Timewaster's Guide Archive
Departments => Books => Topic started by: stacer on July 12, 2004, 04:32:44 PM
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So I was looking at who would be presenting at Worldcon, and I see Tamora Pierce, of the Alanna series fame, will be presenting. I'm not sure who all I'll recognize will be there, as the list is really long and I've just been glancing. Interesting, though.
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Oh, and there's also a Ruth Sanderson on there, but no Brandon Sanderson. However, Moshe is on the list.
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Heh. I suspect they're a bit behind. I don't think that list has changed in a while, and I STILL haven't gotten the program list to let me know which panels I'm on....
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And speaking of people presenting, I've also decided to start reading some Terry Pratchett, so I'll know what he's talking about. He's just someone I've never gotten around to reading. I grabbed the first book in the Discworld series because it was cheap and handy. Would you guys say that's a good place to start?
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Unfortunately, the first Diskworld book is supposed to be the least impressive. I hear Nightwatch is one of his best, as is Good Omens.
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I started with book 3 (Equal Rites) and really enjoyed it. I read the first 2 books later and didn't care for them at all. Especially the first one I thought wasn't well written--and the style is rather different from the other books.
Small Gods and Pyramids are both good books in the series that stand on their own.
I forget which is the first of the watch books.
Good Omens is very funny and not a Discworld book.
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That's interesting. It changed my text. Why was the 'wat' in Nightwatch changed by the profanity filter, do you suppose?
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umm beause that "wat" starting with a "t" is slang for a female groin.
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Yeah, but it left the 't' in.
Ah, well. Computers are silly.
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wait. I'm confused now.
was the original spelled
n i g h t w a t c h ?
because then all it did was replace t w a t with "thingy"
as you'll see, it appears the "t" is left, but it's just part of the replacement
Though what's hilarious is I just did a test of that, and it appears to not have replaced anything
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Oop, you're right SE. That's a bit of an optical illusion.
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twat
/me is far more amused by this than she should be.
The Allegience message board does it too. J.T. just told me he was trying to post about the game "God of War" and it posted it as "The happy chicken of war."
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I'm firmly in the happy chicken of war's camp. I mean, you never want unhappy chickens around soldiers. Bad for morale.
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If you're going to read Discworld, go for the books about the City Watch--I can't remember any of the names right now, but they're his best ones. (Not counting Good Omens, which is primarily good because of Gaiman rather than Pratchett.)
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I dissagree, there, by the way. I think I liked the Pratchett sections of OMENS better than the Gaiman. (However, I divided them in my mind, so maybe what I actually liked was Gaiman.)
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Nightwatch
Heh, this is freaking hilarious. It's like a palindrome except better.
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City Guard novels:
Watch, Watch
Men at Arms
Feet of Clay
Jingo
The Fifth Elephant
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Would The Fifth Elephant be a play on the Fifth Element? Even if it isn't, that's hilarious.
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If I remember right, Discworld rests on a bunch of elephants, who stand on a turtle, like the old Indian myth. The reference is to that, I believe.
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I've read enough of the first book to have gotten that. I just wondered if it was also a play on words. :)
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I'm pretty sure he is aware of the film :P
But no, it's nothing to do with the elements. Apart from the elemental force of Stupidity that is.
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isn't that Guards, Guards! rather than Watch, Watch! ?
the most recent Watch book is Night Watch, which I read standing in the bookstore in Japan, over a period of a few weeks. A good time travel story.
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Yeah, guard guards.
I don't like the look of nightwatch, so i have not read it.
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Tamora Pierce is presenting?
Excuse me while I die of jealousy.
Have fun, Brenna!
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we'll make a con report for you.
I've been reading a couple of hte nominees on Analog's website. I'm enjoying most of what I read.
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Here's my tentative program schedule:
(And yes, I do think I've got a panel all to my self with that second one. Interesting.)
Thursday 1:00pm How Does the Magic Work?
Susan Casper ([email protected])
P. C. Hodgell ([email protected])
Katherine Kurtz ([email protected])
Laurie J. Marks ([email protected] [email protected])
Katya Reimann ([email protected] [email protected])
Brandon Sanderson ([email protected])
Magic needs its own rules, or it becomes a game where the author can
do anything at any time. Discuss how to build and maintain a
consistent and beliveable system of magic.
Saturday 1:30pm Breaking In (0.5 hrs)
Brandon Sanderson ([email protected])
Sunday 12:00 noonAngels and Aliens, Magic and Marvels?
Anne Harris ([email protected])
Elizabeth Hilgartner ([email protected])
Ben Jeapes ([email protected])
James Morrow ([email protected]) (M)
Brandon Sanderson ([email protected])
Is there an inherent disconnect between believing in a Divine
presence and being able to really enjoy science fction and fantasy?
Or, can they complement each other, leading to a greater
appreciation of both?
Sunday 2:00pm The Writer and Moral Responsibility
Carol Berg ([email protected])
Joe Haldeman ([email protected] [email protected])
Chris Moriarty ([email protected] [email protected])
Benjamin Rosenbaum ([email protected])
Deborah Ross ([email protected])
Brandon Sanderson ([email protected]) (M)
So, you write a book about a serial-killer-vampire, and find out
that a disturbed 14-year-old kid has decided to play out that
fantasy.....Arrgh!!!? Talk about this, and related issues. Where
does the buck stop?
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Well that looks like a good excuse to set up the News page on your site.
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Oof. That's some heavyweight company you're in.
You're MODERATING the Sunday panel?
Dang. Um..........................you still have room in that hotel? If I registered in the next 2 days I could still go. Looks like flights are only $300, and I'm actually making money now... Exactly what days do you have the hotel for? For arrival/departure times, etc... >_>
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we'd love a third in the room to split costs, Ookla. I'm pretty sure EUOL can change it to a three person room.
Hotel check in is the 2nd of Sep. check out on the 7th.
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It would be killer if you showed, Ookla. Too bad you didn't decide earlier--I'll bet you could have gotten on some panels. In fact, you might still be able to--you could send to them and see if they need someone for a 'media tie-in' panel or a 'manga in America' panel.
And, uh, yeah. Looks like I'm moderating. Publishing with Tor lets me play with the big boys, I guess.
Oh, and I had check-out for the sixth. However, there's still a lot going on the sixth. Do you guys want me to extend the reservation another day?
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Yeah, the sixth is monday, right? I Want to leave Tues. I said that once. Maybe it got lost in all the communication.
Those sound like good panels. I still haven't seen a good schedule of the whole con, so I haven't picked out what I want to go to.
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Definately want a transcript of the 1st three. Totally
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well, i won't be making a transcript, and I'm horrible about notes. but I'll try to take some hard copy and not just mental notes.
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Do you have a recording device? That would be privey.
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I have one that sucks. No, i'm not going to hassle with bringing it. besides, you wouldn't know who is saying what if I did. I dont' have anything with video.
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If I get to go, I have a really nice tape recorder (and I *think* I'm getting a really nice digital video camera for my birthday from my parents--but I have to wait until my birthday/when it shows up to find out for sure).
Also, I will definitely know by Saturday whether I am going to Worldcon or not. Hopefully by tomorrow, but definitely by Saturday.
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Not to be pushy/bossy/frank/or anything else that may make me seem like el burro, but if you weren't able to, would you not be able to let EUOL take it with him so he could record them (and other things he may want to record)?
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EUOL can allwayse take my MD player. If you set that thing to mono you can recorde 2+ hours on one disk, and I've got about 10 blank disks at the moment. Thanks to the USB port on it you can easly upload it to the next and make a bunch of MP3s.
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I wish I had a 'next' that I could upload things to. :P
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there's also the secondary problem of whether we're legally allowed to record it. i'm sure there's going to be a "procedings" publication, and they don't wnat competition for that, and may disallow recordings. Of course, in that case, you can always get the procedings book.
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I also think an extension to the 7th would be good. Do you have a flight already, Brandon?
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No, no flight. I really need to get around to that....
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oooookay I officially registered! and booked my flight. I'll get there morning 2nd and leave early afternoon 7th.
<_< >_>
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I still haven't decided if I'm flying or driving. Probably flying. My wife's thinking about going up to NH for the weekend (to stay with my sister-in-law) while i'm there, though, in which case, we'd drive and she'd drop me off.
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Yay!
When's your flight getting in, and to what airport (if there are more than one)? Maybe I can arrange to get in at the same time.
Of couse, my first panel is at 1:00 on Thursday....
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I weep that I will not be attending this. Curse my poverty!
(Despite my earlier intentions to go, we've had almost 700 hundred dollars of unplanned medical expenses over the last two months; ironically, that's just about what this trip was going to cost me. Think of me, and tell all your editor friends about me.)
