The Age of Conversation deadline is quickly approaching, and apparently some of my fellow authors have already sent in their work. Dang! Happily, I got past the terrifying blank white page and am now quite pleased with the direction my piece is headed.
What’s cool about this e-book is that it will essentially redefine the idea of “conversation.” What does the term mean in 2007? Clearly something different than it did 50 years ago. And now it’s up to us, brave soles indeed, to craft a new concept.
Kudos to all 100 bloggers, I can only imagine the frighteningly glorious wisdom they will put forth. And in the meantime, I would advise spending plenty of time with their thoughts.
PS – I laughed and cried at the same time when I saw my name second to last on the list of authors. Then I remembered that I’m a newbie, and I just continued laughing and stopped crying. Then I skipped to the ice cream shop.
Valeria Maltoni
Emily Reed
Katie Chatfield
Greg Verdino
Mack Collier
Lewis Green
Sacrum
Ann Handley
Mike Sansone
Paul McEnany
Roger von Oech
Anna Farmery
David Armano
Bob Glaza
Mark Goren
Matt Dickman
Scott Monty
Richard Huntington
Cam Beck
David Reich
Mindblob (Luc)
Sean Howard
Tim Jackson
Patrick Schaber
Roberta Rosenberg
Uwe Hook
Tony D. Clark
Todd Andrlik
Toby Bloomberg
Steve Woodruff
Steve Bannister
Steve Roesler
Stanley Johnson
Spike Jones
Nathan Snell
Simon Payn
Ryan Rasmussen
Ron Shevlin
Roger Anderson
Bob Hruzek
Rishi Desai
Phil Gerbyshak
Peter Corbett
Pete Deutschman
Nick Rice
Nick Wright
Mitch Joel
Michael Morton
Mark Earls
Mark Blair
Mario Vellandi
Lori Magno
Kristin Gorski
Krishna De
Kris Hoet
Kofl Annan
Kimberly Dawn Wells
Karl Long
Julie Fleischer
Jordan Behan
John La Grou
Joe Raasch
Jim Kukral
Jessica Hagy
Janet Green
Jamey Shiels
Dr. Graham Hill
Gia Facchini
Geert Desager
Gaurav Mishra
Gary Schoeniger
Gareth Kay
Faris Yakob
Emily Clasper
Ed Cotton
Dustin Jacobsen
Tom Clifford
David Pollinchock
David Koopmans
David Brazeal
David Berkowitz
Carolyn Manning
Craig Wilson
Cord Silverstein
Connie Reece
Colin McKay
Chris Newlan
Chris Corrigan
Cedric Giorgi
Brian Reich
Becky Carroll
Arun Rajagopal
Andy Nulman
Amy Jussel
AJ James
Kim Klaver
Sandy Renshaw
Susan Bird
Ryan Barrett
Troy Worman
Ryan, so glad you made it into the list! I will be glad when it is all put together. Looking forward to seeing it!
Posted by: Becky Carroll | April 27, 2007 at 06:27 PM
Ryan, I look forward to reading your chapter. Besides being co-authors of The Age of Conversation, we have something else in common -- I have a B.A. in French. At one time I was fluent ... but that was decades ago.
Posted by: Connie Reece | April 27, 2007 at 08:44 PM
Hey Ryan ... good to see you are getting nervous! Most of us are -- but then, a few nerves are good for performance ... looking forward to your chapter!
Posted by: Gavin Heaton | April 28, 2007 at 04:30 AM
Hi Ryan:
We're all newbies when it comes to what's next -- most predictions never come to fruition. That's why going to get a cup of fresh ice cream sounds like the perfect response. Enjoy it and have fun with the write up. The only way to find out if it works is to do it.
Posted by: Valeria Maltoni | April 29, 2007 at 11:13 AM
Ryan can't wait to read your chapter. That's the best part of an online community, we learn from each other, and are all smarter as a result. Thanks for doing your part!
Posted by: Mack Collier | May 02, 2007 at 01:22 AM
Hi Ryan,
Your description is so close to reality. We probably all felt the same when facing that "white page" waiting for its 400 words.
Although I'm sure there is no specific order to the list, I love the ice-cream idea... very much! : ) Can't wait to read your chapter.
Regards from Brussels.
Luc.
Posted by: mindblob | May 02, 2007 at 11:25 AM
Ryan, I look forward to reading the complete works of our Shakesperean group! This is gonna be great!!!
Posted by: Robert Hruzek | May 02, 2007 at 08:10 PM
Hey Ryan,
Just so you know...here's how the list came to be. On top were the bloggers who we asked ahead of the launch, so we could announce some bloggers already on board.
Then, one the day of the deadline, I imported an alpha sorted list (by first name) of everyone who was signed up. Starting at Kim Klaver, you guys all missed the deadline but had at least inquired within the deadline, so we let you in under the wire.
So, really your place on the list has nothing to do with your writing. But it probably says something about your procrastinating! :)
Drew
Posted by: Drew McLellan | May 02, 2007 at 11:57 PM
I hope you enjoyed your ice cream Ryan :) - and I'm certain your chapter in the book will fit great!
Posted by: Bob Glaza | May 03, 2007 at 01:31 AM
Hello fellow writers -
So psyched we're forming this little online community. I feel like the book has been getting so much hype, and authors have only divulged a few lines (at max) of their chapters! So many cool thoughts and ideas floating around out there already; I can only imagine the conversation that will start once the book hits the public.
And to Drew: A procrastinator? Moi?! I just assumed that my end of list position had something to do with my use of the word "POOPLESS"... it's not even a real word, after all. But your list history has assured me that all is well - time for more ice cream! :)
But in all seriousness, the e-book is gonna rock. Drew and Gavin, thank you so much for including me.
Posted by: RyanBarrett | May 03, 2007 at 09:36 AM
Ryan,
If we were being anything but practical and functional in our list building, the creation/use of the word "poopless" would have vaulted you to the top!
Drew
Posted by: Drew McLellan | May 06, 2007 at 05:08 PM
This looks like fun. Even though I am not a participant, I look forward to reading what everyone has shared.
Posted by: Matt Keegan | May 08, 2007 at 12:57 PM