'92, '94, '00, '08...
While there are many who are writing great SF today, there don't seem to be many writing in a classic mode. By 'classic', I mean SF that points in new directions. Absolutely there are those intent on RE-creating the genre -- witness the revival of space opera. But where are the writers who are creating the GRAND countercultural ideas?
Who created and codified planet-wide ecoengineering and religio-engineering? Frank Herbert, in the original single book, DUNE did that.
Who created humaniform robots and explored their impact on human society? Isaac Asimov did in the ROBOT books.
Who wondered about the effect of aliens and alien environments on child-rearing? Robert A. Heinlein did in STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND.
Who created artificial satellites and space towers and set them free from the imagination to become reality? Arthur C. Clarke did in WIRELESS WORLD (February 1945) and in FOUNTAINS OF PARADISE.
What allowed them to imagine and express their mind images? Besides pure genius, I put before you the possibility that it might have been their Judeo-Christian roots. While all repudiated those roots in adulthood, pehaps those roots nurtured a rebellion against "what is" and encouraged them to look for alternatives to tradition and canon.
Today, with the slippery relativism that passes for philosophy and religion, tradition and canon are non-existent and there are few monoliths to rebel against. With nothing to reject, where will classic SF blossom and how will it shift the direction of the genre?
May 12, 2008
Slice of PIE: The Big 4 Are Gone -- Where Are We Going?
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
May 10, 2008
POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAY: Star Trek is STILL Stupid (er...Politically Apathetic)!
David Brin contends – and rightly so – that the Star Trek “populist” form of government is better than the Star Wars “despotic” form of government.
HOWEVER where Star Wars makes a (bad) point of promoting despotism, the humans of the United Federation of Planets act just like most Americans do about politics in this early part of the 21st Century: “don’t care, won’t bother”. My objection to Star Trek is that despite the fact that there have been huge technological advances (obviously), philosophical advances (“People are no longer obsessed with the accumulation of 'things'. We have eliminated hunger, want, the need for possessions." Picard, ST:NG, “The Neutral Zone”) , religious advances (humans have no apparent religion), economic advances (“You see, money doesn't exist in the 24th century..” Picard, ST:FIRST CONTACT)and military advances (again, obviously), there has apparently been no POLITICAL advancement.
The crew of any ENTERPRISE and the humans of DS9 NEVER talk politics. Everyone else in the Federation does. The Klingons are always going on about the High Council; the Cardassians discuss the latest coup d’etat; the Bajorans rave about the elections and factionism and how it was easier during the Occupation; and the Romulans and the Ferengi are always talking about ascensions to this or that. Nowhere does Picard ever say to Troi, even briefly:
“Who are you voting for this election?”
“Oh, Betazed’s boycotting the elections because the Vulcans are trying to mind-meld with all non-Vulcan/non-telepaths to try and throw the election.”
“That’s too bad. Is all of Betazed voting bloc, then?”
“As usual, no. But anyone who wants to vote for the Vulcan presidential candidate has to fly to Paris and cast their vote at the Federation Capitol Building.”
“What a bother! Though I must say that Paris in the Autumn is grand.”
“It is a bother, but better than the last time when that Ferengi tried to buy his Presidency!”
Chuckling, Picard nods, “As I recall, that was one of the most interesting and entertaining elections in recent history!” Troi laughs with him.
Data lifts a finger, “Perhaps if the Mother Horta ran for President of the Federation Council, she could smooth out some of the rocky relationships.”
Picard and Troi look at each other and burst out laughing. With his finger still in the air, Data goes back and sits at his console, muttering, “Humor – it is a difficult concept.”
There: in less than 30 seconds of banterfest, I was humorous and stated or implied the following:
1) The Federation holds democratic elections
2) Peaceful protest of procedure is acceptable
3) Interference with the election process is not acceptable no matter WHO you are
4) Freedom to vote as one pleases is a RIGHT
5) Federation capitol is in Paris, France (MEMORY ALPHA states that there is some question as to where it exists!)
6) Federation politics is independent of local politics and not subject to local interpretation
7) Politics is FUN – Picard likes it and the educated crew of the most powerful weapon in the Federation takes time to vote in democratic elections
8) The Federation is not a “humans only club”
While it’s too late to add dialogue to the 694 episodes (including the Original Series pilot) and the 10 movies (soon to be 11) of canon, the lack might be addressed with less than 30 seconds of dialogue in any future movie or show. Even if the only purpose is to shed an instant of positive light on the democratic process and advancement in politics in the Federation – then it’s worth the effort to make the statement.
