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

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A535835

Useful Infrormation!

Hi Huge.

I was instantly attracted to this posting because trying to get a record contract is something I might try and do one day (albeit only on a small, independant label prefferably).

However, I must say I feel slightly let down by this entry so far... while it is certainly entertaining, I think it needs a bit more work done on it.

Firstly, while it's nice to write humerous entries, they're always best when they're equally informative. I completely understand you were writing about how bitter you are, and how sycophantic the music business is (which it is, there's no denying it! ) - but please bear these things in mind: firstly, as a general formatting and gramatical guideline, entries should be written in the third person. Secondly, perhaps you could turn down the cynisism a little (look who's talking, Mr T) and balance it out with some cool hard facts and REALLY useful information: the snide comments might complement the entry well and give it character, if they were padded around some really usefull information (like you have already included). Finally, the informal style is a little TOO informal - you don't need to say goodbye at the end of the entry!

There's a good solid entry lurking in what you've done so far, and it has great potential. Keep going! And good luck with the band.

Cheers Mr T. To be honest, It was only written as a bit of a laugh - I'm not really that bitter! I'm still onyl young myself so plenty of time! I'll give it another go though - maybe I'll do one for real!

There is actually a book out there by the KLF called how to get a record deal, or how to create a hit record, but it's bloody rare....

Yeah, I could tell you only wrote it for a laugh, but I do think that premise would make a really great Guide Entry, so if you feel up to it, have a go! I think I may have heard something about that KLF book, actually. (i.e, that it exists...)

Apart from needing a less desceptive title, I think that this entry is liable to fall foul of the same problem as the molotov cocktail page. This was interpreted as inciting to commit a criminal act, and thus the construction details were removed. If you have a similar problem, you will have quite a bit of the entry removed.

hello again - have amended. It's now at http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A536645 hope it's better!

Huge.

Hi Huge. First comment is that you should edit the original entry, rather than creating a new entry. Check out http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/DontPanic-Entries#2
for how to Edit an existing entry.

This is a superb entry - seems really well written - and I think it'll be a big help to anyone trying to make a living from music. I can't say how accurate it is - I'm not a musician - but it is written wonderfully. Bravo!

Ooopsie! How come this one managed to slip through all and every scout-awareness-script-auto-alerting-whatever thingies ?

First of all, I'm joining Lucinda's comment. Superb content!

Second, there's not much to say apart from that you need to take out the 1st person writing as it doesn't comply with the writing guidelines. The formatting would benefit from converting to GuideML, but that's secondary.

On a side note, "SRT" and "M.W.D" deserve a footnote - I may be ignorant, but I don't know what that is.

Finally, .... see above, under 'First of all'

Ooops again -- I need to read more carefully and use bigger window settings! I thought Lucinda's posting was the first ever reply to the initial posting

I will go along with these other blokes. You have a fine article in the making here. (The second one -- the first one was fun but the second approach is much easier to make fly as an article for the guide.)

The information is in place and and your approach is sound.

You should go throgh and catch those typos and un-capitalized band names (whether the band capitalized them or not, the grammar lovers love their grammar more than the concerns of the bands.) This is not mandatory, but once you have done it, you won't have to listen to stupid suggestions that you do it.

(cut your text from the screen and paste it into your word processor. Use the spell checker and the grammar checker -- ignore comments from the software that don't make sense. -- Cut the corrected text and paste it back into the h2g2 editor window. This will still miss a few things but you can catch those as they are mentioned.)

Someone is also going to suggest that you use Guide ML to make this look better.

(Say, I think I might make that suggestion.)

Why don't you use Guide ML to make this look better?

Okay, you don't have to. You don't have to. You don't have to.

The sub-editors will do this and the Scouts are really good at seeing what it will look like when it's all dressed up.

Still . . . it couldn't hurt.

Just like your going to get that gig that nice club, because the owner understands that musicians like to dress down or up as their mood swings and what really counts is how well you play. Right.

All I can say is that the Sub-Editors *really* expect to have to do things like that and the Scouts *really* can see past the spots on your shoes and the tear in your t-shirt.

Me, I just dress up if I want the job, even though I know that everyone works at the place in jeans and t's, even the owner.

You do need to get rid of the 'I's and in this case the 'you's can probably stay, I've an article accepted with second person all over it. But, the style sheet recommends 'third person.' If you feel the need to say 'I,' say 'this researcher' instead. Yes, I know, the reason why this is real is because you are. But if you leave it in and it still gets accepted, it will be with the idea that the editor will take it out.

Why not make the article be the way you want it to be within the restraints of the system? You wouldn't blow 5/4 time with a band that's doing a waltz.

This article deserves to be in the edited guide and I'm sure it will be helpful to many people out there. (That's right, they'll get the gig while you're still in the pubs. Lord, I sure hope not!)

And remember how you get to Carnegie Hall, hire a cab.

Barton

Who's Pete Waterman?


Mikey

Editorial Note: This Conversation has been moved to the new 'Flea Market' Forum.

This is where we move any Peer Review, Writing Workshop or Alternative Writing Workshop Conversations where the original author has *not* posted to h2g2 for three months. This prevents the active Review Forums from clogging up with dormant entries, but in the Flea Market they can be picked up by others and polished off.

Whoever picks this one up might be interested in linking to (or at least reading)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A598818 (pending)

...which is the story of Furball, a band that went partway through this process, but didn't end up getting a record contract.

GTB