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Mike Scantlebury's Articles


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Alternatives to Arrogance We all get above ourselves, sometimes. We think we're pretty smart, pretty important, but as one successful entrepreneur likes to say, really we're just 'insignificant worms'. Actually, as the author of this article points out, we're lower than that, really a lot lower, which makes for humility maybe and a greater sense of perspective. After all, it's a big universe, isn't it? Alternatives to being rescued by dolphins Scientists are funny people. They're not content with knowing what they can see with their own eyes: they want to know 'why'. That's great, it's the foundation of modern civilisation, but not so helpful if you're in the sea, surrounded by sharks. And most of us are, aren't we? Alternatives to being the best Every day is an adventure and every road we go down gives us a choice, which way to go next. What would you choose, good or bad, right or wrong, the worst or the best. Let's look at a few examples and see how frail and stupid we can all be, if we're determined and really put our minds to it. The alternative, of course, is always better, but how many of us can choose that route? Alternatives to books Why are people so dense? Why won't they do what's good for them? Men in white coats have been sweating in labs for many years to invent the perfect e-book reader, so why aren't they everyhwere? Why can't people just ditch those smelly, crumbly, rotting woody things called 'books' and start living in Century 21? Ask author Mike Scantlebury and see if he has any suggestions. Alternatives to catching criminals Why catch criminals? Because they do things that are against the law. British Internet Author Mike Scantlebury has noticed an alternative trend. Why not look as though you're doing something about it, without actually succeeding? That way, everyone is happy, including the crims. It looks good, it sounds good, it's just not real. Well, isn't that just like modern life? Alternatives to diets Got a plan? Sure, lose weight. No problem. But which fad will you be following today? The grapefruit? The seaweed extract? The squashed snails soup? Listen to what internet author Mike Scantlebury has to say on the subject and start living. Dieting is not a way of life for those who really want to make changes. Think ouside the box and inside your heart. There's things to talk about. Alternatives to driving your life Who are these people, speeding down the highway, overtaking dangerously and threatening lives and property? One thing is certain: they aren't successful in any other part of their lives, apart from burning rubber! Check out the reasons why we all need to be behind the wheel and in charge of our driving, not intimidated by it. Alternatives to drugs 'Advice for parents'? Who needs it? But author Mike Scantlebury is reassuring when it comes to thinking about the lessons that wise elders are sharing with the young, like 'Study hard' and 'Work for tomorrow'. It may not be fashionable but the alternative 'philosophy' is based on a lie, says Mike, exposing the sham justifications that allow young people to pollute their bodies, crash their minds, and hock their future. Alternatives to Education Meltdown Starting your life at school and going on through education is a learning experience for most of us, but we don't want to hear about you. Here in England we only want to talk about people at the extremes, the brightest at one end and the dumbest at the other. Why? Can't we have a debate about education where we begin to mention the majority, for once? Alternatives to emotions There's a mountain of books out there that will encourage you to 'listen to your heart' and 'go with your gut'. Mike Scantlebury, ever helpful, swims against the tide as usual and urges caution. Just because you feel something inside, it doesn't mean that it's going to help you with your life. It might just be indigestion. Or it might be an innate fear. Fine, but if you want to move forward, you need more than that. Alternatives to excuses Trying to get out of bed in the morning? It might be helpful to think about what's going through your head. Mike Scantlebury, Internet Author and creator of many self-help books and articles, looks at a few examples and asks some hard questions. Most important, if you aren't fooling anyone else, why go on trying to fool yourself? Alternatives to Fairyland Children love fairy stories, tall tales of short elves and beautiful maidens. Is it fair to shatter their illusions and puncture their dreams? Certainly not! But what if that 'child' is 21, or 41, or 61? Should they still be allowed to believe in fairies? Doesn't someone, anyone, need to tell them the truth about the economy? Why should they be encouraged to live in Fairy Land forever? Alternatives to filling teeth There have been plenty of health 'scares' in recent years, but none more alarming than the one right under your very nose, that is, right in your mouth. Teeth fillings. They're harmless, right? Well, if you're a Baby Boomer, they'll be made of a metal amalgam that is mainly mercury. That's a poison, right? Maybe you need to know more. Alternatives