I was talking with Brian about the book tonight. Hopefully, we will get to a second edition so we can add the new parts, update the rest, make it more social network oriented, and, yes, do something about the typos. Much has happened since it was written.

Geoff, don’t take that the wrong way. As Francis Bacon says, “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention.”

I still stand by the publisher’s original decision to move to market with what would normally be a rough draft. I knew some folks like you wouldn’t be happy. At the same time, I know the market needs this information now, not on a professor’s collegiate terms and what he or she thinks proper respect for writing is. I don’t respect the need for perfect grammar, nor will I change my execution or approach on this.

The book isn’t for academics, it’s to get timely information into the hands of people who don’t/won’t read blogs. Academics can afford to be picky about perfect writing. Real world practitioners need to execute now because the market demands it.

If we had taken the time you demand for perfect grammar, the book would be getting released at the end of March. Far too late in my opinion. And the market has spoken, Bill, with many positive reviews for your one negative one, based on “proper respect for writing.” While I am sure others feel the same as you, I am also sure that enough people don’t have your manners, and that if it was really that bad we would be seeing a lot more negative comments, posts and reviews.

At the same time, I respect the desire and want for great writing. I suggest Seth Godin’s Meatball Sundae. While it doesn’t have the information that Now Is Gone does, it has a lot of great, general social media theory.

I’ll take your link as an invitation to join this conversation, but I do so reluctantly. I haven’t reviewed Now Is Gone on my blog, though I did read it several months back. I concur with Rich in that NiG is a solid primer for those trying to catch up on “the conversation” and it highlights some useful case studies, as does the blog.

I regularly refer my students to this site and to Buzz Bin. Last week, one student told me of a paper she’s writing about your work for Goodwill Industries in the D.C.

That said, I cannot use NiG in my class, nor can I recommend it to other professionals. Simply put, NiG is poorly written and riddled with grammar and usage errors. Several reviewers of the book have touched on this problem, others have ignored it. NiG reads like a rough draft, not a finished manuscript. Maybe it was “rushed into print,” but that doesn’t make the final product any more palatable. When my students turn in rushed assignments full of errors, the grade is – well – it isn’t good.

None of us is perfect, Geoff. Hell, if you look closely, you may find an error in this comment. But writing remains the core skill of the public relations professional. It’s important we respect that, even if it means slowing the process of publication to get it right.

I didn’t post a review of NiG at ToughSledding thanks to a bit of wisdom my grandma often espoused: “If you can’t be kind be quiet.” Until now I’ve been quiet. But you called me out with that link, so today I’m being candid.