So go ahead, whoever wants to steal my little script, feel free to do so – as long as it serves to preserve the populists and curb the despots!
HOWEVER where Star Wars makes a (bad) point of promoting despotism, the humans of the United Federation of Planets act just like most Americans do about politics in this early part of the 21st Century: “don’t care, won’t bother”. My objection to Star Trek is that despite the fact that there have been huge technological advances (obviously), philosophical advances (“People are no longer obsessed with the accumulation of 'things'. We have eliminated hunger, want, the need for possessions." Picard, ST:NG, “The Neutral Zone”) , religious advances (humans have no apparent religion), economic advances (“You see, money doesn't exist in the 24th century..” Picard, ST:FIRST CONTACT)and military advances (again, obviously), there has apparently been no POLITICAL advancement.
The crew of any ENTERPRISE and the humans of DS9 NEVER talk politics. Everyone else in the Federation does. The Klingons are always going on about the High Council; the Cardassians discuss the latest coup d’etat; the Bajorans rave about the elections and factionism and how it was easier during the Occupation; and the Romulans and the Ferengi are always talking about ascensions to this or that. Nowhere does Picard ever say to Troi, even briefly:
“Who are you voting for this election?”
“Oh, Betazed’s boycotting the elections because the Vulcans are trying to mind-meld with all non-Vulcan/non-telepaths to try and throw the election.”
“That’s too bad. Is all of Betazed voting bloc, then?”
“As usual, no. But anyone who wants to vote for the Vulcan presidential candidate has to fly to Paris and cast their vote at the Federation Capitol Building.”
“What a bother! Though I must say that Paris in the Autumn is grand.”
“It is a bother, but better than the last time when that Ferengi tried to buy his Presidency!”
Chuckling, Picard nods, “As I recall, that was one of the most interesting and entertaining elections in recent history!” Troi laughs with him.
Data lifts a finger, “Perhaps if the Mother Horta ran for President of the Federation Council, she could smooth out some of the rocky relationships.”
Picard and Troi look at each other and burst out laughing. With his finger still in the air, Data goes back and sits at his console, muttering, “Humor – it is a difficult concept.”
There: in less than 30 seconds of banterfest, I was humorous and stated or implied the following:
1) The Federation holds democratic elections
2) Peaceful protest of procedure is acceptable
3) Interference with the election process is not acceptable no matter WHO you are
4) Freedom to vote as one pleases is a RIGHT
5) Federation capitol is in Paris, France (MEMORY ALPHA states that there is some question as to where it exists!)
6) Federation politics is independent of local politics and not subject to local interpretation
7) Politics is FUN – Picard likes it and the educated crew of the most powerful weapon in the Federation takes time to vote in democratic elections
8) The Federation is not a “humans only club”
While it’s too late to add dialogue to the 694 episodes (including the Original Series pilot) and the 10 movies (soon to be 11) of canon, the lack might be addressed with less than 30 seconds of dialogue in any future movie or show. Even if the only purpose is to shed an instant of positive light on the democratic process and advancement in politics in the Federation – then it’s worth the effort to make the statement.
So go ahead, whoever wants to steal my little script, feel free to do so – as long as it serves to preserve the populists and curb the despots!
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
May 5, 2008
WRITING ADVICE: Absolutely Basic Theme
Some people have it easy!
Leo Tolstoy had no trouble finding powerful themes, plus he used them simply as titles for his books: WAR AND PEACE, CHILDHOOD, BOYHOOD and FAMILY HAPPINESS.
How easy was that?
But what about the rest of us? What is theme? http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=theme defines theme as a “unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work”. That’s a bit highbrow for me. You can parse it slowly, but it doesn’t exactly ring with verve.
Orson Scott Card (creator, master and commander of ENDER’S GAME and ALVIN MAKER) doesn’t actually define “theme” in his book, HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY, but he has plenty to say about it. One jewel is this: “I began teaching a science fiction writing class at the University of Utah and on the first day of class, I began a spur-of-the-moment exercise designed simply to show that science fiction and fantasy ideas are ridiculously easy to come up with…At the very first session, I asked them to think of the ‘price of magic.’” (Chapter 2 World Creation)
There’s no high-falutin’ statement of theme here, yet the phrase, “the price of magic” begs to be the central, unifying idea of a book. It became one in Card’s first fantasy novel, HART’S HOPE. Sounds like the theme of the HARRY POTTER books, too…
Examine your work to discover your theme or begin with a title and write to a theme or steal a theme from some other great work. Whatever you do:
“To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it.” Herman Melville (MOBY DICK) [http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/theme/2.html]
Leo Tolstoy had no trouble finding powerful themes, plus he used them simply as titles for his books: WAR AND PEACE, CHILDHOOD, BOYHOOD and FAMILY HAPPINESS.
