Any suggestions for climbing 'drills'/practice-routines? Am new & want to improve techniques!

[Tony]

Sorry to take with a grain of salt but I have bought many a book with ‘good reviews’ only to realise I have been ripped off - typically because here we have to order everything as you won’t find a lot on the shelf (so even the situation whereby you buy a magazine you see in the corner store you can see whether the articles are good or not and make an informed decision is not available.

In this age you can get the summary of almost any subject online in some form or other - even on these forums.

I personally don’t likevreading books/long articles online as it is usually bad for your eyes, an I remember more of what I read in print.

I have used Scribd previously and it has saved me many a bad purchase. Anything I really like I look out for - but some out of print books are now in speculators hands and I won’t be paying scalpers prices thanks.

If I go to the library am I ripping an author off? If I read a friends book, or book exchange am I ripping author off? Even if I go to the library if I find a worthy book I will put it on my wanted list.

I suppose I think of it as an honor thing - if it’s worthy I will get a copy. But if out of print - fair game to share it out as the publisher doesn’t think it’s worth continuing. But if it is a ham fisted attempt to trick a learner out of their hard earned money - stuff em... do I hear anyone complain about Amazon reviews? What about google docs previews?

Quoting Chaplain242 here, but my comments are not specific to him.

It is not really about the money. Yes a royalty check ever quarter is nice! My last one was $3.13 US. Gunna get that Sunday paper I’ve been saving for! (Low profit is more probably indicitive of my writing than anything else)

The vast majority of authors do not make loads of money on the books. You can make money with a book though. Often authors include a call to action at the end of the book. A “if you like my ideas check out. XYZ.” The online sources often circumvent that.

The other factor is just knowing something is reading the book. My sales, such as they are, show me that the material is being read. This in turn allows me motovation and a bit of financial supprt to produce yet more. It also give me marketing insight and the like. Independent published books can only rise in the search engine market through sales. By downloading for “free” you may be keeping soemone esle from finding the book.

Sharing books is a long standing tradition. One I honor and use as well. It does not circumvent the “call to action” and mostly, for me just serves to show me which book I need to buy after I retrun the borrowed one.

Run your show as you see fit, just don’t forget the small things that make a lot of difference. The forgotten skill so often today is research.

As for On Rope. I’d get it right from the source.

http://onrope1.com/books-videos-rite-in-the-rain/on-rope-second-edition/

@John@TreeXP.
while I don’t agree with your view that buying books only allows the wealthy to learn, (I know, paraphrased, probably poorly) feel free to PM me. I would gladly trade autographed book for autographed book. I have quite the collection of other’s signed work.

 

[Chaplain242]

Quoting Chaplain242 here, but my comments are not specific to him.

It is not really about the money. Yes a royalty check ever quarter is nice! My last one was $3.13 US. Gunna get that Sunday paper I’ve been saving for! (Low profit is more probably indicitive of my writing than anything else)

The vast majority of authors do not make loads of money on the books. You can make money with a book though. Often authors include a call to action at the end of the book. A “if you like my ideas check out. XYZ.” The online sources often circumvent that.

The other factor is just knowing something is reading the book. My sales, such as they are, show me that the material is being read. This in turn allows me motovation and a bit of financial supprt to produce yet more. It also give me marketing insight and the like. Independent published books can only rise in the search engine market through sales. By downloading for “free” you may be keeping soemone esle from finding the book.

Sharing books is a long standing tradition. One I honor and use as well. It does not circumvent the “call to action” and mostly, for me just serves to show me which book I need to buy after I retrun the borrowed one.

Run your show as you see fit, just don’t forget the small things that make a lot of difference. The forgotten skill so often today is research.

As for On Rope. I’d get it right from the source.

http://onrope1.com/books-videos-rite-in-the-rain/on-rope-second-edition/

@John@TreeXP.
while I don’t agree with your view that buying books only allows the wealthy to learn, (I know, paraphrased, probably poorly) feel free to PM me. I would galdly trade autographed book for autographed book. I have quite the collection of other’s signed work.

Please don’t take personally but not just talking Arborist books here. And books do get expensive and unfortunately the Information Age doesn’t filter good from bad as one would expect due to market forces encouraging bad behaviour, and some reviews without true perspective.