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Idea striking head. If some of us were to e-mail you a few of our works (since we are unable to attend this event) could you sort of pass it around to editors and people-things? Just a thought.
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hm.... Gemm, this is not to say that we're not friends. It's just that this would not be practical for many reasons. Most importanly, I don't think any of us are up for selling someone else's material (or else we'd be agents, not writers). In addition, most people want hard copies, and we're not in a position to print several copies of something you wrote on our dime.
I may be presumptuous for speaking on behalf of others, but I don't think I am. Sorry.
Fell, yeah, it sucks. I'm having trouble figuring out where my hotel/food money is coming from with recent problems, but I'm commited $180 already, so I'm gonna go.
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I'M GOING TO WORLDCON!!!!!
(and in this case, capslock IS my friend. :) )
Chris and I just registered. :)
We still don't have a place to live (though we know we'll be in Utah for a bit longer), and we don't have jobs beyond the middle of August (for Chris) and the end of August (for me), but we're going to be in Boston for Worldcon.
Now for the rest of those necessary details...like flights, and it looks like a place to stay as well, since it looks like the hotel room's getting pretty full (oh well, at least I get to go now!).
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WOO WOO! yay!
well, here's the thing....
Let me negotiate this thing with my brother. He's coming, but he lives in NH and is being forced to commute by his cruel wife. I'm thinking if you two want to share with Peter and Brandon (making 4 to the room) I can save some money and stay with my brother.
The problem is how late to stay and how early to get there. I need a schedule so I can decide if that's practical.
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btw, Hugo voting must be done TODAY.
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Today? Crap.
Only ones I've read are the Bujold book and the Sawyer book. Bujold book GOOD, Sawyer book EVIL.
I'm sure some of the others are worthy as well, but I didn't realize voting had to be done today...
Darn. I'd like to give the others a fair shake, but...assuming I can get my PIN, I'll vote Bujold. Simmons book have heard good things though.
Haven't read any of the other categories. Don't like Gordon Van Gelder for editor. The rest are cool people...
Movie: I'd have to go for Finding Nemo!
TV: the 2 Firefly ones weren't aired at all...didn't see them, but I liked a lot about that show, except episode 3 (aired). Smallville ep wasn't that great...
Oh. For Retro Hugo I'd probably go with Fahrenheit 451. Caves of Steel is great, and MIssion of Gravity is good, and I did not like Childhood's End, and I've actually not read More than Human.
Not sure on Novella. For Novelette probably Dick. Short Story...the Clarke story is definitely famous, but I don't remember what it's about.
Anyway, my flight details:
Arrive (Delta) BOS 9:37 AM Sept 2
Depart (Delta) BOS 3:30 PM Sept 7
I'm routing through Cincinnati airport. (Which, by the way, is in Kentucky by about half an hour.)
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Yeah, I hadn't read any of the novels, but I read all the novellas/novellettes, short stories that appeared in analog, and I enjoyed them all quite a bit. So I gave them votes.
Movie I voted for RotK. I don't even know WHY Pirates of the caribbean was nominated. I mean, good flick, but best of 2003? I'm not even sure why there's "voting" for this one, I can tell right nwo that RotK will get it.
I also found that I hadn't read most of the retro hugo nominees, but I didn't feel bad about not reading shorts from 50 years ago. I voted for the short flims (having seen a surprising number of them) and for Farenheit 451.
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Argh. I got my pin in the mail while I was gone, and got home at 2:30 a.m. last night. Oh well. I didn't read anything anyway.
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Idea striking head. If some of us were to e-mail you a few of our works (since we are unable to attend this event) could you sort of pass it around to editors and people-things? Just a thought.
Here's the thing, Gemm. The editors HATE taking hardcopies at things like this. The purpose of going is to get to know people and get a feel for the business. I've never taken a hardcopy of anything to a con.
No, you don't need to worry too much about missing this one. You're young, and you'll have plenty of time to attend cons in the future when you're more financially capable. Just by hanging around with us, however, your chances of getting published will improve. Listen to what the writing group says, send your short stories to WoTF and other places. If you ever finish a novel, let me know.
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SE and Brenna: I don't mind if SE goes away and Brenna/Guxijadlsktan (I can never type that) take his place. That would certainly be the best use of space for the buck.
The thing is, however, most of this stuff goes late and starts fairly early. I know some of the parties will go late, at least. Since he's driving, one option might be for you and your brother to see if you can find a $40-a-night hotel somewhere just outside of town. Would his wife let him spend $20 on a hotel for a few nights? I don't know if you could find this, or even if it would be practical, but it might be an option. It would save you some money too.
Of course, staying with him would save even more money. You'd probably want to get in late some evenings, though.
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I was looking at the late hour. The commute would be 90 minutes each way. Which is.... well... a lot. However, only one day of the con is on a work day, so there's at least that.
However, my wife had another thought. Stacy's in town and going. She's a girl though, and it'd be inappropriate for me to stay with her. Brenna, on the other hand could stay there, and then Chris could stay with us in the hotel. Of course, that has the obvious down side of splitting up the couple. I'm just throwing it out as an idea.
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Or, we could always try and pack five in a room. I slept on the floor for two years on my mission.
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Brenna's welcome to stay with me, or if needed, I can ask a friend to host a guy. Whichever you guys like, just let me know with at least a week's notice so I can make arrangements.
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OK, time for some long posts. I've been looking over the schedule, and here's the panels I may, or may not go to. The problem is that some days I haven't planned for meals. let me know what you guys think or if you plan on something I missed.
THURSDAY:
Thursday 12:00 n: Grand Openings
Once upon a time ("in a galaxy far far away")…So, how important is a good opening? What does it need to pull the reader into the story? How can it cast light upon mood, setting, character, tone, and still work as a hook for the reader? Discuss favorite openings, and tell why they work so well. And…what actually is the "right" beginning for the story? How does a writer figure out if the story on paper's starting too early, too late, or at the right time?
Thursday 1:00pm: How Does the Magic Work?
Magic needs its own rules, or it becomes a game where the author can do anything at any time. Discuss how to build and maintain a consistent and beliveable system of magic.
Thursday 2:00pm: Alternate Ecologies
Describe how they work. If possible, discuss any truly alien places on Earth (that you might have visited or heard about) that have a fairly "alien" ecology as well!
OR
Thursday 2:00pm: Mind the Plot Holes Dear, Dear
Give examples of various discrepancies/problems with details from any piece of SF/F and try to categorize them (examples: temporal, silly, boneheaded, etc.). How could the story be saved?
OR
Thursday 2:30pm: The Folklore of New Orleans
Thursday 3:00pm: Good and Evil in Genre Literature
Do science fiction, fantasy and horror have underlying moral perspectives? What are they? Do they differ? If so, why?
OR
Thursday 3:00pm: Fantasy Forensics
Real and imagined fantasy stuff—do vampires get rigor mortis? Does Cthulu have fingerprints? Analyzing a crossbow wound, etc.
OR
Thursday 3:00pm: The Seven Deadly Myths of Creativity
Thursday 4:00pm: As you know, Bob: the positives and negatives of infodumps in writing
Exposition can be quick or subtle, or straight, or with a twist. It can stop the story cold, or provide plot (and stylistic) impact. It can be smooth or lumpy, necessary or gratuitous. The panel will discuss expository theory and practice, and answer the eternal question: "What does Bob really know?"
OR
Thursday 4:00pm: A Horse is Not a Motorcycle
Many writers treat horses like motorcycles. But actually they're more like aliens who we can mostly convince to take us where we want to go if we're nice to them. Horse people talk about what horses are really like and how to use them realistically in fiction.
OR
Thursday 4:00pm: Writers' Tricks and Tips
How do you borrow from another culture? Make up an alien language? Describe something you've never seen? Authors discuss some of the tricks of the trade.
Thursday 5:00pm: Traditional Structures of Plays and Fiction
The traitional structure of a play is a build-up to a climax at the midpoint of the play (and how DO you achieve a perfect climax, anyway?) and then a slow draw down until the ending and denouement..Some works of SF and fantasy follow that model and others don't. What other models are there, and where would one of them best be used, versus the tradtional isoceles triangle structure described here?
OR
Thursday 5:00pm: The Shadow of the Torturer: The Writer as God
Do you abuse your characters? Do you do this to further the story, or because it's necessary to make the story more believable...or, to exorcise your own demons? Writing's potential for self-revelation may be its most powerful and terrifying aspect. How do you cope when your story is telling you something you don't want to know about the dark shadow of the self...?
