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Opinion

Time for an update?

The first column I wrote for ST was published April 24, 1981. That means I've been doing this for 25 years now. At an average of, maybe, 10 columns a year, that would be 250 columns. Not a large number, when you consider that there are people who write columns every day. Still, the number startled me.

But I am noticing that my writing is way behind the times. In the 25 years since I started writing here, there has been a great change in what readers want to read. Book publishers can't survive by only publishing books that try to help the reader understand how the world works. It is the "how-to" books that are the bestsellers now: how to be happy, how to influence people, how to make them love you, and — especially — how to make money.

I have been thinking of writing a book in this line. The title would be, How to Make a Lot of Money by Writing a Book on How to Make a Lot of Money. And here are some of the basic ideas I'll include in the book:

To write a bestseller on how to make money, first you must claim to have made a lot of money yourself. On no account should you tell the reader that you hope the book you are writing will be the first big money you have ever earned.

Write as if making money were virtuous. The way to make money is to be a better person. The money you make will be the reward for how good you have been. But "good" doesn't mean too good. "Good" in the context of making money means things like diligence, energy, positive thinking; it doesn't mean things like feeling bad about exploiting people or polluting the atmosphere.

Make the reader believe that this personal virtue is the most important factor in moneymaking. Make no mention of the fact that the most common ways to make a huge amount of money are:

1) to inherit it;

2) to have friends in high places;

3) to get lucky;

4) or to cheat other people out of it.

Make it seem that moneymaking is not only virtuous, but also spiritually uplifting. Depict the path of the moneymaker as the path of a pilgrim, a seeker of truth. Keep this message vague, because if you state it too directly its absurdity will become too obvious. This is for the New Age readers, who dream of spirituality without asceticism.

Tell the readers things they already know, but make it sound like new information. This is the main trick. It makes it easy for the readers to understand, but at the same time it gives them the impression that they have gained something by reading the book. One way to achieve this is to write the book as a fable or a parable. (Remember Who Stole My Cheese, whose message was "the way to make money is to try to make money"?)

So what do you think, readers? If I wrote a book along these lines, could I make some money?

(513 words)

Discussion: What are your views on "self-help" books?

Shukan ST: May 26, 2006

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Opinion Time for an update? By Douglas Lummis The first column I wrote for ST was published April 24, 1981. That means I've been doing this for 25 years now. At an average of, maybe, 10 columns a year, that would be 250 columns. Not a large number, when you consider that there are people who write columns every day. Still, the number startled me. But I am noticing that my writing is way behind the times. In the 25 years since I started writing here, there has been a great change in what readers want to read. Book publishers can't survive by only publishing books that try to help the reader understand how the world works. It is the "how-to" books that are the bestsellers now: how to be happy, how to influence people, how to make them love you, and — especially — how to make money. I have been thinking of writing a book in this line. The title would be, How to Make a Lot of Money by Writing a Book on How to Make a Lot of Money. And here are some of the basic ideas I'll include in the book: To write a bestseller on how to make money, first you must claim to have made a lot of money yourself. On no account should you tell the reader that you hope the book you are writing will be the first big money you have ever earned. Write as if making money were virtuous. The way to make money is to be a better person. The money you make will be the reward for how good you have been. But "good" doesn't mean too good. "Good" in the context of making money means things like diligence, energy, positive thinking; it doesn't mean things like feeling bad about exploiting people or polluting the atmosphere. Make the reader believe that this personal virtue is the most important factor in moneymaking. Make no mention of the fact that the most common ways to make a huge amount of money are: 1) to inherit it; 2) to have friends in high places; 3) to get lucky; 4) or to cheat other people out of it. Make it seem that moneymaking is not only virtuous, but also spiritually uplifting. Depict the path of the moneymaker as the path of a pilgrim, a seeker of truth. Keep this message vague, because if you state it too directly its absurdity will become too obvious. This is for the New Age readers, who dream of spirituality without asceticism. Tell the readers things they already know, but make it sound like new information. This is the main trick. It makes it easy for the readers to understand, but at the same time it gives them the impression that they have gained something by reading the book. One way to achieve this is to write the book as a fable or a parable. (Remember Who Stole My Cheese, whose message was "the way to make money is to try to make money"?) So what do you think, readers? If I wrote a book along these lines, could I make some money? (513 words) Discussion: What are your views on "self-help" books? Shukan ST: May 26, 2006 (C) All rights reserved