Feb 23, 2010
My guest on this week’s show is
David
Roodman, a research fellow here at CGD who has spent the past
year writing a book on microfinance. He has shared this experience
online through his open
book blog, posting chapter drafts, analyzing ongoing research
in the field, and soliciting comments and suggestions. I ask David
why he decided to write his book in such a public way, and what
he’s learned over the last year.
David replies that when it comes to policy research, people write books for four reasons. “One is to help you think through a complicated process… Another is to provide a basis for shorter spin-off pieces… Another is to signal that you’re an expert about something. And then the last is, oh yeah, to write something for people to read.” David says blogging about the book-writing process has helped him to partially accomplish the first three goals even before the book is complete. It has also, somewhat unexpectedly he says, changed his writing style, something he discussed recently on the blog.
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