THE STORY SO FAR: PART 167

THE FRENCH IN MALI ARE BACK TO USING SOME OF THE SAME HIGH MOBILITY TACTICS THEY USED IN ALGERIA ALL OF SIXTY YEARS AGO

THEY ARE AS EFFECTIVE AS EVER

It is common in the U.S. to disparage the French—and I really don’t understand why. Nonetheless, the sentence, “We saved their butts in two world wars,” is one I have had repeated to me on numerous occasions. We tend to forget that we had an interest in the outcomes of both wars, which had nothing to do with saving the French

We also tend to forget that without the French there might not have been a United States of America in the first place.

Personally, I love France. Its politics are no screwier than those of most other nations, and it has long had an admirable quality of life. That apart, its culture is extraordinarily rich; and the country, itself, is beautiful. As for the French people, they have endured much, and achieved much, and the world would be a vastly poorer place without them. Most people associate the French with food, fashion and sex—significant factors in our lives, to be sure—but are not aware that France, amongst its other attributes, boasts a remarkable tradition of producing fine engineers. It is no accident that Boeing’s greatest rival, EADS (best known for its Airbus range of aircraft) is located in France in Toulouse. And, by the way, a rather dramatic sequence in my new thriller, THE BLOOD OF GENERATIONS, is located there. Consider also the truly breathtaking Millau Bridge.

The French lost their war in Indo-China much as we would go on to do in Vietnam. Nonetheless, some of their military units learned a great deal from the experience, and went on to apply this knowledge and expertise against the FLN in the Algerian War in the Fifties and early Sixties. In particular, the French paras made something of an art out of high mobility warfare, particularly when tracking down bands of FLN infiltrators. Either by parachute or helicopter, they would insert blocking forces and then destroy the rebels by way of bombing or close quarters infantry combat. In short, the French were pioneers of helicopter warfare and were also the first people to use TOW missiles from rotary aircraft.

Observing their operations in Mali reminds me of all this—together with the weeks I spent researching the French Foreign Legion in Corsica in 1964. These were highly disciplined and scarily tough soldiers. The parachute unit I got to know was the 2nd REP based near Calvi, Corsica. It is now France’s cutting edge rapid response unit. I blogged about it a little time ago.

What will happen in Mali, I do not know. The French are trying to accomplish a prodigious amount with a very small force. Mali is huge. Nonetheless, a great deal can be accomplished through high-speed maneuver warfare – and the French have plenty of experience at it.

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 166.

HOW LONG SHOULD A BOOK BE?

Most people have forgotten the Korean War. Nonetheless, it fascinated me even though I was only six when it started in 1950. It finished—more or less—in  1953, though a full peace treaty has never been signed. Given that North Korea is now a nuclear power, that is somewhat disturbing.

While scouring the school library, I ran across an article in the National Geographic about it, which, amongst other things, showed how the Koreans could carry heavy weights on their backs by using a frame.

Why don’t we do that, I wondered?

And, of course, now we do—but it was an early lesson that the West was not the repository of all wisdom (which, essentially, was the kind of thing I was originally taught). I was an early skeptic because attitudes, and what I could see and read, did not seem to match.

There is a nice story about the Korean War I have long remembered. There were press briefings every day, and a constant theme was that a particular position in the U.N. lines—it would vary—had been attacked by “hordes of Chinese.” This phrase became part of the daily ritual until finally one of the journalists stood up and asked: “How many Chinese to a horde?”

The effect of this question was to create absolute confusion because, needless to say, there was no credible answer. It remains one of my favorite lines.

One used to be able to be more precise when talking about a book. A novella used to be about 30,000 words long. A novel started at about 60,000 words—and a classic big thriller (the kind of book I love and write) came in at 120,000 words plus and could easily be 160,000. Assuming a talented author, this substantial heft guaranteed, in my eyes, a really good read.

Apparently, all of that is changing. A recent article by Michael Lewin in Book Publishing today states that:

“Today, however, the closing of the American mind has given way to the collapse of the American attention span thanks to texting, Facebook and Twitter. Neither authors nor readers seek size from their books.”

“If you are writing a business book to brand yourself as an expert in your field, keep it under 50,000 words… You fiction writers should take heed as well; 90,000 is the new optimum maximum length, down from 50,000 words just a few years ago.”

I guess that means I’ll only have to do half the work in future. Assuming I believe that—which I don’t—how do I feel about the supposed demise of the really good read read?

Profoundly sad, if you really want to know. I guess reading WAR AND PEACE by Leo Tolstoy—which I loved—when I was 13 had a lasting impact on me.