How easy was that?
But what about the rest of us? What is theme? http://wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=theme defines theme as a “unifying idea that is a recurrent element in a literary or artistic work”. That’s a bit highbrow for me. You can parse it slowly, but it doesn’t exactly ring with verve.
Orson Scott Card (creator, master and commander of ENDER’S GAME and ALVIN MAKER) doesn’t actually define “theme” in his book, HOW TO WRITE SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY, but he has plenty to say about it. One jewel is this: “I began teaching a science fiction writing class at the University of Utah and on the first day of class, I began a spur-of-the-moment exercise designed simply to show that science fiction and fantasy ideas are ridiculously easy to come up with…At the very first session, I asked them to think of the ‘price of magic.’” (Chapter 2 World Creation)
There’s no high-falutin’ statement of theme here, yet the phrase, “the price of magic” begs to be the central, unifying idea of a book. It became one in Card’s first fantasy novel, HART’S HOPE. Sounds like the theme of the HARRY POTTER books, too…
Examine your work to discover your theme or begin with a title and write to a theme or steal a theme from some other great work. Whatever you do:
“To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme. No great and enduring volume can ever be written on the flea, though many there be that have tried it.” Herman Melville (MOBY DICK) [http://thinkexist.com/quotes/with/keyword/theme/2.html]
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
April 20, 2008
A Slice of PIE: Thomas Nelson Opts for Blockbusters ONLY
As announced last Wednesday (Wednesday, April 23, 2008):
FROM WHERE I SIT
the blog of Michael S. Hyatt, President & CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers:
“As you may have read in Publishers Weekly or the Tennessean, yesterday we laid off slightly less than 10% of our workforce. This was not an easy decision. It fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say this was one of the most difficult decisions of my tenure Thomas Nelson.
“Of course, layoffs are not that notable, especially in the current economy. You can’t open the paper without reading about companies laying off thousands and—in some cases—tens of thousands of employees. Sadly, it’s now become routine. Until it happens to you. Or someone you care about.
“But, honestly, our layoffs weren’t the result of the economy. They didn’t happen because we had a bad year. (Our fiscal year ended March 31.) To be sure, it wasn’t a great year. But it was decent. We saw modest growth on the top line (about 4%) and really good growth on the bottom line (about 14%).
“So then, if it wasn’t the economy, why did we feel the need to layoff these good people? Because we have changed our business strategy:
As I have previously announced, we are cutting our new title introductions in half for this year.
This change is designed to align us with a shift in the marketplace toward fewer titles generating more of the sales. It will also enable us to invest most of our resources where we can generate the biggest returns.”
As the publisher of such mega blockbusting Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller and Horror authors as Ted Dekker, T. Davis Bunn, Jerry B. Jenkins and Stephen Lawhead, it's sad to note here that it appears, despite the softening language, that Thomas Nelson will ONLY be opting to publish
ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN X-IAN BLOCKBUSTER BOOKS FROM NOW ON...
A sad day for Christ and His followers when business concerns outweigh the leading of the Holy Spirit...oh, I know that have to make a profit, please stockholders and put food on the table. But...but...but...I noticed Mr. Hyatt didn't mention anywhere, "After much prayer and fasting..." or "During prayer time for us and our staff, we feel the Lord leading us to..."
Sad, sad, very, very, sad...
FROM WHERE I SIT
the blog of Michael S. Hyatt, President & CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers:
“As you may have read in Publishers Weekly or the Tennessean, yesterday we laid off slightly less than 10% of our workforce. This was not an easy decision. It fact, it would not be an exaggeration to say this was one of the most difficult decisions of my tenure Thomas Nelson.
“Of course, layoffs are not that notable, especially in the current economy. You can’t open the paper without reading about companies laying off thousands and—in some cases—tens of thousands of employees. Sadly, it’s now become routine. Until it happens to you. Or someone you care about.
“But, honestly, our layoffs weren’t the result of the economy. They didn’t happen because we had a bad year. (Our fiscal year ended March 31.) To be sure, it wasn’t a great year. But it was decent. We saw modest growth on the top line (about 4%) and really good growth on the bottom line (about 14%).
“So then, if it wasn’t the economy, why did we feel the need to layoff these good people? Because we have changed our business strategy:
As I have previously announced, we are cutting our new title introductions in half for this year.
