This is the best sci-fi related news I've read all day! Sci-fi Writers Pournelle and Niven have more imagination and brainpower in their fingernails than the Department of Defense!
Pournelle especially. The man's resume' and collaborations are a "who's who" of modern strategic warfare. Google "Project Thor" or "A Step Farther Out" to see an example of how these people think about real-world problems. Or just go to Pournelle's web blog (started in 1999) and you'll see that asking people like these their opinions is a step in the right direction. http://www.jerrypournelle.com/:
Oh, and they also happen to be excellent writers. Gotta pay the bills...
USA Today has reported in "Sci-fi writersjoin war on terror" that a small group of science fiction writers have been contacted by the U.S. government to advise on new and innovative ways that security could be improved. The group, called Sigma, was formed about 15 years ago by writer Arlan Andrews and was specifically intended to advise the government on advanced technology issues.
Their motto seems ominous in context of recent-history political trends and frighteningly nationalistic: "Science Fiction in the National Interest". I think their involvement is a bit horrifying, misguided, and more than a bit egotistically self-grandiose. Read on for more details.
Six writers - nicknamed the "Sigma Six", after "Six Sigma" (a set of practices for reducing defects through process improvements - see related Dilbert cartoon), met with the Homeland Security group with members of the government's High Impact Technology Solutions ("HITS") program leaders to speculate on innovative ways that technology could improve the government's ability to monitor individuals, identify and assess threats. The six writers involved were Greg Bear, Sage Walker, and Arlan Andrews, Jerry Pournelle, Larry Niven, and Yoji Kondo "Eric Kotani" (USA Today apparently failed to mention Kondo's involvement).
And if this doesn't work, they're going to try using romance novel writers to battle terrorism!
Got a recommendation for you folks , really something different. It's from Australian comedy science fiction writer Ian Taylor, author of the popular Spindle series, has just won the 2007 Indie Excellence Award for Science Fiction. Spindle, the 2005 comedy science fiction novel by Ian Taylor, has won the 2007 Indie Excellence Award in the Science Fiction category.
Spindle tells the story of Peter Turner, a 22nd-century Earth guy who joins the Space Force, expecting an exciting and fun new career enforcing justice around the galaxy. But the Space Force is a bureaucracy like any large company, and right away they get Peter's name wrong, assign him to a dilapidated ship—he Spindle—and partner him with a violent misanthrope with a serious dislike for authority.
In his first week, Peter is shot at, maimed, beaten up and endures several cruel remarks about his hair. Also, there's a monster that eats planets. Peter must use all of his cunning, experience, his Master's degree in trivia and more than a bit of ingenuity just to survive his first week in the Space Force.
This hilarious satire manages to mock all the sacred cows of modern science fiction while maintaining a compelling futuristic narrative.
Scifi and fantasy are my greatest loves when it comes to what I read, admittedly, however, there is a hell of a lot of science fiction and and fantasy that I simply don't understand.
A lot of it seems to center aroung the technology or science and the characters play second fiddle-that's just not the way it's supposed to work. I prefer a story that take seriously character development, while the genre-specific elements of the story serve as backdrop.
Some mistake the setting with the crux or message of the story, a scifi 'setting' will often result in poor character development, plot lines, etc.
This rant is a product of my strufggling to read Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson. In my opinion, it is an uneven (and unwieldy) book-not only that, but I am disappointed with the ending. Bah!
Well, I beleive I am suffering from writer's block. And that has resulted in very little posting online, or any desire to post to my weblog. Nothing interesting to post. While it lasts at least, when I am on the Internet, I'm catching up on my favorite weblogs. So I imagine it isn't time wasted anyway.
So, summer is here! The last few days around here have been amazing. Sunday it was like 65! I'm so happy to be finally be able to throw open the shutters and let breeze roll through!
Anyway - I was checking out stuff online. Grammar Girl (her podcast was the first one I put on me old iPod! offers the following tips for those suffering from Writer's block:
If you're going to procrastinate, force yourself to do something productive. Your choices are folding laundry or writing, not playing solitaire or writing.