to flouride Why should we do what's good for us? Well, apparently, we don't. Despite all the good intentions in the world, not everyone is convinced that medicating the water supply is the best way to treat people in the 21st century. Anyway, they've found other things to do. These days it's drinking water out of a very expensive bottle. People don't always do what they're told! Sorry. Alternatives to gangs What are teenagers really getting up to in their spare time? Should parents worry, or is there something more positive they can do? Join self-help expert and Internet Author Mike Scantlebury in an exploration of social trends and sample a sliver of the book he is currently working on, full of useful, no-nonsense advice for parents. Alternatives to good ideas All you need is a good idea, right? Well, no, because there's always the problem of other people. Some of them, out there, seem determined and doomed to mess things up. Watch out, in case they get in your way, and let Mike Scantlebury show you the real road to where you want to go. Alternatives to good service Met any surly waiters? Unhelpful Help Lines? Hostile helpers? Why do people think they can get away with it? You're the customer. Don't like it? Take your money elsewhere. Or, if you want to keep the custom, listen to Mike Scantlebury's sad experience and learn what he had to learn. It's an interesting lesson. Alternatives to great riches You wanna be rich? But what is 'rich'? If it's so important then why is rich publisher Felix Dennis giving away ninety per cent of what he's got? Is there anything else in life? More important, is there something for you? What do you want? Join Mike Scantlebury in the discussion and think about making plans. Alternatives to Heroes Nobody said that life was easy, but why try and pretend that those who make a go of it are somehow superhuman? Because it excuses the rest of us. It can't be that we're laid back, lazy, lackadaisical and lecherous. No, it can't be. The few who achieve great things, we say, are somehow 'heroes', the rest of us aren't. Or aren't yet. Who knows, maybe we'll get the hint eventually. Alternatives to leading a double life Every one of us is a superhero. You may not see that, because most of us spend more time living as Clark Kent, mild mannered reporter, than we do as Superman. Unfortunately, keeping such secrets is hard work and uses most of our energy. We don't have much thought and inspiration left to perform super deeds, when we're pre-occupied hiding. Why not make a change? Dash into that phonebox now. Get changed. Alternatives to Making Do Why prepare? After all, a lot of famous people are renowned for being able to 'wing it', coming up with the goods off the top of their heads. Isn't it good to be spontaneous? Why not copy the rich and famous? Yeah, good, if you can. On the other hand, it might be better to make that all important first impression by knowing what you're talking about. Yep, that's an alternative. Alternatives to morality Some people say 'If it ain't against the law, then why can't we do it?' but there is more to life than that. There's morality. People might disagree on the details but discussing 'right and wrong' is topical in any culture. What works now? Join Mike Scantlebury in thinking about consequences. Alternatives to Plumbers Why would anybody in England prefer to get their leaks fixed by Polish plumbers these days. Why would they? Why would they favour foreigners over their home-made counterparts? Could these Poles have something that English people don't? Are they doing something their British colleagues aren't? Mike Scantlebury, Internet Author, has an opinion. Alternatives to positive thinking What's all this 'positive' stuff? Why do we have to keep smiling? What's this obsession with always looking on the bright side. Maybe there are other world views, and this article points you in that direction, out there in the world, maybe China. Find out more about being positive where it counts, in planning and doing. After all, the question is, where are you - now and in the future - not what you can say about it. Alternatives to pretending We are who we think we are. Are we? Or are we who we say we are? Or, more accurately, we seem to be whom we pretend to be. That's good, surely, making out you're more than you are; more important; more - everything. Not according to this author. You spend effort pretending to be who you're not and you'll spend up, with nothing to show for it. Try another way. Alternatives to reality, every day So, what's it to be, young man? Why, you could be a famous sports personality, a singer or creative artist, all without work or effort. You could be rich, famous, an expert in your field, and all without practice. Uh, wait a minute: where are we going? You think it's possible to achieve anything without daily effort? Time to think again. Moving forward is easy, but you have to move your feet. One step at a time. Alternatives to running for the bus Why do some people always miss the bus? Maybe it's bad luck, and 'being in the wrong place at the wrong time'. Or maybe it's way past time for excuses and people have to start thinking and planning ahead, finding out what the bus timetable says and organising their