Thursday 6:00pm: Cardboard Characters
Are They Always Bad? Old-fashioned SF used to be known for "cardboard" characters, and being plot and action driven. But, having the cardboard characters wasn't necessarily only from a perceived lack of characterization skills or interest on the part of writers and authorsàspending the time and effort to attempt to have more fully-fleshed out, multidimensional characters, might have led to different stories, not necessarily appreciated by the audience, or longer, more complicated stories, again, not necessarily desired by the audience. Then again, a lot of it may have been because of shortcoming and short deadlines for writers and publishing. But with all that, are there times when cardboard characters work and are the right way to go?
OR
Thursday 6:00pm: The Quest
For what? Irregardless…how are quests really about a search for identity and "adulthood"?
Thursday 7:00pm: The Seven Deadly Sins of SF and Fantasy
Admit it—some SF motions just don't make sense—and a lot of them become starndard background elements in the genre. Discuss a bunch of them (well, at least 7—and invent some new ones of your own, if you want!), why they're so terrible, and how they get established. Is it just that People Don't Think, or are there other reasons for these lousy ideas?
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FRIDAY:
Friday 9:30am: Anglo-Saxon Influences on Modern Fantasy
The Rohirrim have a lot to answer for…
Friday 11:00am: Social World Building
"World building" in SF usually connotes care paid to ecological, astronomical and biological factors influencing the nature of other worlds in which stories take place—in short, the physical backstory. But if other worlds are different from Earth, so are likely to be the social systems of sentient species on them, including future humans. What should you think about when considering the sociological background of stories set in the future or on other planets? SF writers traditionally took for granted that mid-20th century American norms would prevail everywhere, but we know better—don't we? The panel will consider matters of kinship, marriage, family, religion and other modes of relationship patterns that vary more widely than many realize here and now, let along then and there.
OR
Friday 11:00am: What Should Good Fantasy Do?
Should it inspire, teach, intimidate, educate? How about divert, relax, amuse, or awaken? The panelists will choose their own verbs—and in the process, explain how good fantasy differs from not-so-good fantasy.
OR
Friday 11:00am: Which Comes First: Character or Setting?
Where do you start when you create fiction?
Friday 12:00 n: Character Development for Everyone
Itisn't just writers who develop characters, Artists, costumers and gamers also need these skills, People who use characters in different mediums discuss how they go about it.
OR
Friday 12:00 n: Researching Your Story: When Do You Quit?
The family tree covers three sheets; the glossary needs extensive cross references; the map has 16 color codes. Have you overdone it, or is this all necessary to provide verisimiitude?And haven't we all read stories where the writer go so involved with building the world that the story got lost? Learn when to drop the books and pick up the pen.
Friday 1:00pm: Is your "First Novel" a First Novel?
So, you think the first novel you finish is your first novel, but is it? Could it be a third or fourth novel as far as an editor is concerned. Come learn how to write a first novel from folks who've written several among their many novels.
Friday 2:00pm: Storytelling Workshop
Storytelling plays a significant role in SF/fantasy literature, in the form of characters who gather you around the campfire, and at cons, where authors' readings could be considered a form of telling stories. Ah, but there's an art to it and here's the place to find out more—especially for fans who would like to specialize telling or performing SF/fantasy influenced tales, original or not. Discussion, demonstration, and workshop.
OR
Friday 2:00pm: Plot and Pace
A story needs to balance both the plot of the story and the pace of the revelation to keep the reader interested. Come learn how to do this critical balancing act in your own work.
Friday 3:00pm: Edged Weapons—and How Writers Get Them Wrong
OR
Friday 3:00pm: All About Agents
Are they necessary? How do you find the right one? What do you have to know to keep from getting scammed—and how can they actually protect you (if you're lucky)?
Friday 5:00pm: Writing for Comics
OR
Friday 5:00pm: How NOT to Write Science Fiction
Frp,the 1966 "Tricon" ...a very bad "Worldbuilding 101"—predatory herbivores, economics that don't work, violations of the laws of physics…Give examples (heck, make some up!) and discuss.
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SATURDAY:
Saturday 9:30am: Christian Apocalyptic Fiction and SF
Saturday 11:00am: Sweat and Blisters: How Much Reality Can We Stand in, Fantasy Quests?
Why do people on quests in fantasy literature never sweat? How do you handle all the inconveniences like potty breaks, rain, bugs, rocks under your blanket, carrying enough food and water, etc.? Does it matter?
Saturday 12:00 n: What New Writers Need to Know
Having sold a few short stories or a first novel, a writer often enters that awkward age between being and nothingness. What are the best ways to approach a nascent career, and learn the ropes about promotion, copyrights, the IRS, etc. How do you move orward into the realm of name recognition? And how do you capitalize on that shiny-new SFWA membership, anyhow?
Saturday 1:00pm: What the Writer Needs to Know...
…that doesn't get in the published story. A published story has a beginning, middle, and end. But, there are events that occur before the story starts, the characters haves lives [well, not always, if the story starts with the birth of the character or before then] before and after and story, and the writer needs to know more information about people, events, geography, and history of the characters and settings, that the reader is ever going to see. Just how much does the writer need to know, and what happens when the writer doesn't know? Can it be faked, and/or what can be left out? And when it is time to trim out events and plots and themes that might be interesting to the writer and have been part of the impetus to write a story, but which turn out to be extraneous to what the publishable story is about?
OR
Saturday 1:00pm: Reinventing Genre Fantasy
With so much genre fantasy being published,, what can be done to refresh our jaded palates?
OR
Saturday 1:30pm: Breaking In
OR
Saturday 1:30pm: How to Write a Fight Scene
OR
Saturday 2:00pm: Writing the Young Female Protagonist
Saturday 3:00pm: Creativity on Demand
Your first novel took five years to craft. Now you've got a deadline and an editor breathing down your neck. How do published authors cope with the pressure of deadlines and editor/reader expectations? What tips can they share for coping with the times when your muse won't cooperate and you still need to produce ten thousand words by Friday?
Saturday 4:30pm: Clothing & Costume in Literary SF/Fantasy
What you wear determines how you move, what you can and cannot do, and where you can go. What other issues can be affected by your dress? An examination of the field.
Saturday 8:00pm: The Hugo Awards
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SUNDAY:
Sunday 9:30am: Medieval Fantasy Literature
OR
Sunday 10:00am: How to Proof Your Own Writing: A Mini-Workshop
OR
Sunday 10:00am: Too Many Ideas?
How much stuff can you stuff in one book? Can there be too many gosh-wow-what-a-keen-thing ideas, under any circumstances? How can the trade-offs between difficult material and transparency be balanced? Can readers be given more than they can handle? How can the reluctant reader be coaxed along?
OR
Sunday 10:00am: Hiking the Enchanted Forest: Setting in Fantasy
Enchanted forests…lonely isles…magic mountains What is the importance of setting and landscape in fantasy?
OR
Sunday 10:00am: Grow Old Along With Me: Aging Your Characters
Why get stuck in adolescence? Middle age is another quest/rite of passage, and so is old age/death. How do you help your characters grow old (gracefully, or not)? How do you work with those parts of the voyage through life in your work? Or, are we being merely mercenary—to sell to an aging market segment? (Or, because we grow old, we grow old...?)
Sunday 10:30am: How to Write Cover Letters
Brevity is the key to short fiction and novel cover letters. Learn what to put in these letters, and (more importantly!) what not to put in them.
OR
Sunday 11:00am: Writers' Tools (and Desk Fetishes!)
What do writers keep on their desks? How do these objects help their writing? Professionals show-and-tell what their compositional touchstones are all about, and five hints on how to find your own particular desk fetishes.
OR
Sunday 11:00am: Achilles Needs a Heel!—The Problem With Power
Would Achilles have been interesting if he'd been truly invulnerable, or, instead or dying a tragic here would he still have been acting like a psychopathic adolescent thirty years after the Trojan War ended? Can power without vulnerabilities make an interesting story? (Has anyone succeeded?) What sorts of vulnerabilities are needed? How do you avoid the search for the armor's chink turning a story into a puzzle?
Sunday 12:00 n: Promoting a First Novel
OR
Sunday 12:00 noonAngels and Aliens, Magic and Marvels?
Sunday 1:00pm: Writers' Blocks
All about Writer's Block: writer's block is a simple concept, that the writer is stuck. Getting past it, though, can be less simple—there are lots of different possible causes—stress at work or at home, a story that the plot is getting stuck on, characters that the writer is getting bored with, etc. The ways to address writers' block differ, too. Some people talk a long walk, some garden, some go shopping, some go on-line, some work on a different story, some read a favorite book. There's no one cure—but different writers have different strategies, or sets of strategies, and those can work for other people, too.
