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I've been working on a new XP book incorporating best practices from Pivotal and current software engineering research. As I near the end of the book writing process, I'm looking for recommendations on writing a forward for the book.?
My dream list is...
1) Kent Beck?
2) Ron Jeffries
.....but I've been unsuccessful in getting them to say Yes.
Who else should I ask?
Thanks!
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Todd,
I don't have a big foot print online or in person so I wouldn't expect to be known to you, feel free to treat this advice from a random on the internet.
Do you have any public samples of your writing or philosophy?
I personally don't recognize your name or cant quickly link your contributions to you.
What are you looking to acomplish with the forward?
If your looking to get people that will help you sell maybe getting on a podcast would be a away to get a recognizable name to read it and then asking for a forward.
Something like the .net rocks podcast comes to my mind.
If your looking use the forward to thease ideas are endorsed by the original thought leaders that's a bit harder. Perhaps writing an elevator pitch to get someone to read a draft copy and slowly working through the list of the manifesto signatories.
Bon chance,
David
I've been working on a new XP book incorporating best practices from Pivotal and current software engineering research. As I near the end of the book writing process, I'm looking for recommendations on writing a forward for the book.?
My dream list is...
1) Kent Beck?
2) Ron Jeffries
.....but I've been unsuccessful in getting them to say Yes.
Who else should I ask?
Thanks!
|
Todd,
Something small, but possibly significant: I think you want someone to write a “foreword" to your book, not a “forward” for your book.?
Have you shared a draft of the book with those that you’re asking??
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On Jan 2, 2025, at 4:20?PM, Todd Sedano via groups.io <professor@...> wrote:
I've been working on a new XP book incorporating best practices from Pivotal and current software engineering research. As I near the end of the book writing process, I'm looking for recommendations on writing a forward for the book.?
My dream list is...
1) Kent Beck?
2) Ron Jeffries
.....but I've been unsuccessful in getting them to say Yes.
Who else should I ask?
Thanks!
|
Some ideas on who to ask... Ward Cunningham. Bob Martin.? Martin Fowler.? GeePaw Hill.? Michael Feathers. Jim Newkirk. Jeff Langr.
Pivotals own?Elisabeth Hendrickson.
I've been working on a new XP book incorporating best practices from Pivotal and current software engineering research. As I near the end of the book writing process, I'm looking for recommendations on writing a forward for the book.?
My dream list is...
1) Kent Beck?
2) Ron Jeffries
.....but I've been unsuccessful in getting them to say Yes.
Who else should I ask?
Thanks!
|
Steve, how about James Grenning or Tim Ottinger or?Josh Kerievsky? (or possibly Uncle Bob?)
On Thu, Jan 2, 2025 at 8:37?PM Steve Taggart via <steve.taggart= [email protected]> wrote: Todd,
Something small, but possibly significant: I think you want someone to write a “foreword" to your book, not a “forward” for your book.?
Have you shared a draft of the book with those that you’re asking??
I've been working on a new XP book incorporating best practices from Pivotal and current software engineering research. As I near the end of the book writing process, I'm looking for recommendations on writing a forward for the book.?
My dream list is...
1) Kent Beck?
2) Ron Jeffries
.....but I've been unsuccessful in getting them to say Yes.
Who else should I ask?
Thanks!
|
Todd, it sounds like your target audience might not be familiar with XP or some of the Pivotal practices your book covers. While I don’t have a specific name to suggest, an author well-known to your ideal reader for other engineering topics could help establish credibility for those new to this material.
On Fri, Jan 3, 2025 at 12:58?AM Brad Appleton via <Brad.Appleton= [email protected]> wrote: Steve, how about James Grenning or Tim Ottinger or?Josh Kerievsky? (or possibly Uncle Bob?)
On Thu, Jan 2, 2025 at 8:37?PM Steve Taggart via <steve.taggart= [email protected]> wrote: Todd,
Something small, but possibly significant: I think you want someone to write a “foreword" to your book, not a “forward” for your book.?
Have you shared a draft of the book with those that you’re asking??
I've been working on a new XP book incorporating best practices from Pivotal and current software engineering research. As I near the end of the book writing process, I'm looking for recommendations on writing a forward for the book.?
My dream list is...
1) Kent Beck?
2) Ron Jeffries
.....but I've been unsuccessful in getting them to say Yes.
Who else should I ask?
Thanks!
|
Let’s take a step back.
What does OP hope to gain by having am intro from a famous person in this corner of the industry? Is the premise that “Someone will see I was endorsed by Name so they will be more likely to buy the book?” That might be a reasonable expectation if you think people will physically pick up a book before purchasing it, e.g. at a bookstore. Is that what you think will happen… or are sales apt to be primarily online? …In which case, I’m not sure you need to bother.?
