There are writing manuals... and there are writing manuals. Endless Joke casts a somewhat ironic and satirical eye over the current state of publishing, very much from one independent writer's perspective, but certainly far from a partisan one. It pokes affectionate fun while genuinely wrestling with some of the complications produced in the wake of traditional publishing's seismic changes. But don't be fooled: it somehow manages to be both punk-rock irreverent and devout as a choirboy-while often funny, and at other times filled with the kind of awe that a lifelong love of writing will generate, you will learn much from this book. About lists. About movies. About how to begin a story and how to end one. And ultimately, about how to stay in love with writing amid the flood of new authors marketing their books, upon the new battlegrounds created by the e-publishing revolution. You will laugh. Maybe even cry. And you will enjoy every moment. Except for maybe a couple low points about halfway through.