Working through Blockages: What techniques can writers use when they hit problems with the plot, the setting, and the characters? How can a writer persuade a character to "tell" them what's bothering the character, or why the character won't cross that river the writer thinks the character needs to cross, what does a writer do after having gathered the armies to have a war, and the characters are so unobliging as to refuse to fight? How do writers write themselves out of boxes? And what other things can a writer do when stuck, besides cat vacuuming?
Sunday 2:00pm: What Fans Demand of the Writer
OR
Sunday 2:00pm: The Writer and Moral Responsibility
So, you write a book about a serial-killer-vampire, and find out that a disturbed 14-year-old kid has decided to play out that fantasy….Arrgh!!!? Talk about this and related issues. Where does the buck stop?
Sunday 3:00pm: The Catharsis of Myth, The Shock of Invention
Readercon: In writing or reading fiction, we place a high degree of value on the degree to which the plot unfolds in unexpected ways. But much of the power of myth and fairy tales derives from the way it fulfills our expectations. How do the best works of fantasy reconcile these seeming opposites?
OR
Sunday 3:00pm: Creating Gods
Gods are important characters in fantasy works from mythology to the Silmarillion to Saberhagen's Swords novels to Discworld. How does one introduce superbeings into a work without pushing the human characters into insignificance? Gods are often gigantic projections of human characteristics. Can they serve other functions as well? Additionally, why are polytheistic settings so common in fantasy? What are the sources that authors are using, and why? And why do readers find them so compelling?
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Sunday 3:00pm: Defending the Writing Life
or. "You're not busy, are you?" What to say when your parent, neighbor, or the mom besides you at playgroup asks, "So, are you still doing that writing stuff?" Why do writers have to defend their occupation to others? Why do our relatives and neighbors all think that because we're home we aren't really working? What great responses can you give them?
Sunday 4:30pm: Tricking Yourself Into Actually Writing
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MONDAY:
Monday 10:00am: Writerly Friendship
What's it like to start and maintain a friendship with another writer? How about rivalry? Collaboration? What part is played by professional admiration? How about by alcohol? Can only another ink-stained wretch really understand?
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Monday 10:00am: Curses!
Profanity for fantasy and SF—what makes made-up profanity either work or fail. Panelists can bring in examples of both, and share their own techniques for creating profanity that has the same emotional weight that real profanity does.
Monday 11:00am: How to Create Fictionalized Characters from Historical Figures
Monday 12:00 n: What's in a Name?
How do you name your characters? This is a sweeping generalization, but naming conventions in SF tend to be conservative, at least for human characters. How many stories do we read set in distant futures or other worlds in which people have names that sound like my neighbors (two names to a customer, family name last)? This is not realistic because it assumes the continued cultural dominance of a US or Western-centered world indefinitely. The way an author handles handles says something about the assumptions underlying a story (including the root assumption that sentient creatures are individuals), while the very sound of a character's name may add to the sense of the milieu, as fantasy writers well know. How could names also include such alien possibilities as clan, hive, guild, chemicals, colors…and what else?
Monday 1:00pm: Do It Again!
The pains and pleasures, whys, wherefores, and (occasional) rewards of re-writes
OR
Monday 1:00pm: Hard Fantasy
Even in genre circles, fantasy is often dismissed by saying that we can just make it all up. The fact is that many fantasy writers go to a good deal of trouble to research and extrapolate their worlds everything from finding period maps of London to checking the etymology of period words or delving into other belief systems to give their magic a sense of reality. It is the factual underpinnings which give a good fantasy the solidity it needs. How is this best done?
OR
Monday 1:00pm: Dealing with Job/Family/Life!
Many artists and writers hold a full time job of one sort or another; learn about methods for squeezing time out for SF work. And how do you pursue "the loneliest profession" and have time for your family too?
OR
Monday 1:00pm: How Stories End
Happily ever after? Well, perhaps not always. But—what makes a satisfying ending? In fact, does a story really need to have an ending anyway? And does it need to have a "happy" ending to leave the reader feeling good? Discuss favorite endings and why they work so well.
Monday 2:00pm: What's Your Agenda?
How do you get your agendas in, and keep the story going strong? Do you really have to be a Mason to understand which character in the Magic Flute is the Catholic Church? How obvious should it be (or, does it matter?) before the story's believability is shot? How can writers (or readers?) avoid taking their preconceptions with them? Their backgrounds (life, beliefs, prejudices, obsessions) shape the tale after all, don't they?
Monday 3:00pm: Closing Ceremonies
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Man alive that sounds cool. I wish I could afford it. You guys will have to take a lot of notes for me!
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You and me both Homsar. You and me both brother.
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I'll note that I've officially changed my solo panel to include myself, my agent, and my editor. So, those who go to that will get a discussion about how to break into the market from a recently published author, the agent who handled his deal, and the editor who picked him up. (It's the one called 'breaking in' on Saturday.)
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That sounds nicely balanced. Good thinking.
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I also am envious of those of you going.
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Would it be possible to perhaps get some of the notes you take posted up here on TWG? That could be very interesting for those of us who can't travel.
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I intend to have a con report. in fact, the week of Sep 6 will probably be a con report each day, depending on how much interesting stuff happens. If not enough, then i'll edit it down to one day.
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Ok, thanks a heap SE
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Got my flight.
In BOS 8:47 am
Out BOS 2:00 pm
I tried to get times as close to yours as possible, Ookla. We can share a cab, if you want. I'm about an hour and a half off of you in both cases, though.
Of course, the hotel might have a shuttle.
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...
Man, it's pissing me off and depressing me all over again to have to post this.
But if I don't get a surge of donations from unknown sources, I can't go. So, reality being what it is. I can't go. My financial situation has taken a major turn for the worse, and I CANNOT find the money to pay for lodging, transportation, or even food. Not to mention a lot of other things in my regular life that I need to take care of before I go.
This means I'm officially giving up my room spot. Chris and Kristy can have it and fill you up.
Yes, I know that I've already lost $180 buying the con membership. Yes I know that it would be better for my future career to go now. But my kids need to eat. I can't go.
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SE, that's terrible news! I was looking forward to having you there at the con to hang out.
I think you can transfer memberships, can't you? Want me to email my editor and agent and see if there's someone they know who can buy yours? Or, is there still an outside chance that you might be able to make it?
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That's really bad SE! I hope you'll be able to work it out, or if nothing else, recoup your $180. I was also looking forward to hanging out with you again, having the first writer's group meeting in person in four years. :-) You remember, don't you, that you and I and 42 were all in the same writing group for a while?
EUOL, just so you know, cabs round here are pretty expensive. It's really not that big a deal to take public transportation. It probably wouldn't take that much longer, either, in Boston traffic. Of course, there's dealing with suitcases without an elevator in the Blue Line station, so maybe you're better off with the cab.
Oh, and by the way, if you were in Hartford visiting your dad on Saturday night, I drove past you. Shoulda waved. We passed through Hartford on our way back to Boston from Illinois.
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There is next to no chance at all that I will be going. If it does happen, I will bite the bullet and pay the higher membership fee, if it comes to that.
It would be a great blessing if someone bought my WorldCon membership, so if Tor wants to save money, I'll be happy to transfer my membership.
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I'm very sorry, SE. We were really looking forward to seeing you too, especially since we missed you on your trip to Utah. :(
Good luck with everything--I hope your finances sort themselves out for you soon.
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Ouch! That is bad news indeed...I sure don't know anyone else wanting to go, so good luck... :o
Hope your financial situation improves.
Brandon, I was hoping there was a shuttle...if not to our hotel, to one of the others nearby.
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Yeah, a shuttle would be very nice. I called on extending the hotel, and they promised me it wouldn't be a problem to get an extra day on check in.
SE: Moshe says to post your offer to sell a Worlcon ticket on rec.arts.sf.fandom. He says that situations like yours are common this time of year, and that people on the newsgroup go poking around for cheaper tickets. He thinks that's your best place to sell.
I'll just express my dismay again. I really have no room to speak, not yet having a family, but this is a major bummer. In order to break in, you really need to start going to these things eventually. I had ELANTRIS done in early 2000, but I couldn't get anyone to look at it until I met an editor at a party and talked it up to him. If I hadn't started attending cons, I would still be trying to sell my books.
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when this argument is given to my wife, she makes the (pretty much valid) point that once we don't have debt payments, then I can start doing this. THe problem is I've been more serious about doing this, and I feel like I'm failing or not being serious if I'm not working on it. One argument is that I'm not serious still, because I haven't been doing extra part time work to pay for it. I haven't been doing extra part time work because I'm trying to actually write stuff, though, and taking that time away from me will slow me down a lot. Where's the compromise to be made? Apparently, my wife and I disagree on where that line is. I want to be making more money by writing, but it takes more time to start doing that than my wife is comfortable with. One thing I'm looking at is freelance editing and writing for d20 publishers. No one wants to pay to do it full time (with the few exceptions of huge companies like Wizards), but it'd be a little bit of cash.
