tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post192091468262455934..comments2024-03-10T04:29:20.044-04:00Comments on Mad Genius Club: Pack Up the Kit Bag?Sarah A. Hoythttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17478124095732219352noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-1531934362554146672010-10-23T07:45:08.871-04:002010-10-23T07:45:08.871-04:00I suspect that question about worldview was for me...I suspect that question about worldview was for me. That world view is progress and there's a whole literature on it. (I should put it in quotes--"progress"-- or maybe capitalize it.) It's the idea that since reason is now in charge (as opposed to superstition from the dark past) societies will only continue to improve and there will be no rise and fall, boom and bust. <br /><br />When this was believed, sf was optimistic and forward looking. It isn't believed anymore. That can explain why all the dystopian sf.Scott W. Clarkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04047386631227542689noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-91355465128650390742010-10-23T03:22:27.394-04:002010-10-23T03:22:27.394-04:00Synova -- I think we've got at least a couple ...Synova -- I think we've got at least a couple of problems right now. First, especially with epublishing, we're awash in options. So many, in fact, that it's hard for writers to figure out where to go, and incredibly difficult for readers to find them! Second, and it's part of the same problem, is figuring out an effective way to pay. So that writers make a living and readers don't feel ripped off. I suspect we may end up with more storyteller's bowl, webscription, and so on efforts, but I'm not sure how it will sort out. We've got to have channels that work to get good stuff in front of readers AND pay the writers enough to keep doing it. Not an easy challenge, but I do expect we'll solve it.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01422171964652699673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-92091250711093942532010-10-23T01:06:13.375-04:002010-10-23T01:06:13.375-04:00I think that it's true that speculative fictio...I think that it's true that speculative fiction is practically mainstream anymore. And it's expanding rather than contracting. I don't know what that means about selling books though. <br /><br />OTOH, people express frustration about the lack of the sort of book they really want to read. I read a comment just today in response for author recommendations that all of the really great female science fiction writers were nearing the ends of their careers. The obvious logical problem with that is that an author gets to be really great by accumulating that body of work and a new person who is every bit as great hasn't done that yet. <br /><br />Is the problem (if there is one) a lack of readers, a lack of authors, or a difficulty bringing the two together?Synovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01311191981918160095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-73557547474662879062010-10-22T21:35:38.515-04:002010-10-22T21:35:38.515-04:00Hi, Kate. I certainly hope there will always be a ...Hi, Kate. I certainly hope there will always be a market for SF:)<br /><br />I think we always need to paint things as more dramatic than they are & use the contrasts to bring out the story. But Dystopian gets a little dreary after a while. I personally like to get excited about the future - of course we all need villans:)Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-17306343945794977272010-10-22T21:29:49.041-04:002010-10-22T21:29:49.041-04:00Sod the prognosticators (and that's the polite...Sod the prognosticators (and that's the polite version). SF is not dead and never will be. It's mutating, as it always has.<br /><br />As soon as one SF meme finds its way into general consciousness, a bunch more spring up, mate, and eventually the one that's most interesting to the most people will find its way into general consciousness as well. Ad infinitum.<br /><br />Even when the silly bloody dystopian "humanity is EEEEEEVILLL!" buggers are running the show - although the cycle does slow down then because most people don't like having their "consciousness" "raised" (mine's entirely too elevated as it is, thank you very much), and book sales tank. Gee. Funny that.<br /><br />Also funny how the dystopian SF is what gets flagged as "mainstream" - 1984, and Brave New World come to mind. But anyway...<br /><br />People want to be able to think the future is going to be better than the present (civilized, non-nihilist people do, at any rate). As long as that desire exists, there's a market for SF. <br /><br />Same as there'll always be a market for fantasy because it lets you take the immediacy of current situations out - so you can cover a lot more ground without hitting hot buttons, if you take care not to insert political rants. <br /><br />All of which presumes interesting stories about interesting characters, of course. Absent those, it ain't fiction, it's proselytizing.Kate Paulkhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02034983693134240754noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-81156748600421920432010-10-22T21:23:39.039-04:002010-10-22T21:23:39.039-04:00Hi, Mike. That's a good point, and really that...Hi, Mike. That's a good point, and really that is our main job as storytellers. People forget that in the Golden Age a lot of those old writers had the people dynamic down pat.Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-76927544778254767302010-10-22T21:14:40.383-04:002010-10-22T21:14:40.383-04:00Just a quick note about that prediction thing -- I...Just a quick note about that prediction thing -- I really don't expect SF to get it all right. That's a job for the technical prognosticators. What I do expect SF to get right is how we might react when things of this sort come up, where we might fall on our face as we trip over the law of unintended consequences, and such. In other words, stretch our human experience to give us at least a taste for what might happen. Doesn't really matter whether they get the details (flying cars, belts, etc.) right, but that stretching -- we need that!Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01422171964652699673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-88077859262868489282010-10-22T21:12:55.173-04:002010-10-22T21:12:55.173-04:00Hi, Dave. I am amazed at how static the advances h...Hi, Dave. I am amazed at how static the advances have been. In that same article Malzberg was whinging about how the $5k advances were not enough to live on - and that was 1970!<br /><br />Something is rotten in Denmark.Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-80763528056229430732010-10-22T21:10:06.178-04:002010-10-22T21:10:06.178-04:00Brendan. That actor had Doc Brown's voice down...Brendan. That actor had Doc Brown's voice down pat. I must try to find the automatic drying controls . . .Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-15086286387432460992010-10-22T20:47:21.842-04:002010-10-22T20:47:21.842-04:00Chris - as far as I can work out the golden boring...Chris - as far as I can work out the golden boring age for pay for sf writers was 1970-1980-ish. Then PB copy numbers started dropping with more income starting to come from hard-cover sales. I've been told around 40K sales paperback was common in about 1980 for a newbie. Yes, they might have been getting around 28 cents a book, but that still put their income 2-3 actual earnings now, and that's without inflation. The newbie pay entry froze at around 1990 - $5000 on average. It's actually moved slightly down since then. Thing is $5000 could buy quite a lot more back in 1990.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12315551718688781746noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-28106479700090138192010-10-22T19:29:07.713-04:002010-10-22T19:29:07.713-04:00Chris,
A case of perfect timing. Both the skit a...Chris,<br /><br />A case of perfect timing. Both the skit and the comic I only found today going through my morning list of news, blogs, and comics.Brendanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12290731721638936110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-42556844367692850502010-10-22T19:26:28.238-04:002010-10-22T19:26:28.238-04:00Hey, Bendan. That Doc Brown skit was hilarious!Hey, Bendan. That Doc Brown skit was hilarious!Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-81292003949907282572010-10-22T19:20:23.409-04:002010-10-22T19:20:23.409-04:00Hey, Brendan. I want to know where my personal jet...Hey, Brendan. I want to know where my personal jet pack is!Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-86056605495861793292010-10-22T19:18:35.831-04:002010-10-22T19:18:35.831-04:00Hey, Dave. I'll take the postcard, as long as ...Hey, Dave. I'll take the postcard, as long as it's from Flinders:)<br /><br />Perhaps 'May you live in boring times?' Maybe we would all be better paid:)Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-45084769729968315182010-10-22T19:17:00.016-04:002010-10-22T19:17:00.016-04:00Hi, Linda. One of the things I was hoping for in t...Hi, Linda. One of the things I was hoping for in this post was for all you guys to tell me everything that was wrong with that particular hypothetical provocation. I really want to believe that people want us to lead them into those new realms of possibility. <br /><br />I really did suddenly get a sense though, that we are really in a new world. I can't wait to see where our stories land when the dust settles!Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-40092072212384793292010-10-22T19:14:05.924-04:002010-10-22T19:14:05.924-04:00Hi, Chris. And there is the problem right there! Y...Hi, Chris. And there is the problem right there! You are trying to make people think!<br /><br />You are right though, I tend to forget the amazing power our medium has.Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-21448686078596862162010-10-22T19:12:55.658-04:002010-10-22T19:12:55.658-04:00Hi, Ben. Interesting perspective. I think you are ...Hi, Ben. Interesting perspective. I think you are right. A lot of the trends in SF are really related to how we as a population are engaged with science and technology.<br /><br />In the golden age there was a general belief that technology would bring a postive future. Then people got scared about radiation, DDT was revealed as something with substantial environmental impacts and the 'down side' of technology just started to show its ugly face all over the planet as the pace of change accelerated. <br /><br />No wonder people want to escape into cyberpunk!<br /><br />Somehow we need to be able to show people that there can be real wonder and excitement in the future.Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-57677297353096060962010-10-22T19:07:25.329-04:002010-10-22T19:07:25.329-04:00Hey, Matapam. I agree. As long as there are people...Hey, Matapam. I agree. As long as there are people and new technological advancements, there will be the potential for new and exciting cultural interactions between them - and SF stories worth writing about.<br /><br />Maybe we should try to break down those artificial barriers. Maybe SF should be more widely read than ever before - not less!Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-89308851343899363762010-10-22T19:01:53.467-04:002010-10-22T19:01:53.467-04:00Hi, David. I notice you have chosen two things tha...Hi, David. I notice you have chosen two things that the Universe has decreed we will never have! The speed of the internet will always be slower than we need it to be (because people will always be producing systems that cannot cope with the new software they are selling and new formats push the limit of the systems), and since the beginning of time, public transport has been designed torment innocent souls:)Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-12588382946501977342010-10-22T18:59:57.877-04:002010-10-22T18:59:57.877-04:00Talking of the Singularity, today one of the web c...Talking of the Singularity, today one of the web comics I read posted this: <a href="http://www.questionablecontent.net/comics/1780.png" rel="nofollow">Questionable Content</a>Brendanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12290731721638936110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-76732617607503830912010-10-22T18:58:49.200-04:002010-10-22T18:58:49.200-04:00I agree that it was a narrow interpretation. I thi...I agree that it was a narrow interpretation. I think it part it was intended to be provocative. <br /><br />What world-view were you talking about? That technology would lead us to a golden future?Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-87501299770967592472010-10-22T18:53:44.844-04:002010-10-22T18:53:44.844-04:00Hi, Mike. It's a pleasure to see someone who e...Hi, Mike. It's a pleasure to see someone who enjoys their job:)<br /><br />That's a gnarly question - what exactly is an AI. For myself, my definitiion of AI is pretty loose - consciousness on the other hand is another kettle of fish. I think a car AI could be 'smart' but not 'intelligent'.Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-84614044610227010732010-10-22T18:51:18.658-04:002010-10-22T18:51:18.658-04:00Hi, Brendan. I tend to think you are right. It'...Hi, Brendan. I tend to think you are right. It's more about the people who get excited about a sense of possibility. No doubt things are in transition, its just a matter of somehow connecting with those people, and getting them to pay to read stories:)Chris McMahonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17883058490702361466noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-70960778495632948602010-10-22T18:34:11.809-04:002010-10-22T18:34:11.809-04:00It probably doesn't help that a lot of the thi...It probably doesn't help that a lot of the things people predicted we would have, haven't eventuated. A lesson Doc Brown learns the hard way.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.toplessrobot.com/2010/10/doc_brown_learns_a_lesson_30_years_too_late.php" rel="nofollow">Doc Brown Learns a Lesson</a>Brendanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12290731721638936110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4940224740718934743.post-17132799549036682152010-10-22T17:27:31.225-04:002010-10-22T17:27:31.225-04:00Heh, Mike, I love that. I think you're underpa...Heh, Mike, I love that. I think you're underpaid for that torment ;-). <br /><br />Answers (on a postcard to the publisher of your choice): No, I don't think the market is dead, although it is changing (ergo the rise in ebook sales and fall in PB sales), and some publishers who don't move with this are dead (or dying). Secondly I think Ben is right - Dystopian sf is fashionable, and particularly in rough economic times, not a great seller. Thirdly for everything that becomes commonplace... there are three new possible paths. Exciting times, but not easy ones.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12315551718688781746noreply@blogger.com