This change is designed to align us with a shift in the marketplace toward fewer titles generating more of the sales. It will also enable us to invest most of our resources where we can generate the biggest returns.”
As the publisher of such mega blockbusting Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller and Horror authors as Ted Dekker, T. Davis Bunn, Jerry B. Jenkins and Stephen Lawhead, it's sad to note here that it appears, despite the softening language, that Thomas Nelson will ONLY be opting to publish
ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN X-IAN BLOCKBUSTER BOOKS FROM NOW ON...
A sad day for Christ and His followers when business concerns outweigh the leading of the Holy Spirit...oh, I know that have to make a profit, please stockholders and put food on the table. But...but...but...I noticed Mr. Hyatt didn't mention anywhere, "After much prayer and fasting..." or "During prayer time for us and our staff, we feel the Lord leading us to..."
Sad, sad, very, very, sad...
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
STAR TREK vs STAR WARS: Who Mourns for Democracy?
For all its vaunted egalitarian democracy, no one on the USS Enterprise ever cast a vote in an election -- at least not in any episode I can locate. The Federation Council just seems to have its delegates appear out of nowhere, listen to people talk, stop assassinations and censure captains. Never once are proceedings of merit displayed.
For all we know, the shape-shifting, evil Founders appoint the Federation Council then manipulates it to do their bidding. STAR TREK never once shows us government in action. Rather it shows Star Fleet waging war at every turn with a "fire at will" attitude.
At least STAR WARS shows government happening. In fact, we know from episode one, that the body politic can take out a Chancellor (related to the German government-type chancellor rather than University of La Dee Dah type) with a vote of "no confidence". We also know that on at least one world queens are elected officials rather than ascendant (though in OUR galaxy, queens become monarch either by marriage or birth and are typically rulers for life).
In STAR WARS, for all its mercenary vigilantism and heavy breathing sorcerers, emperors make some attempt to let us know that government works -- however poorly and no matter how prone it is to coup d'etat and corruption.
STAR TREK talks democracy but exhibits a face that is military junta in all but name with members wearing military uniforms as often as not. If not junta, then it's clear from the movies and shows that Star Fleet is the be-all and end-all of Federation civilization. Even Memory Alpha, the STAR TREK trivia site has trouble pinning down the actual location of the Federation Council Chambers -- stating that they're either in Paris or San Francisco (my guess is that there was a transporter accident and the Council resides in both places...)
STAR TREK's vague Federation Council sounds as if it's a situation ripe for abuse. At least in the STAR WARS' Republican Senate, even the bad guys have to cut through the red tape of bureaucracy.
Which one sounds more realistic to you?
For all we know, the shape-shifting, evil Founders appoint the Federation Council then manipulates it to do their bidding. STAR TREK never once shows us government in action. Rather it shows Star Fleet waging war at every turn with a "fire at will" attitude.
At least STAR WARS shows government happening. In fact, we know from episode one, that the body politic can take out a Chancellor (related to the German government-type chancellor rather than University of La Dee Dah type) with a vote of "no confidence". We also know that on at least one world queens are elected officials rather than ascendant (though in OUR galaxy, queens become monarch either by marriage or birth and are typically rulers for life).
In STAR WARS, for all its mercenary vigilantism and heavy breathing sorcerers, emperors make some attempt to let us know that government works -- however poorly and no matter how prone it is to coup d'etat and corruption.
STAR TREK talks democracy but exhibits a face that is military junta in all but name with members wearing military uniforms as often as not. If not junta, then it's clear from the movies and shows that Star Fleet is the be-all and end-all of Federation civilization. Even Memory Alpha, the STAR TREK trivia site has trouble pinning down the actual location of the Federation Council Chambers -- stating that they're either in Paris or San Francisco (my guess is that there was a transporter accident and the Council resides in both places...)
STAR TREK's vague Federation Council sounds as if it's a situation ripe for abuse. At least in the STAR WARS' Republican Senate, even the bad guys have to cut through the red tape of bureaucracy.
Which one sounds more realistic to you?
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
WRITING ADVICE: Absolutely Basic Plot
For me to reach the end of my story, my bottom line with plot is the "O" word.
I know, I know, you're an organic writer and you have to write as the spirit moves you or the muse sings to you or when you're in the mood.
But most writers know that the Spirit blows where it will, the muse is fickle and "the mood" is sometimes as elusive as holiday cheer at 3:30 pm Christmas Eve.
WHEN these disasters occur, you need a back up plan. Somewhere, written down, you need your Outline with the basic plot of your story.