Tolstoy is illustrated above.

 

 

 

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 163.

THAT EVER ELUSIVE GOAL—SUCCESS.

A TRIBUTE TO A FASCINATING WEB SITE, BRAIN PICKINGS.

Once a week, each and every week, the web site Brain Pickings—run primarily by the redoubtable Maria Popova-- comes up with a fascinating mix of comments and quotes of the kind you feel you should know if you are to regard yourself as a reasonably civilized and sophisticated human being—which, of course, you know you are.

The Brain Pickings web site team of Maria Popova (see illustration—though she was a little younger then) focuses heavily on concepts and related disciplines like “creativity” and “writing” so, needless to say, I have been drawn to the site like a cat to catnip. My hope is to be enlightened, educated, and stimulated by the many words of wisdom contained in each post, and—you never know—such accidents could happen.

Meanwhile, I have to confess that much of the material that Brain Pickings likes to quote—with which I should be intimately familiar—is really not. However, in the interests of retaining my dignity, I try and disguise that fact.

The following is a fairly typical Brain Pickings piece.

9 Rules for Success by British Novelist Amelia E. Barr, 1901

"Genius is nothing more nor less than doing well what anyone can do badly."

The secret of success – like its very definition – remains amorphous and forever elusive. For Thoreau, it was a matter ofgreeting each day with joy; for Jad Abumrad, it comes after some necessary "gut churn"; for Jackson Pollock's dad, it was about being fully awake to the world; for entrepreneur Paul Graham, it's about purpose rather than prestige; for designer Paula Scher, it meansbeginning every day with a capacity for growth. But perhaps, above all, success is about defining it yourself.

Still, those who have succeed – by their own definition, as well as history's – might be able to glean some insight into the inner workings of accomplishment. From the 1901 volume How They Succeeded: Life Stories of Successful Men Told by Themselves (public library; public domain) comes a wonderful essay by British novelist Amelia E. Barr (1831-1919) who, the despite devastating loss of her husband and three of their six children to yellow fever in 1867, went on to become a dedicated and diligent writer, eventually reaching critical success at the age of fifty-two.

At the end of her essay, under a section titled "Words of Counsel," Barr offers nine tips for success, echoing some familiar themes – Tchaikovsky's insistence on work ethic over inspiration, Ray Bradbury's case for perseverance in the face of rejection, the importance of having a good routine and working with joy, and the necessary reminder that success requires a deliberate investment of effort and good writing takes time.

1. Men and women succeed because they take pains to succeed. Industry and patience are almost genius; and successful people are often more distinguished for resolution and perseverance than for unusual gifts. They make determination and unity of purpose supply the place of ability.
2. Success is the reward of those who "spurn delights and live laborious days." We learn to do things by doing them. One of the great secrets of success is "pegging away." No disappointment must discourage, and a run back must often be allowed, in order to take a longer leap forward.
3. No opposition must be taken to heart. Our enemies often help us more than our friends. Besides, a head-wind is better than no wind. Who ever got anywhere in a dead calm?
4. A fatal mistake is to imagine that success is some stroke of luck. This world is run with far too tight a rein for luck to interfere. Fortune sells her wares; she never gives them. In some form or other, we pay for her favors; or we go empty away.
5. We have been told, for centuries, to watch for opportunities, and to strike while the iron is hot. Very good; but I think better of Oliver Cromwell's amendment – "make the iron hot by striking it."
6. Everything good needs time. Don't do work in a hurry. Go into details; it pays in every way. Time means power for your work. Mediocrity is always in a rush; but whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing with consideration. For genius is nothing more nor less than doing well what anyone can do badly.
7. Be orderly. Slatternly work is never good work. It is either affectation, or there is some radical defect in the intellect. I would distrust even the spiritual life of one whose methods and work were dirty, untidy, and without clearness and order.
8. Never be above your profession. I have had many letters from people who wanted all the emoluments and honors of literature, and who yet said, "Literature is the accident of my life; I am a lawyer, or a doctor, or a lady, or a gentleman."Literature is no accident. She is a mistress who demands the whole heart, the whole intellect, and the whole time of a devotee.

9. Don't fail through defects of temper and over-sensitiveness at moments of trial. One of the great helps to success is to be cheerful; to go to work with a full sense of life; to be determined to put hindrances out of the way; to prevail over them and to get the mastery. Above all things else, be cheerful; there is no beatitude for the despairing.