Anyway, there is a development, and while it still seems unlikely that I'll go, there's the smallest glimmer of hope. Here's why.
THe primary expenses left are transportation, lodging, and food. This adds up to a few hundred dollars still.
However, my brother, as discussed before, is coming and commuting daily from New Hampshire. I can stay at his home, I just didn't want to spend all that time before. However, the drastic loss of sleep may be worth it now.
I have a $100 voucher with Southwest. I had put this out of my mind as useless since they don't go to Boston. They do, however, go to Manchester, NH. If I'm staying up there anyway, this suddenly becomes worth it.
I'm down to an estimated $100-150 in remaining expenses (more if my brother insists on splitting gas he'd be using anyway, which is understandable but I hope against). However, my wife, and knowing our situation, I agree, balks at any expense to get me there. So, I need to find a way to pay for it. A very kind co-worker has offered to give me $150 if that's all that's keeping me going. I am, however, uncomfortable accepting it. I hope to find some other way to get it, but I need to know exactly what this will be.
So, I need more input from con-goers and Boston residents. What expenses am I missing?
I know there'll be parking and food. I'm searching for parking rates nearby. Food, I think $25 a day is reasonable, if I only eat sit down once or twice, and pay for 2 meals a day, this should be enough. What other expenses should I reasonably expect during the course of that week?
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Boston Common Garage is $23/day, less on Saturday and Sunday. THat means (Thurs, Fri, Mon at $23, Sat and Sun at $10) Parking is going to cost my brother and me $89. Halve it for my share, $44.50. Estimated, uncovered expenses to date = $170. $200 if I have to pay my share of gas.
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SE: Food is an issue you can skip on, if you want. The Con Suite is bound to have lots of food, and it's included in your ticket price. I've never been to Worldcon, but World fantasy (even Conduit) generally has had enough food up there for free to get buy on, though it's generally more snack-ish than dinner-ish. I'll bet you could get away with eating there almost exclusively, however, only splurging to go out with us once or twice.
If REALLY necessary, though, I'll bet you could get down to zero food costs. (Or, at worst, buy yourself some sandwich stuff and keep it at your brother's.)
So, we have:
Worldcon ticket: expense already sunk.
Food: Negligible.
Housing: Free
Daily travel: hopefully free.
That leaves getting up there. On Southwest's website, however, I just found tickets for $49 each way BWI to New Hampshire. (If you come back on Monday. If you want to come back Tuesday, the second ticket will be $70) That's a hundred bucks--which is free!
So, total cost: Negligible. You should go book those tickets.
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Boston Common Garage? Is that the nearest/cheapest parking you've found? That's pretty far from the Con--two T stops. I know that the garage down the street from me only charges $16 a day, and it's closer to Hynes--almost walking distance. The one under my building is probably more--can't remember at the moment.
And there's a Shaw's grocery store just around the corner from the Con that you could get sandwich stuff from. They have a relatively cheap salad bar. Or there's a Wendy's down the street--you could live off the 99 cent menu if necessary.
Just read EUOL's post--Yay! I think it's possible. You can do it, SE!
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The Boston Common Garage is 8 blocks, according to their web site. Noreascon.org says that the two closest garages are over $25 per day.
As for flight, I can get each way for $49 if I'm willing to stay in New England all day on Tuesday (there are two flights that leave late in the evening) or skip Monday's session (there's one leaving at 8 am). Crap for sleep, but good for the budget.
I'm wary about telling my wife food will be free, but if I can keep it at $50 or so, I might could cover that. I can't book the flight till I know what my brother thinks is fair for the transportation. I'll call him tonight. It would be helpful if I can give him more details about parking. Stacy, do you have more concrete details about that? If we're parking further than walking distance, than I need to account for transportation from parking to the con as well.
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I'll walk over there this afternoon and be sure. I've parked there before, and I'm almost positive it was $16 for a day. Boston Common *is* walking distance, if you consider a mile to be walking distance. On nice days I walk from my work (about halfway between Hynes and the Common) to the Common, and it's a pleasant walk. But it'd probably take you a good 20min-1/2 hr. You can catch the T right there at the Common (Boylston St.). T tokens cost $1.25, and it's only 2 stops, and you don't have to worry about what letter you're getting on.
What I would suggest instead, though, is parking somewhere on the street near my house in Brookline--day parking on the street there is allowed and free, and even if you have to drive around for a few minutes and walk a few blocks to the T, it'd save you $20 a day. Then you'd pay $1.50 to go inbound and $1.25 to go outbound (or walk from Hynes to the Fenway stop and get on for free outbound, which is about a mile). It's about a 20 minute ride on the T, though. So it would depend on how much you want to save vs. how much sleep you want.
But I'll still go check out the parking garage when I get off work. I know it's on Stuart St., but I can't remember the name of it.
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I've posted the question on the bulletin board here at work, too. Between 3,000 Boston employees, surely someone knows of a good cheap place to park. Though $10 a day at the Common on the weekend is pretty good.
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Someone at work just told me there's a $12 lot on the corner of East Berkeley and Albany.
That's about 4-5 blocks from Hynes, definitely walking distance.
EDIT: One caveat: I forgot to ask him whether that was weekday or weekend prices. I replied (this is on the BB at work) and hopefully he'll get back to me soon, but probably not before the weekend. I'll let you know on Monday, probably.
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Alrighty,
Well, Chris and I have our plane tickets. Of course, the only way we could do it was to get there on September 1st. We get into the Boston airport at 5:44 p.m. on the first, to be exact.
So, Stacer, is there any way you could find Chris and I a place to sleep for the night of the first? Any one have a spare couch and floor?
Also, we'd love to stay in the hotel with you guys, EUOL. Could you send us the information so we know where to go/when to meet up with you on the 2nd to get our stuff into the room?
Our flights are:
Arrive in Boston September 1, 5:44 p.m.
Depart Boston September 7, 7:00 a.m.
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Just talked to my roommate, and they're fine with you & Chris staying with us. The couch might not be the most comfortable, but I believe we have an air mattress here, too. We do have a hide-a-bed in the couch, but I don't know as if I'd trust it (bought on a yard sale, etc.). I've got plenty of extra linens (sheets/blankets/pillows/towels), too, so don't worry about bringing stuff like that.
Since you're coming in when you are, I can meet you guys at the airport after work if you like. Would probably make it much easier for you to get to my house.
I'm so excited!
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We're staying at the Sheraton, Brenna. You can meet up with me easily--just call my cell phone. 801 671-2916.
That goes for everyone. It should be easy to reach me that way.
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Y'know, now *I'm* really tempted to ring that number, and see what happens...
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yeah, this is a semi-public place ;) (*Saves number to phone memory*)
Eric, have you thought about trying for something like manga script rewriting/English adaptation? I might be able to put a word in for you, especially with some writing samples (sequential art scripts would probably be best, but only non-superhero; comedy and puns seem to be what they look for).
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I don't have any samples of that sort. Maybe I'll write some up, polish them, and send them to you. I'd appreciate the good word!
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Heh. The number's posted on BYU's faculty page, so I figured it was pretty much out there anyway.
SE, what's the word?
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Well, my brother's going to cover gas and parking, and we may even stay at his in-laws, who still live an hour out of Boston, but that's still a sight better than 90 minutes. I'm probably going to be going. I just need to gather some cash still. Yeah, it's jsut food, and I know I can do it for free, but I dont' have that kind of self control. So still looking for that.
I even applied for a job at target. I figure I can earn enough spare cash even as just part time in the evenings before the con that I can earn food money.
I think you'll see me there. I just need to make my wife comfy with it.
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Cool. Disaster averted.
In other news, I spent the day in Boston today, and that's one cool town. Very walkable and very easy to get around in. Even the traffic wasn't as bad as I'd been led to believe.
It's been added to my (short) list of places to live once I'm financially stable. A condo or townhouse downtown there would be very cool.
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And very expensive.
And what were you doing in Boston on my birthday without calling me?! ;) Could have hung out. I take it you're still hanging out with family? (And I agree on the walkable part. Sometimes I'll walk home instead of taking the T on a nice day, or on a holiday or game day when it's likely to be crowded.)
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You know, while I was on my way I thought that it would have been cool to call you, but you hadn't posted your phone number as of yet.
I'm on my way to DC today, and my Virginia friends drove up to get me. We decided to divert to Boston for a day.
By the way--Cheers has really good food.
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yeah, see, unless you're from (and love) New York City, Boston is a cool town. Lots of stuff there, and not too oppressive. I'm glad the con's there. PLEASE tell me you tried the clam chowder, EUOL. If not, that is one thing we MUST do while there. The best clam chowder on the planet is made in Boston.
