Yeah, it's one of those things that turns me into a screechy monkey. So I'll let others do the talking.
Via Jim McDonald on Making Light.
Via Jim Wright on Stonekettle Station.
TPMDC on Press Secretary Gibbs' response.
And Think Progress with a scan (and clean up) of the memo.
My basic take on this is what they seem to be saying is if you can't compete in the marketplace of ideas, don't engage in civil discourse.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Progress
Chapter 17 is at 1668 words. Yep, I like this writing on your lunch hour thing. Of course there was a quick confrontation, which I seem to do well at. The next part will be more difficult. I'm thinking of stopping the chapter here. The story has advanced a bit, and there is another good breaking point. My guess is that in rewrite it'll expand to near 2000 words.
The three of them stood in a wedge. Their street clothes were a little too immaculately kept to be anything other than work clothes. The one in front smiled wide. He had short grey hair atop a block of a head set on top of a granite body wrapped in a black silk shirt and black jeans. While not fat, his body said mass in no uncertain terms. He could sink a boat just looking at it. He and Santana were sizing each other up like meat in a deli window.
In August, the grass dies
Just so I'm clear about these things, this August is going to be an exceedingly troublesome one with the various political campaigning on Healthcare Reform. There is a HUGE call out of the troops on both sides, with both side claiming "grass-roots." Well, neither side has it in this debate. Grassroots are not top down organizations, they're bottom up. And on both sides special interest groups and political action groups/committees are driving the debate, organizing the protests, and providing support.
Their actions drown out those of us who are "grass-roots" and compromise our actions. Doesn't mean I'll stop.
Their actions drown out those of us who are "grass-roots" and compromise our actions. Doesn't mean I'll stop.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Story Bone
Misoverheard quotes:
"Waiting for the room to rise."
conversely
"Waiting for the womb to rise."
I didn't write down what the actual line was, but it most certainly wasn't either.
"Waiting for the room to rise."
conversely
"Waiting for the womb to rise."
I didn't write down what the actual line was, but it most certainly wasn't either.
Question about Feedburner and Mini Rant
Because my techno-fu fails me, has anybody used FeedBurner (now a part of Google)? I was thinking of managing my feeds through it and got halfway done when the copy I read sounded like if you use Feedburner, it chops off all the other feeds (RSS and Atom). Anybody know how it works? I know a lot of you read me through RSS feeds, I'd like to get better tools on that side of the blogging.
And then, just because I've always been accused of being an apologist for Apple products, my slight rant. Why, Apple, did you have to go screwing around with the menus for iTunes? I mean, seriously, why? Why is the import options function now hidden in a sub-dialog box when I used to be able to set it from one of the preference panels? Stupid. Some of us to change our settings depending on what we're importing, you know. This change makes it really damn hard to do that.
And then, just because I've always been accused of being an apologist for Apple products, my slight rant. Why, Apple, did you have to go screwing around with the menus for iTunes? I mean, seriously, why? Why is the import options function now hidden in a sub-dialog box when I used to be able to set it from one of the preference panels? Stupid. Some of us to change our settings depending on what we're importing, you know. This change makes it really damn hard to do that.
Sunday, August 2, 2009
I learned everything I needed to know in 6 years of college (except everything else I needed to know) - What price art.
First an update, Chapter 17 stands at 682 words. About half of that was from this previous week. So, some progress. Not much, but some. And now back to your regular blogging.
This one is going to piss off a few people. To start off you need to know that I hold a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Akron Meyer's School of Art. I have a lot of Art History floating around in my cerebellum, including a bunch that most people have never seen (History of Ephemera, anybody?). I can sling the wonderful magical words of art like a pro, because I am one. What I'm about to say launched a semester-long fight in art school. It took place in the sophomore level classes. That's when the revelation took place as our instructors told us the dirty truth.
What we do isn't art and we aren't artists.
It may quack like a duck, and it may waddle, but it ain't no duck. It's a goose. What's the difference between a duck and a goose? A goose can feed a family of four.
Yes, uproar, consternation, and a general "What you talking about Willis?" attitude pervaded the Graphic Design 200 classes. How dare they (the instructors, all working designers) say we aren't artists? Well, Sparky, we ain't. I'm not going to tell you what we actually are because you won't like it, but we aren't artists.
Now, the two year degree and the actual profession at the time were referred to us as "commercial artists." What we created and sent to press (and even now when it's bits on a disk or email) is called "art." And we're the ones people talk about when they say they "need an artist."
Art isn't what we do. We create communications. And there is a difference.
Right now there's a subtext argument going through the ranks of SF/F/H about literature versus popular fiction. The whole Adam Roberts letter about the Hugos is an example. See, there's those who feel we're still artists and we're making art. Art has "merit." Art has "permanence." When you're creating Art it is to be expected that the great unwashed masses won't get it, because that's what Art is. Art needs to be appreciated. The struggle to produce Art needs to be recognized. Art works deep into the mind and massages out Truth and Meaning. Add in the mythos surrounding the long-suffering struggling artists and it makes those people struggling feel a little better about it.