Glad to hear your points about feedback - that is new to me although I am not in the trade as an author.

I looked at a partial view online of OnRope, read the reviews and actually have a copy now on my shelf. If it’s worth buying I will get hold of a copy unless it’s wildly expensive then scalpers can go jump.

Wish there was a better system for reviews, I am sure the best way will be the same as independent label music whereby you buy from the author direct. I know some biology authors that sell direct and they sometimes can’t keep up supplies either.

In some ways the honour system has a lot going for it. Although poorly paraphrased ‘wealthy to learn’ it is a major factor and for a long period in eighties through naughties it seemed to be the money/respect fad to get something published and there were many poor books offered with high recommendations from scholars (obviously paid recommendations) and many people including myself got burned.

So my point is valid about reviews before purchase - if your work can be validated it will be sold as most I know still like print works, and the word of mouth (like Arborist recommendations) will further sell your works in an organic way...

I think if you really want feedback there should be form at the end of what readers would like to see in the second edition - that would be better than any sales validation...

 

[Tony]

Please don’t take personally but not just talking Arborist books here. And books do get expensive and unfortunately the Information Age doesn’t filter good from bad as one would expect due to market forces encouraging bad behaviour, and some reviews without true perspective.

Glad to hear your points about feedback - that is new to me although I am not in the trade as an author.

I looked at a partial view online of OnRope, read the reviews and actually have a copy now on my shelf. If it’s worth buying I will get hold of a copy unless it’s wildly expensive then scalpers can go jump.

Wish there was a better system for reviews, I am sure the best way will be the same as independent label music whereby you buy from the author direct. I know some biology authors that sell direct and they sometimes can’t keep up supplies either.

In some ways the honour system has a lot going for it. Although poorly paraphrased ‘wealthy to learn’ it is a major factor and for a long period in eighties through naughties it seemed to be the money/respect fad to get something published and there were many poor books offered with high recommendations from scholars (obviously paid recommendations) and many people including myself got burned.

So my point is valid about reviews before purchase - if your work can be validated it will be sold as most I know still like print works, and the word of mouth (like Arborist recommendations) will further sell your works in an organic way...

I think if you really want feedback there should be form at the end of what readers would like to see in the second edition - that would be better than any sales validation...

All valid points. I think the trend is for self publishing. This is good as in more material will be available, bad as in more material will be available!

I always gry to buy direct from author, inventor, what not. That’s my bias showing

Again the skill comes in separating value from scam. I too have been burned, but the occasional nugget I find and read is worth it’s weight in gold in knowledge and wisdom and worth all the turds it took to get there.

“If you think education is expensive try ignorance”. Always loved that quote. Education often comes at a risk. In fact, I might argue true education, not the school stuff, must come with risk and failure.

Personal recommendations are always best I find, if I know the person and trust their opinion/judgement.

In the end my main point is, if you find a book useful, reward the author if possible with possessing the actual book. When it has run its course for you turn the book over to a friend or colleague.

Tony

 

[Chaplain242]

Agree with your points, but ignorance is a growing barrier, as education is no longer an investment in the population of a country, but is now a commodity like everything else.

This is seen often in university where you don’t pay so much for the education but in the identification with the academy one schooled.

I used to succumb to the mindset that it’s worth getting burned by turds in mail order to get ahead but to my mind now the commercialisation of knowledge in itself is something to be resisted as the endgame is not pretty. Reward those that truly invest and expand/expound the field.

Funny story regarding the missing parking attendant at the Bristol Zoo. After 20 odd years managing parking, operating toll gate, and collecting parking fees for all the tourist buses and private vehicles etc he disappeared. The tourist buses didn’t know what to do about the fees so they contacted the City of Bristol to find out what to do with the parking fees. City of London replied “What parking fees? What parking attendant?” I believe they are still searching Europe for him...

Many people were happy with the price of their experiences - many I am sure were deterred by the added expense....

This story comes under false urban legends, however I have heard it for many years so I actually question the validity of the false legend, but who cares, the scenario can make a thoughtful case study on commercialisation...