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Yes Virginia: Pure Science Fiction Can Entertain
(Original Publishe 2012)
I recently read someone’s rant about how Science Fiction doesn’t need all the Gee Wiz science that pervade the modern era of writing. The author bemoaned the fact that readers prefer the Wiz Bang to real science. They state that those who write Science Fiction with real science are writing to an elite audience of readers.
It was a comment meant to make me think. It did just that. I look into what is being proposed.
Yes we can take all of the stuff of science today and fill the stories with only that. That would truly be Science - Fiction or Fact - depending on whether we depict fictional characters or real people. Science - recognizable today - turned to Fiction with the what if- that is common to Science Fiction - adding fictional but believable characters into the what if of speculation.
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(Original Publishe 2012)
I was recently looking once more for someone to review my book.
I've given away 650 plus copies and have one review to show for it. I have two other reviews that were directly solicited by me so this one is my prize possession though it be short and well, not so sure how sweet.
"What a crummy ending, just left you hanging."
Short and to the point and she's right. I probably need to be slapped for that one. I'm writing a trilogy. Oh, and that's not my excuse- this is my first novel- that's my excuse. But really this is not about blame or pointing fingers. So, I should get back to my point.
I came across a critique site and was sorely tempted to leave a calling card. I did that and it is quite fortunate that most critics won't do anything with your work without a bit more than a calling card. I then proceeded to look at
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Diogenes:The Internet:Writer’s block: a prelude to a rant (Original Published 2012)
I recently embarked on a search. Likened to Diogenes search for an honest man. Except that I’m pretty sure that that would be at best an Oxymoron being that Diogenes was a Cynic that eschewed all things man made. and since my search was confined to the internet… Well, you can’t get more man made than that.
The entire construct of the internet is a man made thing down to the very construct of all the rhetoric. I say rhetoric in the most simplistic notion of it being any exchange of words between people.
Words, words. There is a never ending flow of them across the great divide of wire and air and bits and nibbles. What there is not is a flow of intelligent information. Things of real consequence seem to be jammed up into the system. Log jammed by the rush of too much runoff from the floo
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Passive and Active Voice -The importance of understanding what it is.
(Original Published 2010) I’ll be the first to admit that I have a small problem identifying misplaced usages of either Passive or Active voice and that in many cases I am guilty of not paying attention to them. One certain eventuality is that in a critique forum it will come up and rear it’s head.
This is why it is clearly best to be prepared to accept my ignorance, regret my lack of diligence, and be thankful that I came forewarned and forearmed. Except remembering, in this forum I’m not allowed to shoot the ignorant messenger.
NOTE: It comes as little surprise this user's account was blocked and the blog posting was removed. Forums are not suited to freedom of speech.
When addressing the issue of Passive and Active I first assumed I was being too sensitive to what was occurring. So,
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Japanese Steampunk alternate universe. subtitled how to peeve off your readers. (Original Published 2012)
Just a random thought/ question::
Hypothetically::
If someone writes a novel about Japan- an alternate Japan - with steam punk ish air cars and hunts for gryphons. How important is it that this novel be true to the culture and language of the Japan in our reality?
Is it okay to miss-use the language and misplace the flora and fauna and perhaps even throw in some Chinese folk lore or characters from such into the mix?
Is it worth the risk of peeving off a few readers who are die-hard fans of everything authentically Japanese. Or should you tuck tail and perhaps write about the same stuff only transport it to some far off place like Barsoom.
In other words- when writing fiction how important is it to keep your facts str
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Ay' get me me other crutch will ye, I need to get me dictionary out of stowage!
When did it become poor form for an author to send his readers to a dictionary?
I don't know how many times now that I've perused a review blog or lurked through a writers forum and found so much negative response to the use of large words or words whose meaning has changed enough over the years that someone would suggest that using it for what it was intended was a grand sin.
I have heard every argument from it being purple prose to perhaps trying to talk over the reader's head. But, the truth seems to lie in that no one wants to pick up a dictionary anymore. And in this age when the dictionary is a few clicks away on a keyboard that seems even more phenomenally idiosyncratic at the very least.
I recall when I was young, yes I really do, and maybe I don't remember it all exactly t
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Writers Forums: (Original Published 2012)
Now lest someone get me wrong. I'm not against writer groups or workshops. There is a lot to be had from the notion of a peer review. A place where I can throw out my ideas and some of my prose to be playfully bashed or shaped and reformed. I just believe this should be in a place where I sit eye to eye with a comfortable understanding that this really is meant to assist each person present in honing their craft. It should also be a place where each person's qualification in the craft are visible for all to see so that I know whether I'm interacting with a peer or a mentor. It does make a difference if a peer makes an observation and it is validated by a mentor, in my decision to consider the thought or dismiss it out of hand.
There are many ways I have seen in which forums online can work toward undoing all the hard work I'
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To publish traditionally or not to publish that is the question...
(Original published 2012)
I was going to pontificate on the virtues of self publishing while bashing upon the traditional methods when it occurred to me that I have better things to do with my time.
So here's a link to a website that will be extra helpful if you intend on writing Sci-Fi or Fantasy.(For those who don't know true Science Fiction is non-existent- at least by my crippled understanding of most formal definitions and that's a whole 'nother' discussion.
http://www.tarakharper.com/faq_pub.htm#who_publisher
This is not a rant but it might be long and since I'm not expert it might be opinionated. I did try to keep it somewhat informed. Lacking in citations though.
The above site is written by an established writer who has an agent and a publisher. I don't need to empha
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Explain to me once more why you shot yourself in the foot! (Original published 2012) My coffee is lukewarm and the smell of tobacco and beer fall upon us like a familiar overcoat. The warm face sitting across from me has harsh disparaging eyes. He turns away because he knows I know him all too well. He's the best of friends, even when he's being a troll. Putting his beer down and folding his beard with the thumb and forefingers of each hand he points his head towards me. He says, "I know I said I didn't want to hear your lame ass justifications, but tell me again. The last time I wasn't listening."
I lean into the table lowering my lids a bit and watching him just a moment longer. He's still looking my way, that says something. It's probably safe to go on.
Laying my hands on the table palms down I try to give the appearanc
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Do you really want your readers to be your editors?
(Original published 2012)
Well, yes. At least that's what I had in mind when I asked a few of them to read my book while it was in development.
I felt the lack of takers on that offer was a poor reflection on my ability to write. The trauma of rejection gave me writer's block for about a half second pause.
So, one problem with self publishing may be the perception that I'm still asking those people to edit my work while also asking some to pay for it. Heh, Heh Heh, and in a way I am. But, that's only a reflection on the system of self publishing.
Some things to remember:
You shall do extensive spell checking and grammar checking and sentence structure checking. You shall find someone else to go over your work, doing the same things you just di
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