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

http://www.h2g2.com/A474022

I think this article, though short, is useful, informative, and entertaining. The data provided was based on countless hours of research in various laboratories. Anyone could use this article - the tips could be used in a office environment, at home, or anywhere. I rate this article an A++++++ (oh wait, I'm biased, never mind)

Hi Sarah,

Thanks for putting the article forward, it's a funny idea. However, because it's notoriously difficult to get "funny" past the Editors (unless it's an aside to a genuinely informative article), I don't rate your chances with this as it stands.

First of all, you could make it read more like a serious encyclopedia article (listen to comedy actors - making people laugh is a serious business!), so that the humour in your idea can come through. In particular, the "direct speech" (addressing the reader) will have to go - all the references to "I" and "You" - and "my friend".

Secondly, I think you'll have to take the idea further, make it less of a one-note joke. What you've written seems to have been donw pretty much at one sitting - so it feels like a first draft of a good idea. Work at it, take out anything that doesn't advance the humour, explore some of your ideas more fully. Visit it five or six times, and see what *still* makes you laugh after all of those. Get a friend to read it, and see what makes them laugh.

If you do all that, I still can't promise you'll get accepted - as I said, humour without genuinely useful information is a hard one to sell for the Edited guide - but you'll have a chance; and if not, you'll have a piece to be proud of anyway.

GVI

http://www.h2g2.com/writing-guidelines
4. Be Instructive, Informative and Factual

This is the hurdle that you have to pass to get a 'funny' into the guide. If you do pass it, then even total nonsense like 'how to bury oneself in sand' can get in. (using nonsense as a compliment, of course.

I'd suggest restructuring it as 'tips for sleeping during education'. The wider focus means you can include those informational videos they give on health and safety at work, and sleeping during university lectures. If you can find out how to sleep through PE, I'll be especially impressed.

I'd also suggest do a call for other ideas. h2g2 has a wealth of work avoidance experts (why do you think we're here?) - pop a note on http://www.h2g2.com/HowDoI, and see what other people suggest.

Which brings me to:

8. Research Your Entry Thoroughly

I'd suggest you not research too hard, or you'll end up failing your end of year exams...

I forgot to mention - if you give in on edited status, there's always the h2g2 jokes directory at http://www.h2g2.com/A227440

First, I'd like to say that while this is a funny entry, I wholeheartedly agree with the comments made by GVI and Lucinda.

I'd also like to suggest that this thread be moved to the Writing Workshop, as this entry either 1) still needs work before it can be considered for the edited guide, or 2) is not heading in that direction at all. Furthermore, the author of the entry has not responded to any of the above comments, and does not appear to have used h2g2 since November.


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.