23 April 2015

Smoke in the Water A Military Writers Guild interview with

Founder Nate Finney

Some people you meet are truly genuine in all respects. They treat you with the utmost respect and leave you thinking you are a better person just for spending a few moments with them. I now have the pleasure of sharing one such interaction with you here. A word of advice, break out your favorite notebook because there are valuable gems shared by Guild founding member Nate Finney.

As my inquiries into modeling successful writing practices continue, Nate offers several valuable suggestions — I am now contemplating which book to christen a “great works” notebook; taking Ellen Haring’s advice it will probably be something disruptive. There will certainly be a page reserved for Emile Simpson’s War from the Ground Up — particularly, “continuous conflict idea implicitly challenges the utility of war as a decisive political instrument.” I am also placing Karl Marlantes’ What It Is Like To Go To War and Matterhorn on my reading list. I will let my office mates crack the code on the standing desk idea — they all keep getting selected for major command so I can migrate desks soon enough.

As to be expected, an interview with Nate is going to be largely about Scotch and strategy. Despite picking up a taste for Hendricks Gin after a visit to Carl’s Cantina, I am not sure I am ready to take the peaty plunge. I’ll leave the Islay and Speyside for the anointed strategists — for now.

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