be in your next book because i guess the topic would be too vast. Perhaps you may wish to give snap shots of facts, figures and trends in different industries.
Me in all my ignorance feels the culture, spirit and mindset of blogging would vary widely in different industries - like for e.g. foods and beverages vs cosmetics and personal care products vs pharma companies vs IT vs travel companies.
Whether blogs are used as powerful marketing tools or work to build lifetime relationships fostering better dialogue by creating consumer-employee community support
centres would vary so much from industry
to industry wouldn't you agree?
Besides, this i think you may wish to compare and see if new observations emerge in the way companies are using blogs to serve as consumer and employee education promotion outlets.
I hope you will devote a few pages to understanding how corporate blogs can also work as powerful community building tools to serve as positive change makers in society.
That would also mean appreciating the changing role of corporates in society - and how large corporates can work towards creating a greener, cleaner, safer and happier world. The blog can nurture a strong community spirit don't you think so?
I have spoken a lot. Please forgive me if I have erred in anything I said. I am a newbie to blogs.
bye for now,
sincerely,
Lakshmi
Posted by: Lakshmi Iyer | July 26, 2005 at 10:54 AM
Hi! Debbie,
A thought just struck me and felt that
it must be shared with you immediately.
I was just wondering whether you would be exploring in greater detail blogging - industry wise with valuable industry wise insights. Or may be that would be in your next book because i guess the topic would be too vast. I hope that you
are giving snap shots of facts, figures and trends in different industries.
Me in all my ignorance feels the culture, spirit and mindset of blogging would vary widely in different industries - like for e.g. foods and beverages vs cosmetics and personal care products vs pharma companies vs IT vs travel companies.
Whether blogs are used as powerful marketing tools or work to build lifetime relationships fostering better dialogue by creating consumer-employee community support
centres would vary so much from industry
to industry wouldn't you agree?
Besides, this i think you may wish to compare and see if new observations emerge in the way companies are using blogs to serve as consumer and employee education promotion outlets.
I hope you will devote a few pages to understanding how corporate blogs can also work as powerful community building tools to serve as positive change makers in society.
That would also mean appreciating the changing role of corporates in society - and how large corporates can work towards creating a greener, cleaner, safer and happier world. The blog can nurture a strong community spirit don't you think so?
I have spoken a lot. Please forgive me if I have erred in anything I said. I am a newbie to blogs.
bye for now,
sincerely,
Lakshmi
Posted by: Lakshmi Iyer | July 26, 2005 at 10:59 AM
Debbie, this is my first time on your book blog since registering for your newsletter. I found the bit from July on Blogging your book is a must but I could not open the NY Times article. Pls can you email a copy?
Thanks
Posted by: John Sadler | September 13, 2005 at 10:22 AM