And it's a steaming pile that needs to be hauled out with a shovel.
You buy "Art" at auctions. I'm on the street peddling my wares. I go to the highest bidder (mostly), the one waving the cash in hand. And I'll create something for them. I'll create something that's from them (and that's what divides us from artists).
See, Art is individual expression. It can even be expanded to be the voice of a generation, but in the end, Art is a singular effort. If I'm creating a piece of "Art" that needs to mimic that it belongs to and comes form my client, it can't be Art.
So how does this relate to writing? Well, it really comes down to what kind of writer you want to be. There's the kind of writer that will do the things that College English professors will use as examples of literary form and function and that the National Book Award will recognize as a fine example of what people should be reading. Except the people tend to read all this trite piffle like Dan Brown, Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, Daniel Steele, Laura K. Hamilton, and all those low brow types. And they read it because the don't know any better and can't appreciate what true artistic merits all these other books that sell less than 5000 copies despite the rave reviews in literary magazine have by the truck load. Or do you want to be the writer that people actually read and enjoy, even if they only sell 5000 or so (I know quite a few books like that)? Do you want to be the writer than entertains and is accessible to the masses (which doesn't mean you can't do all those literary things, you just handle it in a different manner, one which usually doesn't involve the "look at me I'm so clever" pee-pee dance)?
I'll be the later, thanks.
Oh sure, my story will massage parts of you and might impart a little meaning. But with my massage you'll get a Happy Ending(tm) (and, no, that's not the literary term you think it is).
Art? I'm not creating Art. I'm making art. I'm drawing in chalk on the sidewalk. I'm putting out posters and pasting them up all over town. It's my job and I approach it as work. And that's the difference. It may look and feel like art, but it isn't.
This one is going to piss off a few people. To start off you need to know that I hold a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Akron Meyer's School of Art. I have a lot of Art History floating around in my cerebellum, including a bunch that most people have never seen (History of Ephemera, anybody?). I can sling the wonderful magical words of art like a pro, because I am one. What I'm about to say launched a semester-long fight in art school. It took place in the sophomore level classes. That's when the revelation took place as our instructors told us the dirty truth.
What we do isn't art and we aren't artists.
It may quack like a duck, and it may waddle, but it ain't no duck. It's a goose. What's the difference between a duck and a goose? A goose can feed a family of four.
Yes, uproar, consternation, and a general "What you talking about Willis?" attitude pervaded the Graphic Design 200 classes. How dare they (the instructors, all working designers) say we aren't artists? Well, Sparky, we ain't. I'm not going to tell you what we actually are because you won't like it, but we aren't artists.
Now, the two year degree and the actual profession at the time were referred to us as "commercial artists." What we created and sent to press (and even now when it's bits on a disk or email) is called "art." And we're the ones people talk about when they say they "need an artist."
Art isn't what we do. We create communications. And there is a difference.
Right now there's a subtext argument going through the ranks of SF/F/H about literature versus popular fiction. The whole Adam Roberts letter about the Hugos is an example. See, there's those who feel we're still artists and we're making art. Art has "merit." Art has "permanence." When you're creating Art it is to be expected that the great unwashed masses won't get it, because that's what Art is. Art needs to be appreciated. The struggle to produce Art needs to be recognized. Art works deep into the mind and massages out Truth and Meaning. Add in the mythos surrounding the long-suffering struggling artists and it makes those people struggling feel a little better about it.
And it's a steaming pile that needs to be hauled out with a shovel.
You buy "Art" at auctions. I'm on the street peddling my wares. I go to the highest bidder (mostly), the one waving the cash in hand. And I'll create something for them. I'll create something that's from them (and that's what divides us from artists).
See, Art is individual expression. It can even be expanded to be the voice of a generation, but in the end, Art is a singular effort. If I'm creating a piece of "Art" that needs to mimic that it belongs to and comes form my client, it can't be Art.
So how does this relate to writing? Well, it really comes down to what kind of writer you want to be. There's the kind of writer that will do the things that College English professors will use as examples of literary form and function and that the National Book Award will recognize as a fine example of what people should be reading. Except the people tend to read all this trite piffle like Dan Brown, Stephen King, J. K. Rowling, Daniel Steele, Laura K. Hamilton, and all those low brow types. And they read it because the don't know any better and can't appreciate what true artistic merits all these other books that sell less than 5000 copies despite the rave reviews in literary magazine have by the truck load. Or do you want to be the writer that people actually read and enjoy, even if they only sell 5000 or so (I know quite a few books like that)? Do you want to be the writer than entertains and is accessible to the masses (which doesn't mean you can't do all those literary things, you just handle it in a different manner, one which usually doesn't involve the "look at me I'm so clever" pee-pee dance)?
