Issue 11 - Could we build more libraries and fewer prisons?

11/ A large number of people in UK prisons (around 3 in 5 according to one prison librarian) have reading problems or dyslexia. There needs to be research into the connection between difficulties with literacy and eventual crime to help people before they resort to crime. Access to good help with reading and communication difficulties needs to be a priority. Wouldn't it be great if by addressing this issue, we could build more libraries and fewer prisons?

• Do you have any experience of this?


• Do you know of good research about this?


• How do you feel about this?


• How can 'Word Nerds' help on a local/National/International scale


• How can we use the internet to help?


• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Issue 10 - Stories are important

10/ Stories are important.

• Do you have any experience of this?


• Do you know of good research about this?


• How do you feel about this?


• How can 'Word Nerds' help on a local/National/International scale


• How can we use the internet to help?


• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Issue 9 - Books give you access to great minds

9/Books give you access to great minds.

• Do you have any experience of this?
• Do you know of good research about this?
• How do you feel about this?
• How can 'Word Nerds' help on a local/National/International scale
• How can we use the internet to help?
• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Issue 8 - Illness, bad fortune and/or poverty need not be a significant barrier to success. Web 2.0 can re-enable people facing hardship

8/ Illness, bad fortune and/or poverty need not be a significant barrier to success. Web 2.0 can re-enable people facing hardship.

• Do you have any experience of this?


• Do you know of good research about this?


• How do you feel about this?


• How can 'Word Nerds' help on a local/National/International scale?


• How can we use the internet to help?


• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Issue 7 - The online book community is very motivated & supportive. Reading & Writing are solitary. Twitter brings social element.

7/ The online book community is very motivated & incredibly supportive of new & established talent. Reading and writing are solitary activities. Twitter brings in a social element regardless of location or physical mobility.

• Do you have any experience of this?


• Do you know of good research about this?


• How do you feel about this?


• How can 'Word Nerds' help on a local/National/International scale?


• How can we use the internet to help?


• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Issue 6 - Men and women can work together towards a common goal - as can different cultures - on twitter

6/Men and women can work together towards a common goal - as can different cultures - on twitter. Twitter has a positive part to play.

• Do you know of good research about this?
• How do you feel about this?
• How can 'Word Nerds' help on a local/National/International scale?
• How can we use the internet to help?
• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Issue 5 - There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a pin-up. There is everything wrong with thinking that is your only option

5/ There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a pin-up. There is everything wrong with thinking that is your only option. Choice is crucial.

• Do you have any experience of this?


• Do you know of good research about this?


• How do you feel about this?


• How can 'Word Nerds' help on a local/National/International scale?


• How can we use the internet to help?


• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Issue 4 - Many people are not aware of the benefits of using libraries during a recession

4/ Many people are not aware of the benefits of using libraries during a recession (free books, cheap DVDs & music, free net access etc.) This needs to change.

• Do you have any experience of this?


• Do you know of good research about this?


• How do you feel about this?


• How can 'Word Nerds' help on a local/National/International scale?


• How can we use the internet to help?


• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Issue 3 - Libraries are variously under-funded or under-attended. More effort needs to go into reconnecting societies with libraries

3/ Libraries are variously under-funded or under-attended. More effort needs to go into reconnecting societies with libraries

• Do you have any experience of this?



• Do you know of good research about this?


• How do you feel about this?


• How can 'Word Nerds' help on a local/National/International scale?


• How can we use the internet to help?


• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Issue 2 - Millions of people don't read, because they are not inclined to read

2/ Millions of people don't read, because they are not inclined to read. Being a 'word nerd' needs to be seen as a good thing.

• Do you have any experience of this?


• Do you know of good research about this?


• How do you feel about this?


• How can 'Word Nerds' help on a local/National/International scale?


• How can we use the internet to help?


• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Issue 1 - Millions of People Don't Read - because They Can't Read

1/ Millions of people don't read, because they can't read. More money needs to go into schemes to give word skills and confidence

• Do you have any experience of this?
  
• Do you know of good research about this?
  
• How do you feel about this?
  
• How can the Word Nerd Army help on a local/National/International scale?
  
• How can we use the internet to help?
  
• What do we know that could help governments to deal with this issue?

Please leave comments. I plan to take action on this. What advice do you have? What can we do as a group of people?

So the Pen is Mightier than the Pin-up. Now What?

The shared ideas that emerged from my campaign to win Ms Twitter with the slogan 'The Pen is Mightier than the Pin-up'. To comment on any of these ideas, please click on the URL and go to the relevant post. You can use the memorable URLs to deep-link from Tweets or blog posts about these subjects. General comments on Ms Twitter or the idea of Word Nerd Army can be left below. Thanks...

1. Millions of people don't read, because they can't read. More money needs to go into schemes to give word skills and confidence http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-1
2. Millions of people don't read, because they are not inclined to read. Being a 'word nerd' needs to be seen as a good thing. http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-2
3. Libraries are variously under-funded or under-attended. More effort needs to go into reconnecting societies with libraries. http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-3
4. Many people are not aware of the benefits of using libraries during a recession (free books, cheap DVDs & music, free net access etc.) This needs to change. http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-4
5. There is nothing wrong with wanting to be a pin-up. There is everything wrong with thinking that is your only option. Choice is crucial. http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-5
6. Men and women can work together towards a common goal - as can different cultures - on twitter. Twitter has a positive part to play. http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-6
7. The online book community is very motivated & incredibly supportive of new & established talent. Reading and writing are solitary activities. Twitter brings in a social element regardless of location or physical mobility. http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-7
8. Illness, bad fortune and/or poverty need not be a significant barrier to success. Web 2.0 can re-enable people facing hardship. http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-8
9. Books give you access to great minds. http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-9
10. Stories are important. http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-10
11. A large number of people in UK prisons (around 3 in 5 according to one prison librarian) have reading problems or dyslexia. There needs to be research into the connection between difficulties with literacy and eventual crime to help people before they resort to crime. Access to good help with reading and communication difficulties needs to be a priority. Wouldn't it be great if by addressing this issue, we could build more libraries and fewer prisons? http://tinyurl.com/wordnerd-11

Point 11 is a big issue and we, as a group, didn't have the necessary information to suggest anything. It may be coincidence but it's got to be worth a look.

This Blog exists in the first instance to promote the above ideas. They all need research, probably a bit of re-wording will happen as we discover more. It would be great if the literary blogging community did battle with some of these concepts and reported back. I'd love to be able to link to lots of great, well researched, blogs about ideas and actions sparked off by this campaign.

If you link to this blog, please write a post about us or about one or other of the aims to help spread the Word Nerd word and support words and books through a really tricky financial time.

I've put this elsewhere but please feel free to promote your books, literacy programmes, libraries etc and link to interesting news and developments in publishing etc. Don't make it a constant advert though or your posts will be removed and you may be blocked. If your comment is specifically about something you've found that directly relates to the goals of the Word Nerd Army then put it in the body of the comment. If you want to comment on one of my posts though, just put it under your name.

Bring on the dancing blog-posts!

Rebecca