lives, instead of embarrassing themselves. See what Internet Author Mike Scantlebury thinks. He might surprise you. Alternatives to speed Who do we think we are fooling? When we rush around hectically, always hurrying, do we seriously think that people are conned into believing that what we are doing is important, and where we are going means anything? Are we rushing in order to convince ourselves that any of it really matters? Alternatives to standing still It's common sense. Standing still takes no energy and jogging burns up calories. Wrong. Life's not like that. Every day we struggle and strain just to stay where we are, not because we like it, but because it feels familiar. We interpret that as comfortable and safe. Wrong. Changing course is almost as difficult as staying in the same rut. Try it. Alternatives to story telling If the medium changes, so does the message - or so the message went in the 1970s. Does anyone still believe that? More likely, the skills, experiences and ingredients of good story telling have actually stayed the same over the years, even if quill pens have given way to computerised word processors. At least, that's what this author thinks. Agree? Or disagree, it's up to you. Alternatives to SUMO 'Moving On' is good advice for all kinds of self improvement, but is it essential to 'Shut Up'? Mike Scantlebury explores the options for trying to ditch bad feelings and make progress in your life. Find out what 'SUMO' means, then compare it to 'TOMO' or 'SOMO'. One way or another, it's possible to get to where you want to be. Alternatives to the downward spiral How come 'bad luck comes in threes'? Because good luck comes in 3s too, and 5s, and 7s. Things are linked. One item often piles on top of another. If it's bad news, then there's more to come, and soon you're on the downward spiral. But - something that most people don't stop to think about is that good news never travels alone either. One good thing can lead to another. There's an upward spiral as well as a down facing one! Alternatives to the past What's so good about the past? It seems so certain, so solid. It's there to tell us who we are and where we came from. Actually, it doesn't exist. It's there in our heads and we have to recreate the details in our minds. It's actually as flabby and full of fantasy as our dreams about the future. Let Mike Scantlebury demolish your obsessions and chip away at your bad memories. After all, they're holding you back. Alternatives to The Secret What's the attraction of a secret? Why go out looking for something new when you already have the answer in your own hands? Are the answers we already know too mundane and too much like hard work that we have to go on seeking, questing, even when the only things we ever find are the same old tired formulas and exhortations. How old do we have to get before we will start looking in our own backyard for the wisdom we already possess? Alternatives to The Switch Why make a big deal out of it? If you really want to be rich, there must be a simple place to start, surely? Mike Scantlebury takes up the challenge, by giving you a simple exercise, so simple that 99 out of the hundred people who read the advice are sure as hell not going to take it. 'First make me rich' is the usual demand. No, that's not it. First do and act like you're rich is actually the best place to start. Everything else follows. Alternatives to Torture, 1 Do we have all the answers? If we know so much, why do we have to torture people to find out what they know? Why don't they tell us? Is it because they know less than we do? Internet Author Mike Scantlebury is good at putting the questions. See if you know more than him, and fill in your own answers in this conundrum of an article. Alternatives to Torture, part 2 Bad things happen to bad people, don't they say? If people get tortured, it must be their fault, right? Nobody is going to break your legs without a good reason. Probably. On the other hand, if you had actually done something, you'd be in court, not in a dungeon, far from home and not known about. If you're secret, then who has got something to hide - you, or us? Alternatives to Viagra Men are hopeless. Most of them are useless in bed, and worse, they don't want to discuss it, so will never find out where they are going wrong. Problems? Viagra is no answer, but who wants to hear that? What man wants to hear how he can improve his performance if it involves time, effort and - worst of all - talking. No, far better to waste money on the internet and hope the little blue pill isn't 'fake' ! Alternatives to working People are careful not to pick your pocket, but somehow they still expect to be given the keys to your car and the password to your bank account. That's stealing! Why go onto the internet and expect a new set of morals to have taken over? Why should you profit from someone else's hard work? Is it because you simply don't want to have to work? Is there any alternative? Internet Authors are farmers, really As the age of Traditional Publishing draws to an end, authors are finding that the internet can now meet all their needs, for getting published and being heard. Writers make contact with readers through the web, get feedback and improve their