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Thanks, Stacer! We really appreciate it.
Also, it'd be great if you met us at the airport--that will make finding everything the first night so much easier. :)
We're coming in on American Airlines Flight 636 at 5:44 p.m. on September first.
And thanks, EUOL, for the phone number.
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EUOL--oh well. You'll be here in a few weeks anyway.
Brenna--count on me being there at the baggage claim for your flight. I won't be able to meet you at the gate, obviously. Do you guys have a cell phone? I hope you wrote mine down, because I'm going to delete it off here today. If you don't have it, email or msg me.
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SE--that parking lot I told you about: checked with the coworker, who said that that price is the weekday price. He often uses it for work. It's closer to Hynes by a block or two, and it's half the price. Even with your brother covering it, you may want to check it out.
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Great, I got your number, Stacer. We don't have a cell phone, but we might be getting one later this week. If we do, I'll get the number to you.
Also, we *might* have an apartment! We find out for sure tomorrow.
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PLEASE tell me you tried the clam chowder, EUOL. If not, that is one thing we MUST do while there. The best clam chowder on the planet is made in Boston.
Uh...I'm not really that fond of food from the ocean. But, we can certainly go get some for you while we're there.
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i don't eat mcuh either. But crustaceans and Boston clam chowder are the two very important exceptions.
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That's the one thing I can't make an exception for, even being a Bostonian as I am. Clam chowder. I can't seem to make myself like it. Regular fish, fine. Crab, pretty good. Lobster--only had once and it was rubbery, but it wasn't from the coast, so perhaps I ought to try it again sometime.
But mollusks are not for me. Shrimp, ug. And calamari is just plain wrong.
Oh, but I forgot to tell you guys, there's one restaurant here by Faneuil Hall that we'll have to go to. It has Yankee cooking, including Indian pudding and other fun stuff like that. Or there's a great seafood place around the corner from that that also has a few chicken dishes for the unfishy among us.
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ARGH again.
I can't find my voucher with southwest. everything hangs on that, so uhm.. CRAP!
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well, more bad news. Southwest can't retrieve my voucher number for me. So, if I can't find it, I'm SOL. this whole experience has been VERY FRUSTRATING.
Thanks for listening to me whine about it.
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Thanks for listening to me whine about it.
Welcome. I get paid to listen to people whine now. for you, it's free.
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That sucks.
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In my constant vacillation (just trying to keep you on my toes) my frantic searching for my temple recommend last night turned up my voucher. Yay!
However, my wife doesn't want me to go. On some sort of principle. It occurred to me in the temple last night, however, and I told her, that if I hadn't lost my recommend I wouldn't have found the voucher. I felt there was some inspiration for it. Of course, that doesn't necessarily imply that God is preparing the way for me. (her response, incidentally, is that if I hadn't lost the voucher in the first place she wouldn't have told me how she felt, which may mean that God is trying to give me my agency so I can decide what's the best course of action here).
Anyway, money is the only way I can think of to make her more comfortable. I need $16.70 to get the tickets in hand (taxes and fees and such) and I reckon I need a good $50-75 in my pocket for food.
I'm on the verge of taking my co-worker's donation, but any other ideas you guys might have would help.
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Yay!
I say, if all else fails, take the coworker's donation, but as a loan to be repaid when your financial situation gets better. Think of it as an investment in your career. You might make some good contacts for a full-time job you'd enjoy more, while at the same time making contacts for your writing career. I'd say to bring along several copies of your resume, in case you have an opportunity to give it to someone.
And when you're here, just try to be as economical as possible.
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As a wife who has sent her husband to two conventions alone within two months and is doing at least one more, i'd talk with her. I don't know if she'd care since we don't have all the kids to take care of and whatnot, but I do understand how she feels.
Like, a LOT.
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You must buy your tickets quickly, though, SE. Southwest's prices jump up on you if you don't watch out.
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So...uh, are you coming, SE?
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after a terrible fight yesterday, the verdict is yes. I bought my plane tickets today. Had to drive to frickin' Baltimore to get them, but I have them. I will definitely be there.
I will take brandon's number and we'll make sure we hook up. I fly on the morning of the 2nd, but i get there at like 9ish, so I should be at the Hotel by 11 I'd think.
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Okay, I just got an email from someone wanting a worldcon ticket. I should tell them you're absolutely going, right?
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yes. Yes I am going
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so, now that we're 2 weeks away from the con.
What should I wear?
I know I should dress as Neo or a Barbarian or whatever, but will they take me seriously if I'm not wearing a tie? Shirts and slacks seriously cramp my style, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make if the pro here says I should.
Oh, and none of you'se guys commented on my schedule choice. Will you participants be joining me at any of these? Naturally they're subject to change, especially if there's someone I want to meet who's at a different event.
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I'd say business casual. That's what I'm going with, myself.
And no, you *shouldn't* go as Neo.
Some of your schedule looked really interesting to me. I haven't had time to go through the whole schedule yet, though I've glanced at the first day. I'm going to be concentrating on the lit side of it, so obviously if you go to any gaming/fannish thing I probably will be finding something else to see.
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Wear whatever is natural to you. Even jeans and a nice shirt will separate you from the cosplayers. I'll often wear slacks, but that's just my style--and the editors tend to dress nicely because they're at work and want to look professional. A lot of the authors, however, dress very casually.
As for the program, I never pick what I'm going to go see until the day of. I'm a 'wait and see' type of guy.
There are some things to keep in mind, however. The Tor party is Friday night at 8pm, and I can take one person with me to that. (It opens to the public at 10.)
The SFWA suite goes the entire con, and that's where a lot of authors and editors tend to hang out. I can bring a guest there too, but I'd only really want to do one at a time.
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I'd like to go to the SFWA suite at least once, if you'd take me. I'd love to get a chance to chat with a couple of editors.
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yeah, major typo there. I will NOT, repeat NOT be dressing as Neo. (I recently saw Reloaded. What a load of crap!)
I'm not doing anything fannish to my knowledge. I want to build skills as a writer as my secondary goal. The primary one being to meet editors.
So, I'm volunteering for the Tor party. From what I hear from the other participants, I'm closest to having something to send. AM I wrong on that? Do I need to arm wrestle anyone for this privelege?
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Well, that would be a nice place to meet editors--so Brenna, Stacer, and Ookla all have a legitimate claim to wanting to go. Remember, it's open to all at ten--though most congoers probably won't know about it. Only those who have an in.
Anyway, we can talk there--I just thought I'd give you a heads up.
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arm wrestling it is then
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I'm sorry to say that SE has just insulted a Matrix film.
If he stops posting here suddenly, this will be why.
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If it makes you feel better, I only insulted it because, y'know, it sucked horribly.
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Reloded was the best of the three. Beautiful action sequences.
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ick no! The action scenes were soem of the worse parts.
Ok, not the action scenes, but the kung fu fights. Everyone of them was so obviously staged. It's like "My turn to punch. Ok, now your turn to punch. Ok, now mechanically dodge while I kick. Yes. now your turn." ugh. I almost turned the chanel during the first one, but decided to give it another chance. And what the heck was that at the end? He's a super hero because he can rewrite code. Hello! No code to rewrite in the real world!
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Of course it looks staged. That was deliberate. See, anyone fighting Neo and Neo himself all have levels of Martial art ability based on the fact that they can rewrite the matrix however they want. Therefore, they can see the attacks coming and such, and Kung Fu works differently.
Besides, when Morpheus weilds and Uzi and Katana at the same time, it was the single most right feeling moment in a film ever.
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Well, that would be a nice place to meet editors--so Brenna, Stacer, and Ookla all have a legitimate claim to wanting to go.
...Anyway, we can talk there--I just thought I'd give you a heads up.
Yes, I'd like a chance to meet editors as well, whether at a party or elsewhere. Doesn't really matter.
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Well, by bashing what is obviously the best SF film in recent years, SE is quickly talking himself out of a place at the party, so maybe there will be room for me to take someone else. ;)
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In this matter, I am Switzerland. I haven't seen it. I hope that doesn't take me out of the running altogether! ;D
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As long as I get to meet editors and have a chance to chat with them, I don't really care where. Though the party would be fun. ;) And, if all else fails, I can always show up at 10.
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I'm sorry, JP, that justification makes NO sense. None. At all. If they can see the attacks coming, why the heck don't they do more than take their turn to punch? That's silly.
I admit there were some nifty moments, but those kung fu scenes were awful, and someone really needed to point out that there was some foolish plotting going on before, y'know, they filmed it. For example, why don't mahcines use projectile weapons? they gotta throw bombs or they can't attack from a distance? Mount a cannon on the dang thing! i mean, no wonder humans give you such a problem. Here's a variety of sentient beings who would be totally unharmed by nuclear fallout in case of a power plant meltdown, yet they choose to use something that can resist them as a power source instead.