I'll be the later, thanks.
Oh sure, my story will massage parts of you and might impart a little meaning. But with my massage you'll get a Happy Ending(tm) (and, no, that's not the literary term you think it is).
Art? I'm not creating Art. I'm making art. I'm drawing in chalk on the sidewalk. I'm putting out posters and pasting them up all over town. It's my job and I approach it as work. And that's the difference. It may look and feel like art, but it isn't.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
Done for now
Okay, well, there's still somethings I need to change, but most of it is there. Like what I've done to the place?
Things might go wonky for a bit
Upgrading my template. I've been bored with the look of my blog for about a year. No is time to change. So things might go "sprung" in the mean time.
Spent six hours doing woodworking and I'm a bit tired and sore. So now it's time to sit on the couch and catch up on work.
Spent six hours doing woodworking and I'm a bit tired and sore. So now it's time to sit on the couch and catch up on work.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Writerly linkee-poo - the Charm of Three
If you haven't checked out the SFWA LJ lately, you might want to look at them again. SFWA has been doing a lot of cool things lately, like this LJ with interviews, commentary and writing tips. It makes me want to join them again.
The Blood Red Pencil blog is something I stumbled across (can't remember who put a link there, Matt Staggs I think). I haven't read much, but what I have read has been good. Nice writing advice.
Jim Hines is giving his books away for practically nothing. Come on, books for nothing, chicklets for free. What could possibly go wrong (contest ends tomorrow morning).
The Blood Red Pencil blog is something I stumbled across (can't remember who put a link there, Matt Staggs I think). I haven't read much, but what I have read has been good. Nice writing advice.
Jim Hines is giving his books away for practically nothing. Come on, books for nothing, chicklets for free. What could possibly go wrong (contest ends tomorrow morning).
Lucy in the sky
clicky to embiggen, these are 800xwhatevertheyendedupat. More details in the bigger images.
I've restarted doing what I did in college for photography courses, that is taking cloud pictures. Clouds have always fascinated me. I love a dramatic sky. See, in NE Ohio, we don't get many clear, sunny days. So we make lemonade.
So this is what I picture the early Greeks seeing and imagining those are the towers of the gods they were given a glimpse of through the lens of the rain.
These are from this past Sunday, and taken from my driveway as we arrived home from Confluence. I wish I had the camera in the car to get a photo of the drive home on I-80, and I was in too much of a hurry to get home to pull over. It had been a long (but good) weekend.
I've restarted doing what I did in college for photography courses, that is taking cloud pictures. Clouds have always fascinated me. I love a dramatic sky. See, in NE Ohio, we don't get many clear, sunny days. So we make lemonade.
So this is what I picture the early Greeks seeing and imagining those are the towers of the gods they were given a glimpse of through the lens of the rain.
These are from this past Sunday, and taken from my driveway as we arrived home from Confluence. I wish I had the camera in the car to get a photo of the drive home on I-80, and I was in too much of a hurry to get home to pull over. It had been a long (but good) weekend.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Confluence
Confluence was a blast. I didn't get to all the panels I wanted because I took the time to catch up with friends (that seems to take more and more time). And for some bizarre reason on Saturday and Sunday there were panels first thing in the morning that I wanted to go see.
But first a picture.
That's John Scalzi up on stage. Yes, the photo is in focus, John is a blur of energetic raconteurism. Seriously, he's blurred in real life. The only reason his publicity photos aren't blurred is because he took them himself, and it's like those steady cams attached to people with a camera looking back at them. How their head and body seems strangely still but the background is moving like crazy. He kept the audience in the palm of his hand for the hour he did his Guest Host panel which consisted of taking questions from the audience and telling stories of his life. You may know the story of how he met his wife, but it is much more hilarious to hear John tell it in person.
And here I want to thank John Scalzi for being a wonderful guy. I met John, what, three years ago. I was just a commentor on his blog. John networked me within the first three minutes of meeting him in person. He's given me plenty of insight into the business of writing. John's a giver. I hope when my turn comes I'm as gracious and as helpful as he is. I also got to spend plenty of con time in his presence.
Oh, and he has a wicked knife. Just saying (and yes, he demonstrated opening it one handed).
One of the first panels I made it to was on Magic Systems. Here are some disjointed notes beyond the big three ideas (magic must follow rules, you need to compensate for magic within society, and there's always a price to magic). Magic can be a metaphor for or an antithesis of science. With magic you should keep in mind the conservation of mater and energy. There was lots o' bagging on JK Rowling's magic due to ease of use, lack of rules, and lack of price (although I personally think this is not exactly true). There is ceremonial, mental, internal and "power of the Gods" magic, choose one for your world (not all). only with the Gods is magic a panacea. SC Butler made an interesting comparison between Bond Trading (his day job) and sacrificial magic (having one account lose money to move the markets higher to make more money for the rest). Magic can be gnostic, if you have the wisdom you have the power. There's a note to look up Plasma Cosmology as a potential magic system (given by John DeChancie who also used it for his books).
