Question: what should people who haven't got time to go to a voice teacher do to improve, shape their voice? Anyone found a good book or some words of advice? For popular or folk or jazz styles, not classical. How would you practice? -- I sing all the time, but have no structure at all.

Random thoughts:
One of the most interesting phenomena is listening to people grow into their voice, or learn what to do with it. Patsy Cline is really fascinating: she had this almost operatic voice that no one knew what to do with, so until about a year before her death, her voice has this kind of big, one dimensional sound; and then just before she got killed, the whole bottom of her voice changes beautifully, and she starts really singing. Then she gets killed: proof that there is mindless stupidity in the universe.

I think Willie Nelson's singing, like his guitar playing, is underrated. It is a bit like Fred Astaire: every songwriter wanted to write for him, because although he had not much of a voice, he just made it look so easy.
In terms of natural instruments in today's music, to me Sinead O'Connor has by far the most amazing voice: "Nothing Compares 2 U" is an incredible record. It is a terrible pity she is so traumatized. Sometimes the way.
yours, Peter T.