If you wrote something like that, Brandon, you'd realize there were some pretty huge setting holes and correct it. But now I'm supposed to like it because it had a big SFX budget and supposedly asks some rudimentary philosophical questions?
Anyway, I want to go to the party. But as EUOL said, we'll talk about it there.
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You should like it cos it's aweosme mad kung, gun and wire fu, foo'!
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I admit there were some nifty moments, but those kung fu scenes were awful,
Actually, they were very standard for kung fu movies. I'm thinking specifically of the Seraphim fight, which was the one that seemed to have the closest feel to what you're complaining about. It felt very much like a classic kung fu action sequence, including that hit (pause just briefly) hit again (pause just briefly) sequencing. I think that was intentional.
and someone really needed to point out that there was some foolish plotting going on before, y'know, they filmed it. For example, why don't machines use projectile weapons? they gotta throw bombs or they can't attack from a distance? Mount a cannon on the dang thing! i mean, no wonder humans give you such a problem. Here's a variety of sentient beings who would be totally unharmed by nuclear fallout in case of a power plant meltdown, yet they choose to use something that can resist them as a power source instead.
See, now, this is hardly a valid criticism of the second movie. One of the reasons it's my favorite is that these issues play a very small part in the story, compared to number one or number three. If this is your problem with the second movie, why call it the worst of the three? It's alright to hate the entire trilogy for reasons like this, but don't pretend that the first movie didn't have the exact same problems.
If you wrote something like that, Brandon, you'd realize there were some pretty huge setting holes and correct it. But now I'm supposed to like it because it had a big SFX budget and supposedly asks some rudimentary philosophical questions?
The thing is, I COULDN'T write something like this. The Matrix movies all have terrible plots, but they're VISUAL exercises, to be enjoyed for that reason. They aren't the greatest movies ever made, but they are visually majestic, and the second one did the best job of this (in my opinion) while having the fewest number of plot holes. That's why it's my favorite, and that's why I think it compares favorably to the other SF that's come out recently.
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I have in the past expressed my opinion that the first movie is considerably worse than my first impression. And I've never seen the third. It could very well be the worst of all.
But yes, I can apply it to this movie. Because the entire interview with the architect, which is, in fact, the goal of every moment in the movie leading up to it, hinges entirely on the problems of having a power supply with free will. In the previous movie, you can justify the lack of alternate power sources by pointing out that a nuclear power plant could explode. Sure, it can still explode, but where in the world did anyone, let alone a machine, get off thinking it made sense (which also ties in very tightly with the architect's little diatribe) to devote a major chunk of the energy that would be produced into forming an environment that the power supply itself needs? It's VERY inefficient, and to top off, the power supply can cause hiccups in the power because its freewill gets in the way. If all of this is so much a problem that you have to create more freewill beings just to regulate this power supply, why not go with something much simpler and, it appears, less likely to meltdown on you?
That is VERY much a "reloaded" complaint, because without the information provided in this specific film, the issues I have a problem with aren't important.
for a pretty movie, I'd still go see soemthing else. This movie has pretentions at philosophical importance and thinking that it's a discussion of Free Will. It may be just eye candy to you, but that's not how the film (or most of its fans) presents itself, so I find it a bit ridiculous.
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SE, I think all of your complaints are valid--except, I see you trying to justify the first movie and lay its ills on the second one.
In the previous movie, you can justify the lack of alternate power sources by pointing out that a nuclear power plant could explode.
No, no I can't. YOU might be trying to offer justification, but the movie itself did no such thing. It unabashedly claimed its premise--that the only way for machines to get power was for them to use human beings and create the matrix.
If you accept the premise of the first movie, then everything in the second movie is INTERNALLY LOGICAL. In fact, it's far more logical than the first movie. The computers are really really powerful, yet they can't find Zion and destroy it? That makes no sense. Yet, in the second movie, they explain that Zion was founded by the machines. That makes sense. And the entire Architect conversation makes reasonable sense as well--this is a machine world, and the idea of an occasional reboot is logical.
As for the 'eyecandy' comment, I will agree--if you refer to things like a fine Monet or Van Gogh as 'eyecandy.' The movie was about style, and that style was achieved quite successfully. It's more than a 'blow things up' eyecandy movie like XXX. It was a cohesive piece of stylistic vision.
The series has problems in conception and plotting, but these are most manifest in movie one and movie three. If you accept the worldbuilding and stylistic vision of the first movie, then the second movie continues and expands, like a sequel is supposed to. If you don’t accept that premise, then the second movie is silly and overblown.
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In a slightly-less-controversial turn of events, BYU agreed to pay for $300 of my Worldcon trip.
Being a grad student does have its perks.
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again, I have not been shy about my claim that the first movie is not all that great. however, while it MAKES the claim, and it is a flaw, it is NOT as big a flaw as it is in Reloaded because the themes of the first one don't depend on it. They are more about epistomology (though amateurish when it comes to it) than they are about free will and fate. In the first movie, it isn't important whether they chose to use humanity or they were forced. in the second, it depends on them benig forced to use humans, which is ridiculous. (and it's hard to even swallow that humans are an efficient power source. Sure, we put out some energy, but we use most of it, and even at that it seems like the machines would have been better off using a less independent breed of animals).
Because of all this, the first movie is easier to enjoy and even accept, because the most absurd premise of hte movie is less important to accept to accept the rest of the film. Whereas in Reloaded, it's thrown right into your face.
So, in summary. You're wrong.
er... i mean, in summary, I don't really like either movie that much. But Reloaded is worse for promising more and living up to less. I don't WANT to see Revolutions after seeing this.
And I notice that you haven't addressed neo's gaining superpowers in the real world at the end. how am I supposed to swallow that?
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oh, and woot at the 300 bones. that's like half the cost of the trip.
well, it would be for me. your plaine ticket is more expensive. still, Any amount is nice. and $300 is nothing to sneeze at.
Incidentally, everyone knows that EUOL and I aren't REALLY at each others throats, right? This is just what we both like to do. we both once spent an hour arguing about alignment in D&D, even though neither of us thought it was a very good idea.
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Being a grad student does have its perks.
In your world at least.
Can I just say that I've kicked myself over and over again for not doing a master's at little old BYU or Illinois State instead of here? Yeah. It'd be nice to be able to afford food again.
Okay, that's a bit of my own hyperbole. Of course I eat. I just can't finish my program *and* eat at the same time.
/me wanders off again, muttering to herself about budgets and full-time/full-time
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Yes, but you get to be...
AN EDITOR!
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One more week, guys! I'm so excited that so many people are coming out here. I know you're all really coming to Boston because you miss me. :D The con is just an excuse! You know it is!
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yes. that's exactly it. I wish my brother would call so I know I'm being picked up in Manchester....
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Oh, by the way, if any of you that are coming (I'm thinking of Chris and Kristy in particular) will want me to pass along your resume to Houghton, it might be a good idea for you to email it (with a cover letter) to me beforehand, in case you might want to do an interview while you're here. I talked to my boss, who said that I could pass them on to her, as well as give a copy to H.R.
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Those worldcon people that are trying to sell themselfs (besides SE), If you need a website for marketing yourself talk to me. I'm going to try and have a "lite" version of my site manager done this weekend if it's needed. You'll have to get you own site address.
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Stacy, I recnetly did an "Editor" version of my resume. I'll pass it on. I'm always open for working in an area that interests me more than what I'm doing.
I need it critiqued though, I've never done something like this resume.
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Send it along and I can look at it.
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Two things:
You Westerners who are coming out here, can you come bearing gifts? I seek quarters, in particular. If any of you have or could find the Denver minting (practically impossible to find around here) of the following quarters, I would give you a whole quarter each in trade:
Florida (2004)
Texas (2004)
Iowa (2004, if it's out)
Alabama (2003)
Missouri (2003)
Arkansas (2003)
If anyone's collecting them and needs anything from the Philadelphia minting, let me know and I can hunt them down, if possible.
Second thing: anyone sending a resume through me will probably want contact names, which I forgot. My boss is Susan Stark, who is Executive Editor (I think! argh, now I'm not sure) in the Social Studies department of the School Division of Houghton Mifflin. Nicole Boudreau is the H.R. representative that I'd pass your resume along to for anything outside the School Division (College, Trade). You can go to http://www.hmco.com and click on About Us-->Career Opportunities to get an idea of what's available.
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Hey Dex, if you live near Boston, will you be splurging $200 and coming to hang with us at WorldCon? The more Time Wasters the merrier, and no, none of us are particularly scary.
