08 April 2013
06 April 2013
Two (or more) Words
I like to write. And I like to think I can usually find a way to put more than two words together without making a complete fool of myself. But I don't do it often, (not as often as I'd like anyway), and it does not necessarily come easy. I can feel myself laboring over what I write, fine-tuning each turn of phrase, and I wonder if the spirit isn't lost when I do that, as though the expression is being drawn too far away from the impulse to express it.
I spent most of the afternoon writing, re-writing, and then re-re-writing the cover letter for a job I'm applying for. It's a position I'm qualified for (I think), though I don't necessarily have the set of experience that might be expected from someone applying, so the challange is in demonstrating (in Human Resources terms) my "equivalent experience," but carefully, without drawing too much attention to the fact.
Now I wait. I wait and I hope and I remain uncertain that I've managed to attract anyone's attention with my somewhat unusual approach to a cover letter. And that's the worst part, because you never really know if you've been passed over based on your qualifications, or if it was that cover letter. That doesn't do much to encourage me as a writer.
I spent most of the afternoon writing, re-writing, and then re-re-writing the cover letter for a job I'm applying for. It's a position I'm qualified for (I think), though I don't necessarily have the set of experience that might be expected from someone applying, so the challange is in demonstrating (in Human Resources terms) my "equivalent experience," but carefully, without drawing too much attention to the fact.
Now I wait. I wait and I hope and I remain uncertain that I've managed to attract anyone's attention with my somewhat unusual approach to a cover letter. And that's the worst part, because you never really know if you've been passed over based on your qualifications, or if it was that cover letter. That doesn't do much to encourage me as a writer.
05 April 2013
Don't Press Your Luck.
I do business with a publisher that does a great deal of business with Lightning Source (the print-on-demand division of Ingram Content Group, the very large book distributor). I don't compain about Lightning Source (much), mostly because, by now, I'm well-versed in what they're capable of, and I try to play to their strengths by avoiding their weaknesses.
I understand that Lightning Source works in volume (not so much quantities of books, as quantities of titles), and that they want everything to fall within a narrow set of worry-free parameters so it can all be processed with a minimum of effort. I try to work within those parameters, but there are times I think they get a bit too nit-pickety.
As an example: I've just had a cover rejected because an element was 0.025 inches outside of the designated safe area on either side. (That's the area in pink, set against the blue backgound. The shaded areas are guides that can be turned off and on, and won't appear on the printed cover.) That's 1/40th of an inch — 1/40th of an inch! — on either side.
I understand that Lightning Source works in volume (not so much quantities of books, as quantities of titles), and that they want everything to fall within a narrow set of worry-free parameters so it can all be processed with a minimum of effort. I try to work within those parameters, but there are times I think they get a bit too nit-pickety.
As an example: I've just had a cover rejected because an element was 0.025 inches outside of the designated safe area on either side. (That's the area in pink, set against the blue backgound. The shaded areas are guides that can be turned off and on, and won't appear on the printed cover.) That's 1/40th of an inch — 1/40th of an inch! — on either side.