Also, what’s in it for the famous person? In fiction circles, there’s the practice of “blurbing a book” — writing the three sentences on a back cover that says, “The best thing I’ve read since Heinlein!” (And I can confirm that an endorsement can make a difference, as it’s worked on me!) To blurb a book, you have to read or at least scan it; otherwise, how can you honestly recommend it? But you’re asking Famous Person to write at least a few pages. That’s work, and it requires them to truly read your whole book. If you’re friends with the person, that isn’t necessarily a hardship, but it may be a lot to ask otherwise.
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On Jan 3, 2025, at 1:37?AM, Steven Solomon via groups.io <solomon.steven.m@...> wrote:
Todd, it sounds like your target audience might not be familiar with XP or some of the Pivotal practices your book covers. While I don’t have a specific name to suggest, an author well-known to your ideal reader for other engineering topics could help establish credibility for those new to this material. On Fri, Jan 3, 2025 at 12:58?AM Brad Appleton via ??<Brad.Appleton= [email protected]> wrote: Steve, how about James Grenning or Tim Ottinger or?Josh Kerievsky? (or possibly Uncle Bob?)
On Thu, Jan 2, 2025 at 8:37?PM Steve Taggart via ??<steve.taggart= [email protected]> wrote: Todd,
Something small, but possibly significant: I think you want someone to write a “foreword" to your book, not a “forward” for your book.?
Have you shared a draft of the book with those that you’re asking??
I've been working on a new XP book incorporating best practices from Pivotal and current software engineering research. As I near the end of the book writing process, I'm looking for recommendations on writing a forward for the book.?
My dream list is...
1) Kent Beck?
2) Ron Jeffries
.....but I've been unsuccessful in getting them to say Yes.
Who else should I ask?
Thanks!
|
Suggestions don't need to be debated.???I'll leave it up to the author to consider.?
Let’s take a step back.
What does OP hope to gain by having am intro from a famous person in this corner of the industry? Is the premise that “Someone will see I was endorsed by Name so they will be more likely to buy the book?” That might be a reasonable expectation if you think people will physically pick up a book before purchasing it, e.g. at a bookstore. Is that what you think will happen… or are sales apt to be primarily online? …In which case, I’m not sure you need to bother.?
Also, what’s in it for the famous person? In fiction circles, there’s the practice of “blurbing a book” — writing the three sentences on a back cover that says, “The best thing I’ve read since Heinlein!” (And I can confirm that an endorsement can make a difference, as it’s worked on me!) To blurb a book, you have to read or at least scan it; otherwise, how can you honestly recommend it? But you’re asking Famous Person to write at least a few pages. That’s work, and it requires them to truly read your whole book. If you’re friends with the person, that isn’t necessarily a hardship, but it may be a lot to ask otherwise.
? On Jan 3, 2025, at 1:37?AM, Steven Solomon via <solomon.steven.m= [email protected]> wrote:
Todd, it sounds like your target audience might not be familiar with XP or some of the Pivotal practices your book covers. While I don’t have a specific name to suggest, an author well-known to your ideal reader for other engineering topics could help establish credibility for those new to this material. On Fri, Jan 3, 2025 at 12:58?AM Brad Appleton via ??<Brad.Appleton= [email protected]> wrote: Steve, how about James Grenning or Tim Ottinger or?Josh Kerievsky? (or possibly Uncle Bob?)
On Thu, Jan 2, 2025 at 8:37?PM Steve Taggart via ??<steve.taggart= [email protected]> wrote: Todd,
Something small, but possibly significant: I think you want someone to write a “foreword" to your book, not a “forward” for your book.?
Have you shared a draft of the book with those that you’re asking??
I've been working on a new XP book incorporating best practices from Pivotal and current software engineering research. As I near the end of the book writing process, I'm looking for recommendations on writing a forward for the book.?
My dream list is...
1) Kent Beck?
2) Ron Jeffries
.....but I've been unsuccessful in getting them to say Yes.
Who else should I ask?
Thanks!
|
I'd plus-one the suggestion for Elisabeth Hendrickson.
Suggestions don't need to be debated.???I'll leave it up to the author to consider.?
Let’s take a step back.
What does OP hope to gain by having am intro from a famous person in this corner of the industry? Is the premise that “Someone will see I was endorsed by Name so they will be more likely to buy the book?” That might be a reasonable expectation if you think people will physically pick up a book before purchasing it, e.g. at a bookstore. Is that what you think will happen… or are sales apt to be primarily online? …In which case, I’m not sure you need to bother.?