Donald Maass in WRITING THE BREAK OUT NOVEL (2001, Writers Digest Books), says that a plot must have five basic elements: a sympathetic character, a complex conflict, constant development, a main event or climax and a satisfactory ending.
While I'm sure some people skillfully allow plot to grow with naturally from one event to another, I'm not gifted in that way. I need an outline spread out in front of me to keep an eye on so that I'll safely reach my final destination: The End.
I know, I know, you're an organic writer and you have to write as the spirit moves you or the muse sings to you or when you're in the mood.
But most writers know that the Spirit blows where it will, the muse is fickle and "the mood" is sometimes as elusive as holiday cheer at 3:30 pm Christmas Eve.
WHEN these disasters occur, you need a back up plan. Somewhere, written down, you need your Outline with the basic plot of your story.
Donald Maass in WRITING THE BREAK OUT NOVEL (2001, Writers Digest Books), says that a plot must have five basic elements: a sympathetic character, a complex conflict, constant development, a main event or climax and a satisfactory ending.
While I'm sure some people skillfully allow plot to grow with naturally from one event to another, I'm not gifted in that way. I need an outline spread out in front of me to keep an eye on so that I'll safely reach my final destination: The End.
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
April 15, 2008
WRITING ADVICE: WISDOM vs POPULARITY
Couple of things before I launch into my Flashicle:
1) Nobody knows what a "Flashicle" is, so it never gets googled. I'm changing the lead to WRITING ADVICE FLASHICLE...just so I'll get googled by people looking for writing advice.
2) Bruce Bethke, a friend of mine both on and off the Web, said on his blog on Wednesday, April 9, 2008: "So blogging takes the back burner. Yet blogging can't take the back burner, can it? I mean, ya gotta keep those clicks coming! My readership drops off exponentially every day I don't post a new and substantial article, but only rebuilds linearly when I resume posting meaty, beefy, daily chunks. No wonder bloggers are committing karoshi at the keyboard..." (http://rantingroom.blogspot.com/) I will be blogging more regularly with a few new features.
And now, back to our irregularly scheduled blog...
My first thought about people not commenting on my flashicles was that it was because I wasn't popular (wah, wah, wah). My second thoughts a few nights ago were that it was because I wasn't blogging often enough (see above).
All this thought about a new PIE led to wondering what a reader might SEE when they click on my webpage. Originally, they would have seen something about me, something about my archives (not very impressive) and something about my links. I changed all of those around and added a few of my writing credentials.
As well, I noticed that my PIEs got more comments when I took on icons like Star Wars, Star Trek and religion. While I've always tried to tie religion and SF together, my ICONS haven't been big enough, so in the future look for me to pound on DUNE, MILES VORKOSIGAN, PETER HAMILTON and JOHN VARLEY. And look for the titles on their works to be displayed a bit more prominently.
Last of all, I'd just like to say that the writing hints I throw out have been an attempt at distilling the wisdom of what I've read from the REALLY famous people. Not necessarily new stuff, and certainly not my original ideas. Rather my intent has always been to MAKE IT INTO BITE-SIZED PIECES. Now that I've done some redesign, we'll see what happens.
For now, I'm going to stay with the simple formatting -- it's clear, it's clean and it doesn't do much to detract from what I have to say. Besides, two people I respect immensely -- author Bruce Bethke and agent Nathan Bransford ( http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/ ) use the same one I picked. So, there, *thbttthbtt* (comic book alliteration for that sound you make with your tongue when you're sticking it out at someone.) That's all for now. Nothing particularly irritating here except when I got a little whiney there...
1) Nobody knows what a "Flashicle" is, so it never gets googled. I'm changing the lead to WRITING ADVICE FLASHICLE...just so I'll get googled by people looking for writing advice.
2) Bruce Bethke, a friend of mine both on and off the Web, said on his blog on Wednesday, April 9, 2008: "So blogging takes the back burner. Yet blogging can't take the back burner, can it? I mean, ya gotta keep those clicks coming! My readership drops off exponentially every day I don't post a new and substantial article, but only rebuilds linearly when I resume posting meaty, beefy, daily chunks. No wonder bloggers are committing karoshi at the keyboard..." (http://rantingroom.blogspot.com/) I will be blogging more regularly with a few new features.
And now, back to our irregularly scheduled blog...
My first thought about people not commenting on my flashicles was that it was because I wasn't popular (wah, wah, wah). My second thoughts a few nights ago were that it was because I wasn't blogging often enough (see above).
All this thought about a new PIE led to wondering what a reader might SEE when they click on my webpage. Originally, they would have seen something about me, something about my archives (not very impressive) and something about my links. I changed all of those around and added a few of my writing credentials.