craft. Their work grows in the sunlight of positive criticism, watered by the rain of encouragement. The author brings in a well-deserved harvest. Just like farmers, maybe? Internet Authors are Market Traders Internet Authors set up scruffy and unprofessional web sites to display their wares. What does that remind you of? Why - the market stalls that clutter the pavements of downtown areas in cities all over the world. Maybe this 'new wave' doesn't need the plush offices of Traditional Publishers. Maybe they scorn the fripperies of clubs, lunches and award ceremonies. The question is - are the books any good? Internet Authors are protest writers If several authors are writing books on similar themes does this make a 'trend'? Traditional Publishers don't think so. They've never heard of Protest Novelists or Challenging Writers, but this could be the 'next big thing' in the world of books. To find it, you might have to look on the internet, but that's no bad thing. There's plenty of good stuff out there, just waiting to be read. Internet Authors are the new Black Swans Life is so unpredictable. Just when you were pretty sure that all swans were white, someone goes off and discovers Australia, where swans can be found that are black. No one was expecting that. Likewise, no one is expecting the edifice of Traditional Publishing to crumble, but after 250 years it is finally beginning to shake. Internet Authoring is the way of the future. That's a surprise too. Internet Authors are the new Slush Pile Why do publishers contradict themselves? They want first choice of new novels, but maintain a publication rate that is suicidally low. They underestimate the internet and want authors to try them first, but give no guarantees that submissions will even be read. If authors choose the web as a priority, then Traditional Publishers will have to become Internet Prospectors, digging for gold. Internet Authors aren't carnivores Calling people names doesn't solve anything, and for Traditional Publishers to pretend that Internet Authors aren't what they claim to be is hardly going to advance the debate. Join Internet Author Mike Scantlebury in looking at the pros and cons of putting up your newly-written book on the web, and just see if what he is saying doesn't make sense. It could be the best move you made all week. Internet Authors aren't Dummies Why do would-be authors put themselves down? Why do they assume they must be 'dummies', just because they haven't been published - yet? Everyone has to start somewhere, but why should clever, creative people assume they have to go back to kindergarten? Get your books out on the internet and sidestep the harrassing and negative feedback, so-called 'advice' and putdowns. Internet Authors aren't losers Authors who feel depressed and defeated by life need to realise that they are only feeling bad because they are currently trapped in a game, run by biased people with their own agenda. Writers need to keep on writing and start making their own rules, using the Internet to find a home for their work and coming to terms with the way the world actually works - badly for struggling authors. Internet Authors don't need advice You're an author. You're feeling a little isolated, a bit lonely. You want comfort and encouragement. You ask for advice. Bad luck! What you get is unhelpful and contradictory. Better to ignore these offerings and get your work into print. On the internet. The only place that accepts whatever you have to offer and gives you feedback once the work is in print, not stifling your efforts before they ever see the light of day. Internet Authors don't need Club Class What have 'bacon bits' got to do with new novels and Internet Publishing? See what Mike Scantlebury has to say about the obsession of Traditional Publishers for the supposed First Class of novel writing, and check out what other options might be available for the aspiring author and would-be writer. Internet Authors don't need cut-offs Close the doors. Don't let anyone else in. That seems to be the message from bureaucrats and rule makers the world over. Why? Is there really a question of Health and Safety? Or is it just that a man with a pen and a penchant for control has decided to make up a few rules, draw some boundaries and decide some outcomes. Is it necessary? Does it help? Let Mike Scantlebury take you through the arguments. Internet Authors don't need fame Tough being an author? Even tougher being a publisher! But in the world of Traditional Publishing there's all kinds of self-inflicted pain, most of which is no help to themselves, or their clients. Tune in with Mike Scantlebury and hear why he's an Internet Author, not bothering with the follow-my-leader of the last 250 years, now hopelessly out of date. Internet Authors don't need friends You want to write a book and see it in print? So who do you think is going to help you? Not your 'friends'. Not the people who like you as you are and don't want to see you change. Not the people who are jealous of your talent and your ambition. Not the people on the same road, the same race track, aiming for the same finishing line. You think they'll help? Think again. You're on your own. Make the most of it. Internet Authors don't need greed