Don't get too hung up on writing the first sentence or paragraph. If you have a great quote or a great plot point, and it falls in the middle of your story, write that first and come back to the beginning later. That's how I wrote this transcript. I wrote the tips about generating freelance story ideas first, and then I jotted down a few things about overcoming writer's block. Then I went back to the beginning. I jump around a lot, and I find it helps me to keep writing when I feel stuck.
Free writing. When I was in college, I had a professor who forced us to do free-writing exercises. We had to sit at our desks and write without stopping for 30 minutes. It didn't matter what we wrote. She just watched to make sure that we were constantly putting pen to paper. I found it a very useful exercise, so you might give it a try if you are having a creative block. And a bonus is that it can also be a good way to come up with story ideas.
But nothing focuses my mind like a deadline. So set yourself a deadline and try to make it as real as possible. Line up friends to read your story and tell them you'll deliver it at a certain time. Plan a date, but let yourself go out only if you finish your story. Maybe you're not like this, but I don't take a deadline seriously unless I know that something bad is going to happen if I don't finish on time. All you listeners are now my "something bad" because I know you'll be unhappy if I release my show late.
Anyway, I came across the above and thought they were pretty good tips. I haven't put any into action yet, though. Maybe later today.
When marathoner Roger Bannister (now knighted!) crossed an Oxford finish line on a windy day in 1954, he was certain he had achieved a four-minute mile.
The rest of the world, however, was amazed. The previous record had stood for nine years and writers of the time had created a myth around the four-minute mile. They had made their readership believe it was an unreachable and possibly even dangerous goal.
So what does this have to do with my writing? Just as the media in the fifties had influenced people to believe that a mile could not be completed in four minutes, we have persuaded ourselves that we can't write quickly.
Of course, I've had poor creative days too-days when writing five hundred words all day would have seemed like an insurmountable task. You can't write when you are tired or not in the mood - and quickly at that!.
But if you have a topic you're reasonably familiar with (and really dig), there's no good reason why you can'tspeed through it. Writing can be good-even if it comes quickly.
Actually, I have discovered that my fast creations are often better slow and laborious writings. Presently. I often time myself when I write-an egg timer is perfect for this.
But even more important, I keep a list of accomplishments, writing down the date, # of words, how long it took. The reason behind of recording your results is that you will track your development-much as a marathoner might record their speed. Thus, you will also likely find out that you can write fast-and well.
I have a confession to make. When I am planning to submit a story for publication, I always submit to five publications at a time. I could tell you again and again how slowly some magazines respond, so I ignore (sorry editors!) the request to avoid multiple submissions. When an editor holds and then later rejects, a submission after 3 years, one learns quickly that one must look out for themselves. I have been told that they are lost, won't be retuned (after keeping my SASE), that they've been lost in the mail.
So is it unethical to do multiple submissions? No more unethical than holding a submission for a ridiculous amount of time.
I have never had a aubmission accepted by two magazines at the same time. It rarely, if ever, happens because it is quite difficult to get published in a lot of the journals to which I submit. If it does happen, I guess I'll have to suck it up and send a letter saying that I have to withdraw the story from consideration - maybe burninga bridge in at the same time, but hopefully not.
I was watching the Movie Network Saturday morning and saw for the first time the 1967 film adaptation of Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. I had never seen it before. Directed by Francois Truffaut, this little unpretentious movie cleverly depicts Bradbury's vision. They have newspapers, but they are comics without words, merely pictures or images, much like the television in each family's living room. Yes, the movie is slow. Yes, the sets and the costumes are very 60ish and very dated. But it has something to say.
Oskar Werner does an excellent job as Guy Montag. I think both Truffaut and Werner wanted the audience to see the fireman's partial dehumanization. He recovers much of that humanity as the film progresses. The supporting cast was good, especially the actor who played the fire chief.
Perhaps something less than one of the great films. But it is a very thoughtfulfilm with a lot to say to its audience.
Frank Darabont has directed only a few films, but each has been a tremendous success. He directed The Shawshank Redemption (1994), The Majestic (2001) among some other great movies. Writes Empire Online:
Frank Darabont is nothing if not versatile. His career as Hollywood writer-director has taken in everything from epic tear-jerkers (The Shawshank Redemption) to terrifying pant-wetters (er, his screenplay for Nightmare On Elm Street 3). Steven Spielberg even asked him to write the first draft for Indiana Jones 4. There's little doubt that he can handle anything he puts his mind to, so when we spoke to him recently, we asked him to confirm whether he really plans to tackle cult Ray Bradbury novel Farenheit 451.