Also, what’s in it for the famous person? In fiction circles, there’s the practice of “blurbing a book” — writing the three sentences on a back cover that says, “The best thing I’ve read since Heinlein!” (And I can confirm that an endorsement can make a difference, as it’s worked on me!) To blurb a book, you have to read or at least scan it; otherwise, how can you honestly recommend it? But you’re asking Famous Person to write at least a few pages. That’s work, and it requires them to truly read your whole book. If you’re friends with the person, that isn’t necessarily a hardship, but it may be a lot to ask otherwise.
? On Jan 3, 2025, at 1:37?AM, Steven Solomon via <solomon.steven.m= [email protected]> wrote:
Todd, it sounds like your target audience might not be familiar with XP or some of the Pivotal practices your book covers. While I don’t have a specific name to suggest, an author well-known to your ideal reader for other engineering topics could help establish credibility for those new to this material. On Fri, Jan 3, 2025 at 12:58?AM Brad Appleton via ??<Brad.Appleton= [email protected]> wrote: Steve, how about James Grenning or Tim Ottinger or?Josh Kerievsky? (or possibly Uncle Bob?)
On Thu, Jan 2, 2025 at 8:37?PM Steve Taggart via ??<steve.taggart= [email protected]> wrote: Todd,
Something small, but possibly significant: I think you want someone to write a “foreword" to your book, not a “forward” for your book.?
Have you shared a draft of the book with those that you’re asking??
I've been working on a new XP book incorporating best practices from Pivotal and current software engineering research. As I near the end of the book writing process, I'm looking for recommendations on writing a forward for the book.?
My dream list is...
1) Kent Beck?
2) Ron Jeffries
.....but I've been unsuccessful in getting them to say Yes.
Who else should I ask?
Thanks!
|
As one of the original targets, please let me express my thoughts on this. They are not in any sense final, or even remotely correct.
1. I do not know OP, nor their work, so my initial reaction to a request is “no, I’m tired and retired and older than everyone in the room, just no.” 2. I would have to read the book. Then I’d have to decide whether to write the foreword. If I didn’t think the book was a real contribution, I wouldn’t want to endorse it with a foreword, and I would feel bad about wasting OP’s time. 3. I should probably read the book anyway, in hopes of improving it, but it seems the book is done and we are just now looking for a Big Name to write the foreword. Did any well-known XP person collaborate on or edit the book? It seems not.? 4. From a visibility viewpoint, XP is pretty much over. Yes, there are people out there doing what they think of as XP, and I do not know what I would think, or Kent would think, or any of the handful of people I’d trust to assess it. ? It seems to be too late to ensure that the book is as valuable as it would have to be for me to write a foreword. Just because of the current clamor, I am inclined to at least skim it, if I had a copy.?
It’s not that I can’t be arsed to read things. It’s more that this is so far after the writing that my contribution could only be a kind of endorsement, and I feel that the odds are against my wanting to endorse it at this late date.
I kind of wish I’d been offered and accepted the chance to work with the author, but that, too, did not happen.
It may be a fine book. I do not know. I can’t possibly agree to write a foreword for a book I’ve not even read.
I do hope that it’s a great book, brings great success to its readers and author. I just don’t know that it will, and as such, felt I had to decline to write the foreword.
Ron Jeffries
If another does not intend offense, it is wrong for me to seek it; if another does indeed intend offense, it is foolish for me to permit it. ? -- Kelly Easterley
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On Fri, Jan 3, 2025 at 9:34?AM Steven Solomon via <solomon.steven.m= [email protected]> wrote: I'd plus-one the suggestion for Elisabeth Hendrickson.
I'd plus-plus-one that! :-)
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Group, thank you for all the names that you have suggested.
Ron, thank?you for taking the time to respond to my email. I'll send you a private message.
Although?I've responded to email threads on this group, I realize that I haven't introduced?myself (or at least not in awhile).?
I taught XP at Carnegie Mellon University from ~2006 to 2014 and published academic articles on my experience. From 2014 to 2021, I did Pivotal's form of Extreme Programming. While there, I did my PhD dissertation on Extreme Programming and published several more academic articles about XP. After finishing?my dissertation, I wanted to convert my research into a book. At that time, it had been ~20 years since the original XP books, and I wanted to share what Pivotal had been learning through our iterating on XP.
Getting this book out the door took me eight years as I've had to balance working fulltime, company acquisitions, book writing, and my family. My original reasons for doing a book from ~2016?no longer make sense, but at this point, I'm mostly landing the plane.?
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Steve Taggart
James Grenning