Who needs money? Well, we live in a cash-based culture, so that must be everyone, right? Yes, we need funds but that doesn't mean we have to be in thrall to it. Break loose! Feel free! Hear what Mike Scantlebury has to say about why bother writing the book you've always dreamed of. Internet Authors don't need money Every author wants to make a fortune, right? Of course, so that they can pay their publishers back for what they owe them; their agent; the PR guy; and the trainee who fetches the coffee. Oh, and the plush offices. The authors pay for them, don' they. Not much gets through to the creators of the books, but you wouldn't expect that, would you? You would? Seriously? Internet Authors don't need needs Ever wondered how to give the publisher exactly what they want? Forget it. Even if they knew, by the time they made up their mind, they'd have already moved on. Yes, check out Mike Scantlebury and see what he has to say on the subject of writing, publishing and finding out how to give the readers what they want - a much better idea. Internet Authors don't need nonsense Okay, so you've written a book and you're looking for advice. It would be nice to hear from an 'expert'. Unfortunately, most people turn to publishers instead. What hopes have you got of learning anything? Mike Scantlebury, Internet Author, isn't impressed with the standards of feedback available. Hear his story. Internet Authors don't need Patrons What year is it? What century are we living in? It seems like Traditional Publishers don't know. They like to pretend that 'publishing is a business' and that it's 'all about the money', then they pick and choose authors like they're actually the aristocratic Patrons of old, preferencing grand and flowery Literature over best-selling schlock. What's up with these guys? Can't they make up their minds? Internet Authors don't need prospectors Publishers need authors, (they say). If that's so, why don't they read the stuff that arrives in the post? Because they aren't prospectors, says Mike Scantlebury, Internet Author. Publishers don't actually sieve the dross, looking for nuggets of gold. How could they? They're far too busy doing lunch and attending ceremonies, you know, important stuff, he says. Internet Authors don't need timing Unpublished authors are swamped by advice. Is any of it any good? Internet Author Mike Scantlebury comes out swinging, challenging the idea that 'timing is everything', especially away from the world of Traditional Publishing and out on the frontier of writing and the internet. It's a thrilling world out there, full of possibilities. Try it! Internet Authors don't use quills Every artist has a hero, someone they admired when younger and then set out to emulate. But do they copy the person or just follow in their footsteps? If you want to go the way of William Shakespeare does that mean you have to use a quill pen and write on parchment? Or is their another way? Perhaps we can learn from the best of new techology, while not ignoring the lessons of the past. Internet Authors free the genie What if? What if? The perennial call of the dreamer, the visionary, and the Internet Author. Such creative writers have seen the future, and it's not as we know it. It includes the end of the domination of Traditional Publishers and the rise in importance of The Reader, the ultimate customer of all writers. People may now make their livings on the net. What next? Mike Scantlebury has a prediction. Internet Authors have feelings too You've written a novel? Sure, you want to get it published. That's easy, if you're a robot. On the other hand, if you're a human being with genuine feelings, then you're going to stumble, fall, and eventually be totally defeated by the humiliation of rejection that seems to be the norm being handed out by Traditional Publishers. That's enough. If you want another way, try Internet Publishing. It works. Internet Authors live in the present Bad day? If you're already feeling bad, it's hard enough to cope with the 'here and now'. And who knows what disasters tomorrow may bring? Talk to Mike Scantlebury and hear why it's a good idea to 'pick yourself up' and start again, but even better to brush off the dust of defeat as well as keeping your head out of the clouds of what might be coming. (It might not.) Let's talk about 'now'. What can we do - today? The 7 Levels of Publishing, Part Three At last, the Third Part of the trilogy brings an end to the saga. It's not Shrek, Spiderman or Oceans, but it does help to explain how such ideas get into print and reach the reading public, as well as why many of them fail. What's the best thing for authors to do? How can they get their efforts published? Mike brings his incisive wit to bear, and turns the spotlight on an industry in crisis. The 7 Levels of Publishing, Part Two In this second part of a long article, Mike Scantlebury continues to expound his theory that Traditional Publishers and authors want completely different things. He shows how Internet Publishing can help the struggling author and provide precisely what they are looking for, without any of the angst, frustration and disappointment found by pursuing Traditional Publishers.

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