"I've written the script for Farenheit 451 and think it's the best thing I've ever done," he enthused. "As soon as the dust settles on the M:I-3 situation I'm going to try and make it, as it's been a passion project for me since I was about nine years old. Actually, before I even knew I wanted to be a filmmaker I wanted to make that movie."
The story imagines a frightening not-so-distant future where all books are banned and people brainwashed with mind-numbing, compulsory television shows. Instead of putting out fires, firemen start them in order to burn literature. The hero, one such fireman, is forced to go on the run after his curious young daughter brings a forbidden book home.
"The Truffaut version was markedly lacking in passion, which was very bizarre to me considering what a passionate book it is," says Darabont. "As a literary work it's a cry from the heart and Truffaut's film was like paint drying on a stick. I don't consider this a remake. I'm doing this as an adaptation of a book that's never been done before, that's never been made before."
Darabont isn't the only one in Hollywood to be blown away by the book - earnest superstar Mel Gibson snapped up the rights a while back with a view to making it himself.
"Well, I was raising my hand back then saying, "Mel, do you need a writer?". He didn't, but after trying to develop it for a few years he cooled on the idea of directing it himself. I met with him one day and said, "Let me come and grab the ball because this is the movie I would sell all my wordly possessions to make." And it speaks well of the man that he's been so gracious and supportive. He's a good fellow."
I don't know if I agree with what he had to say about the Truffault piece-it is a little wooden in parts but... Perhaps its too subtle for today's generation. If you are expecting a Sci-Fi film-set in a space-like future, with astounding special effects-you will be disappointed, it's not that sort of film.
This year's Webby Award winners have been announced. You can find the full winners list here. I just chose a few of the award-winners and nominees in a few of the media-related categories, that might be of interest.
For what it's worth, I think the Guardian is the best website of the lot. BloggersBlog.com has an entry about the blog-related winners here.
Hailed as the "Oscars of the Internet" by the New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international award honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites, Interactive Advertising, Online Film & Video, and Mobile Websites. The awards are judged by the International Academy of Digital Arts & Sciences, a global organization that includes David Bowie, Harvey Weinstein, Arianna Huffington, Matt Groening, Jamie Oliver, Internet inventor Vinton Cerf, and RealNetworks CEO Rob Glaser.
Also, NPR podcasts won "Best Podcasts" from the Webby's and "Best Radio" in the public competition. Separately, the NPR on-air commentary, podcast and blog, "My Cancer," created and written by journalist Leroy Sievers, was named for a special Official Honoree recognition.
Winners will be recognized at a ceremony on June 5 in New York City. The list can be found here.
I should probably start thinking about joining a writer's group to keep me disciplined during the summer months. Early on, colleagues had invited me to join groups, but I always declined because I didn't feel that I was at that stage yet. I wanted to focus on my own writing, and not have to devote time to reading other people's work-aside from the novels I was already reading.
I was considering a group based near my home. In addition to its regular monthly meeting, it splits off into sub groups, so I'd be with two other people. We've already begun to trade work online and will likely meet at a cafe sometime soon. I'm not sure whether I should stick with it, because once I commit, I commit!
Speaking of writer's groups, a small press exchange member mentioned a writers group based in Manhattan (how I wished I lived in Manhattan!). Jenn is a member!
Here's their mandate:
A friendly New York City writers group for genre fiction writers. The group supports individuals interested in completing their work and getting published. Those writing short story collections, novellas or novels preferred. Young adult, adult and erotica fiction welcome. The following genres are preferred: Mystery/thriller, science fiction, humor/satire, adventure, historical, romance and fantasy. Meetings take place in southern Manhattan weeknights or Sundays. The group's mission is to aid members in the improvement of their work through constructive critiques, to share market information and network with other writers and to provide a venue for general camaraderie and sharing of like interests.
Already a member? Click here to compose a blog post. Not a member? Click here to join the Small Press Exchange.
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Scifi and fantasy are my greatest loves when it comes to what I read, admittedly, however, there is a hell of a lot of science fiction and and fantasy that I simply don't understand. 
