Ask the Author: Robert Milner
Answered Questions (5)
Robert Milner
I got the idea and inspiration for my most recent book by looking back over the fifty-year evolution of my dog training models and realizing that I had finally arrived at a damned good training model; a training model which removed all the punishment practices; a training model which the nature of the dog deserved. My reaction to finishing the book was "Damn, 136 pages is a skimpy return for 50 years of experience"
My second reaction was, "Maybe I have learned something about writing along the way."
My second reaction was, "Maybe I have learned something about writing along the way."
Robert Milner
I am currently working on marketing my most recent book "Absolutely Positively Gundog Training". The world of marketing and promotion has been turned upside down, and I am having to reeducate myself in those areas. Goodreads is a striking example of the monumental changes that have occurred in the worlds of writing and publishing.
I am also working on several magazine articles, which will appear in American Waterfowler and Ducks Unlimited magazines in the near future.
I have two books in the "rattling around in my brain" stage. One is another dog training book. The other is a novel.
I am also working on several magazine articles, which will appear in American Waterfowler and Ducks Unlimited magazines in the near future.
I have two books in the "rattling around in my brain" stage. One is another dog training book. The other is a novel.
Robert Milner
My advice for aspiring writers is:
1. Read a lot of good books. The more you read the more you develop a feel for the flow of words and ideas. If you want to write material that is readable, you must have a good grasp of readability.
2. Learn to type. You can get your ideas down faster and more clearly if you are proficient and fast at typing.
3. Take some mathematics classes that give you practice at proofing theories with logic. Take a class in logic. Good writing gets its readability from being a structure that is logical in its development. That logical development is what makes an idea easy for the reader to grasp.
4. Learn how to sit in a chair in front of a computer and punch keys on a scheduled basis.
1. Read a lot of good books. The more you read the more you develop a feel for the flow of words and ideas. If you want to write material that is readable, you must have a good grasp of readability.
2. Learn to type. You can get your ideas down faster and more clearly if you are proficient and fast at typing.
3. Take some mathematics classes that give you practice at proofing theories with logic. Take a class in logic. Good writing gets its readability from being a structure that is logical in its development. That logical development is what makes an idea easy for the reader to grasp.
4. Learn how to sit in a chair in front of a computer and punch keys on a scheduled basis.
Robert Milner
The best thing about being a writer is finishing the writing. That feels great. The second best thing is the royalty report. In today's world you can virtually get royalty reports daily, which is hugely motivational. Frequent sales and royalty reports are a classic example of B.F. Skinner's operant conditioning in action. The reward of seeing the sales and royalties shortly after the work of writing is the best defense against writer's block.
Robert Milner
I deal with writer's block by sitting in front of a computer and writing something. I consider writing to be 90% dependent upon starting writing.
As with most of the endeavors in life, the only block is that of not starting.
I subscribe to Ann Handley's theory in her book "Everybody Writes".
The important part is to get the BUFD first. That is the Big Ugly First Draft.
Most of the good writing comes with the rewriting of the BUFD,
All of it requires sitting in the chair and punching keys (unless you are Hemingway, who wrote standing).
As with most of the endeavors in life, the only block is that of not starting.
I subscribe to Ann Handley's theory in her book "Everybody Writes".
The important part is to get the BUFD first. That is the Big Ugly First Draft.
Most of the good writing comes with the rewriting of the BUFD,
All of it requires sitting in the chair and punching keys (unless you are Hemingway, who wrote standing).
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