As well, I noticed that my PIEs got more comments when I took on icons like Star Wars, Star Trek and religion. While I've always tried to tie religion and SF together, my ICONS haven't been big enough, so in the future look for me to pound on DUNE, MILES VORKOSIGAN, PETER HAMILTON and JOHN VARLEY. And look for the titles on their works to be displayed a bit more prominently.
Last of all, I'd just like to say that the writing hints I throw out have been an attempt at distilling the wisdom of what I've read from the REALLY famous people. Not necessarily new stuff, and certainly not my original ideas. Rather my intent has always been to MAKE IT INTO BITE-SIZED PIECES. Now that I've done some redesign, we'll see what happens.
For now, I'm going to stay with the simple formatting -- it's clear, it's clean and it doesn't do much to detract from what I have to say. Besides, two people I respect immensely -- author Bruce Bethke and agent Nathan Bransford ( http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/ ) use the same one I picked. So, there, *thbttthbtt* (comic book alliteration for that sound you make with your tongue when you're sticking it out at someone.) That's all for now. Nothing particularly irritating here except when I got a little whiney there...
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
April 3, 2008
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT = SPIRITUAL ADVANCEMENT?
"If they're more advanced than us, they should be nearer the Creator for that reason," said Pastor Dr. Matthew Collins as he pondered the Martian invasion in the 1953 classic, WAR OF THE WORLDS. When I first heard this line years ago, I was thrilled. As an evangelical Christian with a bent toward SF and (admittedly small doses of) F, I felt deeply connected to this sentiment.
I knew that H. G. Wells was probably spinning in his grave at this misrepresentation of his work. I thought that the belief in God exhibited (in the 1953 version) by Uncle Matthew, the two hymns ("Now Thank We All Our God" and "Abide With Me") as well as "...God in his wisdom..." gave secular credence to my beliefs. I also happen to believe that these sentiments were the reason Speilberg, Friedman and Koepp destroyed a church in intimate and loving detail as the "martians" emerged from the ground in their 2005 remake.
But lately, I'm less sure that Pastor Dr. Collins' observations had as fine an implication as I first thought. Were Haskin and Lyndon actually trying to say that as technology moves Humanity forward, we will BECOME more like gods? If so, then my rejoicing has turned to bitter ashes and sackcloth of mourning because I was seduced by this fraudulent "man of God" -- who was actually a Man of the god Science. Science as Religion isn't a new idea. Asimov uses it in FOUNDATION, the original "first" of the 10 book Foundation Series. While the span of time is unrelated, the culture that spawned the movie (1953) and the books (1951) is the same: an Age of Wonder in which Science could do no wrong.
Is the message of WOTW (1953) that technological advancement equals spiritual advancement because our understanding of the universe leads inevitably to a deeper faith in God? Or is it that technological advancement equal spiritual advancement as Man works to BECOME God?
It no longer matters what Haskin and Lyndon meant -- for good or ill, the latter is where our culture is now. We seek to use every means at our disposal to create ourselves as undisputed rulers of the universe -- and much of our SF/F supports and reflects that effort. Pastor Dr. Collins' words might then be recreated as well: "If we've become so advanced, we should nearly be the Creator for that reason."
Sackcloth and ashes, anyone?
I knew that H. G. Wells was probably spinning in his grave at this misrepresentation of his work. I thought that the belief in God exhibited (in the 1953 version) by Uncle Matthew, the two hymns ("Now Thank We All Our God" and "Abide With Me") as well as "...God in his wisdom..." gave secular credence to my beliefs. I also happen to believe that these sentiments were the reason Speilberg, Friedman and Koepp destroyed a church in intimate and loving detail as the "martians" emerged from the ground in their 2005 remake.
But lately, I'm less sure that Pastor Dr. Collins' observations had as fine an implication as I first thought. Were Haskin and Lyndon actually trying to say that as technology moves Humanity forward, we will BECOME more like gods? If so, then my rejoicing has turned to bitter ashes and sackcloth of mourning because I was seduced by this fraudulent "man of God" -- who was actually a Man of the god Science. Science as Religion isn't a new idea. Asimov uses it in FOUNDATION, the original "first" of the 10 book Foundation Series. While the span of time is unrelated, the culture that spawned the movie (1953) and the books (1951) is the same: an Age of Wonder in which Science could do no wrong.
Is the message of WOTW (1953) that technological advancement equals spiritual advancement because our understanding of the universe leads inevitably to a deeper faith in God? Or is it that technological advancement equal spiritual advancement as Man works to BECOME God?