At the end I have a personal note, something I thought of slightly tangental to the conversation. How about a magic system akin to drug addiction. That is after a time you have to do it more and bigger to get the same buzz until eventually it fizzles and you need it just to feel normal (like meth addiction, with all it's side effects).
There was a panel on Fantasy and Folklore. There are differences in story telling between written and oral traditions. Spoken form needs to remind people where they are in the story (if it's over multiple nights). Urban myths as our modern folklore. Truth versus fact or fiction; Truth has resonance, fact or fiction is dry. There are some real stories that don't work for fiction because nobody would buy it as "truth". There was a discussion about areas of politeness and that "niceness" varies with cultures.
The panel of being a full time writer was interesting. Let me sum it up. Have a supportive spouse. Even then, if you want to make a living at it do other writing than genre because you're not going to make a living unless you publish six books a year (3 authors, all male, two make more from non-fiction writing which supports their fiction habit, one all time fiction author publishes 6 or more books a year under several pseudonyms). And you can do everything right, and still not succeed.
Random thoughts. 1) What is the morality of wolves where it concerns the sheep. 2) The meager lens of the past (lack of full documentation).
So, like I said, on the way home I was energized, baby. Ready to kick ass and take names. And here's one reason why.
That was on the way back. Huge full rainbow stretching across the horizon.
But first a picture.
That's John Scalzi up on stage. Yes, the photo is in focus, John is a blur of energetic raconteurism. Seriously, he's blurred in real life. The only reason his publicity photos aren't blurred is because he took them himself, and it's like those steady cams attached to people with a camera looking back at them. How their head and body seems strangely still but the background is moving like crazy. He kept the audience in the palm of his hand for the hour he did his Guest Host panel which consisted of taking questions from the audience and telling stories of his life. You may know the story of how he met his wife, but it is much more hilarious to hear John tell it in person.
And here I want to thank John Scalzi for being a wonderful guy. I met John, what, three years ago. I was just a commentor on his blog. John networked me within the first three minutes of meeting him in person. He's given me plenty of insight into the business of writing. John's a giver. I hope when my turn comes I'm as gracious and as helpful as he is. I also got to spend plenty of con time in his presence.
Oh, and he has a wicked knife. Just saying (and yes, he demonstrated opening it one handed).
One of the first panels I made it to was on Magic Systems. Here are some disjointed notes beyond the big three ideas (magic must follow rules, you need to compensate for magic within society, and there's always a price to magic). Magic can be a metaphor for or an antithesis of science. With magic you should keep in mind the conservation of mater and energy. There was lots o' bagging on JK Rowling's magic due to ease of use, lack of rules, and lack of price (although I personally think this is not exactly true). There is ceremonial, mental, internal and "power of the Gods" magic, choose one for your world (not all). only with the Gods is magic a panacea. SC Butler made an interesting comparison between Bond Trading (his day job) and sacrificial magic (having one account lose money to move the markets higher to make more money for the rest). Magic can be gnostic, if you have the wisdom you have the power. There's a note to look up Plasma Cosmology as a potential magic system (given by John DeChancie who also used it for his books).
At the end I have a personal note, something I thought of slightly tangental to the conversation. How about a magic system akin to drug addiction. That is after a time you have to do it more and bigger to get the same buzz until eventually it fizzles and you need it just to feel normal (like meth addiction, with all it's side effects).
There was a panel on Fantasy and Folklore. There are differences in story telling between written and oral traditions. Spoken form needs to remind people where they are in the story (if it's over multiple nights). Urban myths as our modern folklore. Truth versus fact or fiction; Truth has resonance, fact or fiction is dry. There are some real stories that don't work for fiction because nobody would buy it as "truth". There was a discussion about areas of politeness and that "niceness" varies with cultures.
The panel of being a full time writer was interesting. Let me sum it up. Have a supportive spouse. Even then, if you want to make a living at it do other writing than genre because you're not going to make a living unless you publish six books a year (3 authors, all male, two make more from non-fiction writing which supports their fiction habit, one all time fiction author publishes 6 or more books a year under several pseudonyms). And you can do everything right, and still not succeed.
Random thoughts. 1) What is the morality of wolves where it concerns the sheep. 2) The meager lens of the past (lack of full documentation).
So, like I said, on the way home I was energized, baby. Ready to kick ass and take names. And here's one reason why.
That was on the way back. Huge full rainbow stretching across the horizon.
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