   Apparent success may be reached by sheer impudence, in defiance of offensive demerit. But men who get what they are manifestly unfit for, are made to feel what people think of them. Charlatanry may flourish; but when its bay tree is greenest, it is held far lower than genuine effort. The world is just; it may, it does, patronize quacks; but it never puts them on a level with true men.

   It is better to have the opportunity of victory, than to be spared the struggle; for success comes but as the result of arduous experience. The foundations of my success were laid before I can well remember; it was after at least forty-five years of conscious labor that I reached the object of my hope. Many a time my head failed me, my hands failed me, my feet failed me, but, thank God, my heart never failed me.

For more of history's timeless wisdom on writing, see H. P. Lovecraft's advice to aspiring writers, F. Scott Fitzgerald's letter to his daughter, Zadie Smith's 10 rules of writing, Kurt Vonnegut's 8 keys to the power of the written word, David Ogilvy's 10 no-bullshit tips, Henry Miller's 11 commandments, Jack Kerouac's 30 beliefs and techniques, John Steinbeck's 6 pointers, Neil Gaiman's 8 rules,Margaret Atwood's 10 practical tips, and Susan Sontag'ssynthesized learnings.

THE STORY SO FAR: PART 161

A MESSAGE TO ME FROM LINKEDIN—THEY NOW HAVE 200 MILLIONS MEMBERS! AND I HAVE ONE OF THE TOP 10% MOST VIEWED PROFILES.

MOST CONSIDERATE OF THEM TO LET ME KNOW. BUT MORE TO THE POINT—CONGRATUALATIONS LINKEDIN! AN AWESOME PERFORMANCE.

AND TO THINK I DIDN’T TAKE THEM SERIOUSLY WHEN THEY BEGAN!

The following is the message from LinkedIn I received very recently. It surprised the hell out of me because I doubt I have put as much effort into my LinkedIn entry as I should. Nonetheless, it is hard not to feel pleased—even though I am aware of the tricky ways of marketing people. They want me to feel good so I will pay them money. Yes, it is true. I am still a free member of LinkedIn. Do I think it is worth becoming a paid member? Well, it depends on your circumstances, but—on balance—I do. It is an amazing network—and an excellent service. 

Victor, congratulations!

You have one of the top 10% most viewed LinkedIn profiles for 2012.

LinkedIn now has 200 million members. Thanks for playing a unique part in our community!

I confess I have had a hard time warming up to Social Media—despite having spent considerable time researching it. In essence, there were my reservations:

• It was inherently distracting—and distraction is arguably a writer’s greatest enemy (exceeded only by despair—a writer must never give up).
• It had the potential to soak up time that would be better spent on writing or writing related work.
• I rather enjoy my privacy.
• My cultural background inclines me against self-promotion. Boasting was the ultimate crime in my youth—yet now if you don’t promote yourself, the world passes you by.
• Many of the remarks made on Facebook in particular seem inane (though maybe not to a loved one—a rather important point).

In fact, I changed my mind about LinkedIn some time ago because all kinds of interesting people I thought I had lost track of began to surface—together with a useful assembly of new contacts. In addition, LinkedIn itself steadily improved to the point where it is now downright impressive.

I have been slower to take to Facebook because I haven’t—s0 far—been able to work out an approach. Still, my marvelous sister, Lucy Ayettey—she of the five beautiful children—uses it with such consistency and skill that I think I have found a role model. Also, nearly lost friends keep surfacing on it—which is most agreeable.

Despite my initial reservations, I decided I would start with blogging because an author—no matter how introverted (and we are mostly a shy bunch) is supposed to have a blog; and blogging bears some resemblance to real writing in that whole sentences are used—and sometimes whole paragraphs! Good grief—what daring!

In truth, I didn’t find blogging easy at first, largely because I couldn’t figure out what to write about. As a consequence, I was inconsistent—which is arguably THE sin in the blogging world. Then I decided I would, quite deliberately, not plan, but just write about whatever came into my mind on the day in question.

Eureka! I was in business—and have now written well over 340 blogs in all, and maintained a daily blog for over five months. Better yet, I thoroughly enjoy the process, and feel it is helping to make me a better writer. It sharpens the mind when you have to think of something different to say day after day.

The next challenge will be to contribute to LinkedIn and Facebook—and after that the mind boggles!

Actually, it will probably Tweet.

A caution: The issue of time allocation remains a cause for concern. Blogging and the Social Media in general are all very well, but the primary task of a book-writing author is to do just that—to write books—and that invaluable resource, creative energy, is limited.