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I'll look through the quarters at work tonight Stacer, see if I cannot find any of those.
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Lynn's a suburb, basically. And he said he works in the Financial District. So he should at least meet us for lunch or something if he won't be going to Worldcon.
P.S.--Thanks, Sprig.
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let's see, I've got
D-2004-Florida
What an ugly design! Terrible composition.
I'll set it aside for you. Hope it doesn't get lost.
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Thanks!
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As I mentioned in another thread, it's HOT here right now. So you might want to pack accordingly. We've had high 80s-low 90s with high humidity since last weekend, and it's promising rain right now. There are several tropical storms moving this direction over the next couple of days (though hopefully it'll miss while you're here--one's supposed to be here now and tomorrow, and another early next week), so that means heat until it breaks, then cool rain, then heat again. Just wanted to warn y'all.
Of course, the convention center and your hotel will be air conditioned. Best bet is light pants/capris (for Kristy) with a light shirt, and you may want to bring an umbrella. The rain here gets *really* heavy, especially during these big storms.
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are you saying I can't wear capris?
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I found an Arkensas at work Stacer.
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are you saying I can't wear capris?
I pray to all that is holy that I never see you in capris.
And thanks, Sprig, for finding the quarter! Will you be sending it via EUOL, I take it?
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Oh, the choices! 1pm Thursday, How Does Magic Work?, including our very own EUOL. 1:30 pm Thursday, Exploring Parental Death in Children's Fantasy Literature. As many of you know, the dead mother issue is often a big issue for me.
How long do each of these panels run, EUOL?
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An hour is standard for most panels; a half-hour for presentations, readings, and one-person panels.
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Speaking of panals, now you can check BS.com to get brandon's scedule and what rooms he'll be in.
http://www.brandonsanderson.com/news.php?id=5
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Wow, Brandon, that's a lot.
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New panel: Monday at 1:00, teaching SF/F on a University level. Featuring Dr. Taylor, Dr. Perry, and good ol' me.
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On your Worldcon schedule: schedule is spelled wrong (scedule).
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New panel: Monday at 1:00, teaching SF/F on a University level. Featuring Dr. Taylor, Dr. Perry, and good ol' me.
1. Who are Dr. Taylor and Dr. Perry? BYU profs?
2. This should be very interesting.
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Actualy EUOL the con's site lists it as "Teaching/Advising SF/F/H at Religious Institutions" not the college level.
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Oh yeah? Well, that's interesting.
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Yes, Dr. Taylor and Dr. Perry are BYU professors. Sally Taylor was TLE's advisor (but she's now officially retired), and Dennis Perry is our new advisor. They are both pretty cool.
You may find this interesting, Stacer--Chris and I had our wedding reception at Dr. Taylor's home!
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Okay Brandon, just want to run things down/finalize...
Hotel: Sheraton
Since your flight gets in about an hour before mine, how about you just take the shuttle ($10) to the hotel and check in? Unless you really want to wait for me (I'm coming through Cincinnati at 9:37, Delta) at the airport.
(Eric, when are you arriving?)
When you check in you should be able to reserve keys for Eric and me to pick up separately, no?
um...is there anything else to go over? If for some reason we don't meet up quickly, we can definitely meet at your 1:00 panel.
We've got each other's phone numbers.
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I'll do just that, Ookla. However, did we decide SE is staying with us? Brenna, where are you and Chris staying?
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Yeah, I officially butted out a while ago for funding problems -- so unless you plan on housing me.... My plane gets into Manchester, NH around 9, where my brother will pick me up. we plan on being at the con by 11:30 or so. I'll have Brandon's cell #. So I'll call you guys when we're there. You hopefully will be settled by then.
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ummm...I thought we were staying at the Sheraton with you guys...I *really* hope that's what we're doing, since I won't have internet access after about five minutes.
We are staying with Stacer tonight, as we are about to leave to head out to Boston today, and we're supposed to be in the hotel with you guys as of tomorrow.
See you all there!
If you need to get ahold of me, Brandon, Stacy has my cell phone number.
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I was thinking that if everyone was there by noonish, we should eat lunch together (if timing works). If not, meeting up at Brandon's 1:00 seminar sounds good, too. Everyone have my cell phone still? Let me know if you need it.
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I does not. I didn't write it down.
but lunch sounds yummy.
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It's 857-225-2579. And my home number, in case anyone needs to get me there (sometimes my cell battery does strange things unexpectedly during the day, though I think I've figured out what it is)--is 617-277-5693.
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Stacer, please assure Brenna that she has a place in our hotel room. That's what I've been planning ever since SE ran into his mega-funding-problems.
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So EUOL: you might have mentioned this elsewhere, but is your publisher paying your way to the convention as marketing expenses? And do you get anything from sitting on the panels? Or is this all self-promotion tax-write-off stuff?
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Self-promotion tax-write-off stuff.
BYU is giving me some money (because I'm presenting.) If the convention makes a profit, that profit will be distributed amongst the people who sit on panels, but only the actual guests of honor will be let in for free.
Cons are generally seen as self-promotion deals. Tor doesn't have the budget to do much marketing for authors--primarily because marketing just doesn't do a whole lot in this business. Book signings are nice, but there's no focused local for them to be really effective. Flying me into a city to do a couple book signings when nobody has even heard of me would be kind of a waste of their money.
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Well, I'm outa here.
See you on the flip-side.
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gotcha.
going to airport now.
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Going to bed now. going to the airport in about 6 hours. Expect a call from me within 12
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Brenna and GuJiaXian made it here safely. We'll be calling EUOL sometime in the morning to hook them up for the room. Hopefully by lunchtime we'll all have figured out where everyone else is. Not that anyone will see this, but, y'know, just in case.
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I'm glad they made it safely. Have fun, guys. I'll just be here, going to classes and being all green and stuff.
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I'll be here cheering you all on. And I'll be a different kind of green, since not all greens have to be ferns. Just think. You're missing out on having me around, to talk. I've gotten better at my Russian accent and crazy go nuts Russian sayism's.
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btw, we will have con reports each night, probably. lots of good material before i even went to a panel
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Can we get a pannel report for each one of EUOL's pannels from you peeps?
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I can't help with the one yesterday, as I had to pop out in the middle of it, but I'll contribute for today's and on. Tage took some pictures, too, and I'll be bringing my camera today (which is film, so there'll be delay on getting those out).
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No panels for me today. Now, if you're really nifty, you'll have Ben take some at the Tor party tonight....
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HELP!!
I'm on the third floor of the Hynes. Send aid! I took a wrong turn on the way from the T and am now a bit.... perspirant. I need a shower. Someone come find me!
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What?
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I found an Arkensas at work Stacer.
By the way, Sprig, do you still have that Arkansas? I may be out visiting sometime later in the fall (a trip I was supposed to make in August got postponed) so perhaps I might be able to get it then. Then again, I probably could just walk into a bank if I'm out there. Anyway, if you happen to still have it then, I'll trade you for another whole quarter.
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In a slightly-less-controversial turn of events, BYU agreed to pay for $300 of my Worldcon trip.
Being a grad student does have its perks.
Okay, remember how I complained that I didn't get such perks at my school?
I stand corrected. Just got a letter today from my school, saying that they'd pay for up to $600 for conference presentations. I should find a conference! :)
Ooo! It's not just conference presentations. It's research and professional development as well. Hmm. Opens up interesting possibilities.
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lol.
Come to LTUE!
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Hey, that's a great idea! D'you think they'd want a panelist on children's fantasy?
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Absolutely, especially if you paid for yourself to come out.
Ah, wait, I may be speaking too soon. I haven't been involved with LTUE since I chaired the committee. (shudder and live in a cave for six months, ok I feel better now) But when I was involved they would have loved a panelist on such a subject and, even better, would have loved a presenter on the subject, since having a presenter means you don't have to coordinate more than one person to be at one place at the same time. It's easier.
I have no contact information for anyone involved now but I'll bet EUOL does or could get some easier than I could.
How about it EUOL?
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When is it usually? Sometime in the spring, right?
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Yeah, February, March, etc...
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It's in February, and if you need/want contact information, I can most likely get it for you.
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Even more specific, it will be February 17-19, 2005, and their website is http://ltue.byu.edu
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Okay, so on the site they have a form that you can fill out to volunteer, and there's a part on that form that you can check for presenter/panelist. Do you think filling out that form and explaining briefly my experience and the papers I have currently in the works will be enough? Or is there someone in particular I should email?
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Stacy,
The person who contacted me and asked me to be on panels was Charlie (female) whose email was: C2H at aol dot com. I think she's in charge of the writing track.
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I actually came home to a reply from Charlie, saying they'd love to have me if I can bring myself, budget-wise. So, looks like I'll be there in Feb.