Feedback wanted: how is this book so far?
Phase one is over and it's time to step back
Last week this project hit a major milestone: we reached the tenth rule, Have a bad hobby. Since ten is a satisfying number, it’s time to evaluate how this project is going.
Confession: You’ve been reading draft rules
In case it wasn’t clear, I’ve been experimenting on you! Muahahaha. I think it’s obvious these posts have been first drafts, since I’ve never written about these rules before. They’ve also been written individually, and to make this into a book I’d need to put the work in to weave them together in a satisfying way. Maybe there are groups of rules? Or rule categories? Not sure.
Here are the first ten rules (plus intro) for your review:
What’s next
As the writer here, this is my plan:
Combine all the rules and read them as a single essay
Take notes about what works and what doesn’t
Figure out how to make this more fun and less dry
Write a proper outline including the rest of the rules (there are over 50)
But for now I need to hear from you.
Tell me your opinions
I’m still pondering the idea of rules themselves. The book could be reframed as advice, or habits or lessons instead. I asked about this before, and chose rules because it seemed the simplest for some reason. Now that you’ve seen ten of them, it’s time to ask you directly.
If you don’t like Rules as the framework, what do you prefer?
Any other feedback or observations so far?
If so, please leave me a comment. Thanks for your help.
You're certainly on to something, Scott, and I hope the book finds its happy place - either in process or when you pull back, give it/yourself a break, and hold it up to the light to view with perhaps a different grid.
Because the tone, pacing and structure of "The Ghost of my Father" was so compelling [to me as a reader, a son and a dad], consider casting the "Rules" content in that kind of frame. Teach us what you've learned about life, but do so in the context and passion and rhythms of your own life, your relationships, your conversations, your pain, etc. The drafts have done that a bit, but I'd like to see much more.
Rules are very difficult topic! I admit I found it hard to read through your drafts. Your writing is great, but being generic tends to make it feel much less instructive.
By contrast: KK’s Excellent Advice For Living feels very very personal, not because it doesn’t contain generic rules, but because it FEELS personal – as a reader my reading experience fluctuates: “wow spot on I so resonate with this!” Followed by “this is bullshit I guess it fits him well.” KK’s advice is short: take it or leave it, your call dear reader.
I’d also put the Great Mental Model series of books as your “competitor”. Those are books that talk about: rules; context of use; exceptions; personal advice.
Do I want to read a few hundred words on “do it anyway”? No I don’t — unless you’re NOT really talking about it! Context gives rules their practical meaning/value.
I’d be really interested in your take on how you CONSTRUCT your rules, rather than what rules you talk about. Rules are everywhere, in much concise books.
Or a semantic or relational map of your personal rules. The learning would be huge: how did Scott relate one rule to another? What was his thinking process? Why does it work or not work for him?
Rules are dots. It’s not the hidden dimensions within it (think of string theory!) that matter, instead its how it relates to other dots.
Or contrarian or comparative takes: the lesson a reader can take is to learn to find their own way towards or around it.
Or a more consumable format. Case in point: the “101 Things I Learned” series. I don’t consider myself as the primary target audience, while I’d have concerns if you expect some readers to read for 3 minutes on something entitled “be amazed by everything”. Not that I don’t think you have anything great to say (your writing is great, as always), but that more people’s first reaction could be “duh? As if I don’t want to?!”, which could equally be the impolite reaction to “do love world peace” or “you shall not cheat”. There are way too many “spiritual thought leaders” chanting generic slogans out there.
Or could it be an interactive reading experience? Case in point: https://mearsheimer.ai/