It no longer matters what Haskin and Lyndon meant -- for good or ill, the latter is where our culture is now. We seek to use every means at our disposal to create ourselves as undisputed rulers of the universe -- and much of our SF/F supports and reflects that effort. Pastor Dr. Collins' words might then be recreated as well: "If we've become so advanced, we should nearly be the Creator for that reason."
Sackcloth and ashes, anyone?
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
March 26, 2008
WRITING ADVICE: Non-Serious Serious Non-fiction
March 11, 2008 New York Times Top 5 at a Glance
1. LOSING IT, by Valerie Bertinelli ("Funny and candid...")
2. BEAUTIFUL BOY, by David Sheff ("...honest, hopeful...")
3. STORI TELLING, by Tori Spelling with Hilary Liftin ("...frankness and humor...")
4. IN DEFENSE OF FOOD, by Michael Pollan ("Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.")
5. LIBERAL FASCISM, by Jonah Goldberg ("...shocking and hilarious.")
And there you have it -- if you're going to write serious non-fiction, you have to be funny.
Most of my own published non-fiction uses humor to make a point -- in fact, two of my three major sales to Stan Schmidt at ANALOG SCIENCE FICTION AND FACT are fictionalized, funny takes on serious problems: Americans ignoring "minor" laws like speed limits and the increasing number of "consumer warnings". My book, SIMPLE SCIENCE SERMONS FOR BIG AND LITTLE KIDS has been available now for a decade and uses wry commentary melded with scientific facts to bring Christian ideas into clearer light.
How do you do funny? There's a number of ways, but the most common is to say something connected to your subject -- but on an unexpected tangent. Most jokes follow this pattern. Another way is to "do" something visually unexpected. Carol Burnette, Seinfeld, Reba and the entire Saturday Night Live crew are all masters at this; Lucille Ball was undisputed Empress for the ridiculous images she set up -- you can do that in print as well, but nothing is quite as funny as a pie-in-the-face or a someone slipping on a banana peel.
So: if you want to write serious, be funny!
1. LOSING IT, by Valerie Bertinelli ("Funny and candid...")
2. BEAUTIFUL BOY, by David Sheff ("...honest, hopeful...")
3. STORI TELLING, by Tori Spelling with Hilary Liftin ("...frankness and humor...")
4. IN DEFENSE OF FOOD, by Michael Pollan ("Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.")
5. LIBERAL FASCISM, by Jonah Goldberg ("...shocking and hilarious.")
And there you have it -- if you're going to write serious non-fiction, you have to be funny.
Most of my own published non-fiction uses humor to make a point -- in fact, two of my three major sales to Stan Schmidt at ANALOG SCIENCE FICTION AND FACT are fictionalized, funny takes on serious problems: Americans ignoring "minor" laws like speed limits and the increasing number of "consumer warnings". My book, SIMPLE SCIENCE SERMONS FOR BIG AND LITTLE KIDS has been available now for a decade and uses wry commentary melded with scientific facts to bring Christian ideas into clearer light.
How do you do funny? There's a number of ways, but the most common is to say something connected to your subject -- but on an unexpected tangent. Most jokes follow this pattern. Another way is to "do" something visually unexpected. Carol Burnette, Seinfeld, Reba and the entire Saturday Night Live crew are all masters at this; Lucille Ball was undisputed Empress for the ridiculous images she set up -- you can do that in print as well, but nothing is quite as funny as a pie-in-the-face or a someone slipping on a banana peel.
So: if you want to write serious, be funny!
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
March 11, 2008
STAR WARS vs STAR TREK: Fomenting Jihad in the Republic
Far, far away from promoting Zen Buddhist ideals of peace and tolerance, the world of Star Wars foments fundamentalist jihad.
From the all-powerful dominance of the Jedi Knights of the Old Republic (and their looming cathedral and sanctimonius pronouncements) to Grand Moff Tarkin’s proclamation that “The last vestiges of the old Republic have been swept away”, George Lucas sets the stage for a sort of “Force-powered” religious jihad or struggle. There is no tolerance in either the republic or the Empire. There is even less difference between the atrocities committed by the fictional crusaders of Lucas’ universe (the destruction of Alderaan and the attempted extermination of the Endorians) and the atrocities leveled at historical crusaders in the real world. This world of Star Wars is set up to perpetuate the idea that whatever religion has the most light sabers, wins.
