h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Anatomy Of A Failed Invention - A30924759
Author: RodtheBrit - U2465093

Retrieved from months awaiting selection after Peer Review (understandably - just too much 'First Person').

I still think it may be useful ... do you?

It's interesting and very clearly written. Personally, I'd lose a few of those capital letters from the title, but I see nowt else to change.

TRiG.

Yes, I think this could be useful to people working on inventions. It's logically ordered and clearly written.

I think you could cut the 'Quoth he', 'Quoth me' phrases. And I agree with Trig about the capitals.

Thanks, folks

Those Capitals, Of Course - done.

Quoths: I rather like them - trying for a few light patches...

Let's see what others think.

'Quoth I', say I.

I'd say it has the makings of a good essay, but then it needs to be got out of EG mode. That is to say, the experience is useful, but for an essay on the subject it is too detailed, and the advice to inventors is now misplaced.

I'd suggest you write it up as a personal experience, and lose the links, advice to would-be inventors, etc. Sort of a journey through the system.

Thanks, Dmitri - that's interesting.

"Quoth I" Not sure about that - The rhyme '... he ... me' seems to be part of it, even though it's not strictly correct. I do feel it helps to lighten things up a bit at that point.

It 'is' out of EG.

Links: Good point. I've taken out the extraneous but left in the important - the EG entry (which was, I think, triggered by this) and the IPI.

In General, I did it for two reasons.
One was therapy - to rid me of those nooks & crannies - "If only I'd...". The initial submission to EG purged me (mostly!).
The other reason was for the sake of others setting out, which is the major, if not the only, one at this point.

Advice etc. I think it's needed. Without it, the thing would be just too lightweight and inconsequential (rather than -hopefully- lighthearted).

We Brits seem to be quite good at inventing it, but poor at getting it to market. So much goes abroad for implementation ('Dragon's Den' must be of great use).

I think Dmitri means it’s still much in EG style, and outside the context of a factual guide, that ‘s a problem because only within that context do people have a motivation to read purely to find out something.

If there were ways to illustrate pitfalls and advice within the personal narrative, that would work, in terms of a piece of writing, better than having an advice section. Advice in that form tends to be more memorable too. Having said that, I did want to read to the end to find out how you got on, so I don’t think you’re far off

Thank you, TRiG, minorVogonpoet, dmitrigheorgheni and LLWaz.
I appreciate your comments and (after some contemplation) your viewpoints.

The next 3 or 4 months will be more fraught for me than the last, so not much will get done (other than the odd comment in threads!).

I'll leave it as it is, for a week or so, in case there are any more comments. Then I'll review it again.

Rod