This religious fundamentalism may in fact go hand-in-hand with Lucas’ worldview regarding government: “But there's probably no better form of government than a good despot."-- George Lucas (New York Times interview, March 1999) http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/1999/06/15/brin_main/index.html
Contrast this to the religions of Roddenberry’s United Federation of Planets in Star Trek. Humans have no overt religion and despite the series creator’s atheism, the sense that comes across is that Human religions have learned to get along with each other. Other aliens have religions as well: Bajor’s Prophets; the Klingon’s remarkably “Catholic” faith; Vulcan mysticism; American capitalism taken only to a bit more of an extreme on Ferenginar; even Cardassia’s family-worship – yet none of these appear to have sects within themselves and there is no one “force” or Council enforcing the observance of particular forms. While there may still be some religious strife, it appears to be minor. No one on Star Trek has attempted to strangle anyone else using the dark side of anything.
So why is Star Wars still more popular than Star Trek? Why do people still go out at Halloween dressed as Wookies and Obi Wan Kenobi rather than as Trill or Admiral Cartwright? Is it a failing that Lucas tapped into – that we prefer despots to democracy? Or is it a result of the Star Wars meme (As defined by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene (1976): "a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation." "Examples of memes are tunes, ideas, catch-phrases, clothes fashions, ways of making pots or of building arches. ...” http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&start=1&oi=define&q=http://www.silcom.com/~barnowl/chain-letter/glossary.htm&usg=AFQjCNEwcjwYR623FklHq8pPcVxn-aS30Q ) that has infected the US as a result of millions of men, women and children watching the movies over and over and over…
From the all-powerful dominance of the Jedi Knights of the Old Republic (and their looming cathedral and sanctimonius pronouncements) to Grand Moff Tarkin’s proclamation that “The last vestiges of the old Republic have been swept away”, George Lucas sets the stage for a sort of “Force-powered” religious jihad or struggle. There is no tolerance in either the republic or the Empire. There is even less difference between the atrocities committed by the fictional crusaders of Lucas’ universe (the destruction of Alderaan and the attempted extermination of the Endorians) and the atrocities leveled at historical crusaders in the real world. This world of Star Wars is set up to perpetuate the idea that whatever religion has the most light sabers, wins.
This religious fundamentalism may in fact go hand-in-hand with Lucas’ worldview regarding government: “But there's probably no better form of government than a good despot."-- George Lucas (New York Times interview, March 1999) http://www.salon.com/ent/movies/feature/1999/06/15/brin_main/index.html
Contrast this to the religions of Roddenberry’s United Federation of Planets in Star Trek. Humans have no overt religion and despite the series creator’s atheism, the sense that comes across is that Human religions have learned to get along with each other. Other aliens have religions as well: Bajor’s Prophets; the Klingon’s remarkably “Catholic” faith; Vulcan mysticism; American capitalism taken only to a bit more of an extreme on Ferenginar; even Cardassia’s family-worship – yet none of these appear to have sects within themselves and there is no one “force” or Council enforcing the observance of particular forms. While there may still be some religious strife, it appears to be minor. No one on Star Trek has attempted to strangle anyone else using the dark side of anything.
So why is Star Wars still more popular than Star Trek? Why do people still go out at Halloween dressed as Wookies and Obi Wan Kenobi rather than as Trill or Admiral Cartwright? Is it a failing that Lucas tapped into – that we prefer despots to democracy? Or is it a result of the Star Wars meme (As defined by Richard Dawkins in The Selfish Gene (1976): "a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation." "Examples of memes are tunes, ideas, catch-phrases, clothes fashions, ways of making pots or of building arches. ...” http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&start=1&oi=define&q=http://www.silcom.com/~barnowl/chain-letter/glossary.htm&usg=AFQjCNEwcjwYR623FklHq8pPcVxn-aS30Q ) that has infected the US as a result of millions of men, women and children watching the movies over and over and over…
Guy Stewart is a husband; father, father-in-law, grandfather, and retired teacher/school counselor who maintains POSSIBLY IRRITATING ESSAYS offering his writing up for comment. His new novel, MARTIAN HOLIDAY will be released on December 23, 2025 and takes place in a world 500 years in the future of his first novel, EMERALD OF EARTH (YA/MS, 2024! He also writes on other worlds that have touched his life: GUYS GOTTA TALK ABOUT DIABETES, ALZHEIMERS; BREAST CANCER. He has 70+ publications in Analog, Cast of Wonders, Shoreline of Infinity, Cricket, Stupefying Stories, Nanoism, an essay in The Writer, and has created experiments for episodes of the PBS science shows Newton’s Apple, and The New Explorers—for which he became the Science Museum of Minnesota’s Teacher of the Year in 1997. Really.
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