Monthly Archives: June 2016

Jun 06

Another, even more comprehensive, report from Hugh Howey and Data Guy.

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Another, even more comprehensive, report from Hugh Howey and Data Guy.

The good news: there are thousands of authors earning a living wage from writing, some of whom seldom or never appear on the bestseller lists. The bad news: this still represents a relatively small percentage of authors. But it appears that the advent of ebooks has grown the total market and made it possible for more people to make a living out of writing.

The other news: There are still reasons to pursue traditional publishing (either with the Big 5 or a small press), but, except for a very small number of authors, earning more money is no longer one of those reasons. This becomes clearer with every report they release.

http://authorearnings.com/report/may-2016-report/
Jun 04

One of the reasons I think SF is valuable is that it’s a way to think through scenarios before we encounter them.

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One of the reasons I think SF is valuable is that it’s a way to think through scenarios before we encounter them. A story is obviously not just for that, not even primarily for that, but reading SF can develop the habit of thought.

Originally shared by David Brin

My weekend post is about “Sci Fi Warnings and Optimism!” I review some hot new SF movies and books. And I describe tentative White House interest in seeing a fan group advisory board! One where SF readers can be asked about any surprising event or scenario and come up with a rapid response: “Hey, I know some stories about exactly that!”

http://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2016/06/sci-fi-warnings-and-optimism-calling.html

Jun 03

Via Natalie Mootz. No huge surprises here, but the number one reason people stop reading is that the book is dull.

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Via Natalie Mootz. No huge surprises here, but the number one reason people stop reading is that the book is dull.

Originally shared by Ward Plunet

WHY READERS STOP READING A BOOK

The story being Dull was the most frequently mentioned problem with 25.29% of the mentions of the Category. Followed by actual Bad Writing, then Dull or Unbelievable Characters, Info Dump, and uses of Profanity.

https://litworldinterviews.com/2016/06/03/why-readers-stop-reading-a-book/
Jun 02

Via Murphy Jacobs.

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Via Murphy Jacobs.

As the spouse of a disabled person, I think his point is extremely well made and very relevant.

That’s also partly what inspired me to write a novel in which the main romantic couple are dealing with a head injury and a permanently debilitating war wound (Hope and the Patient Man).

Originally shared by Scott Roche

Great essay on how fiction treats disabled persons. And how it shouldn’t.

http://terribleminds.com/ramble/2016/06/02/steven-spohn-i-am-not-your-plot-device/
Jun 01

Relevant to my interests – in my Gryphon Clerks novels, the gnomes have a system of sign language developed to…

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Relevant to my interests – in my Gryphon Clerks novels, the gnomes have a system of sign language developed to communicate in noisy industrial environments, but also used to plot against their dwarvish masters without being overheard.

Originally shared by Masha du Toit

Amazing. And these languages were not just simple signs, but complex ways of communicating.

“Outside of deaf communities, hearing people sometimes develop what are now often called “alternate sign languages” to communicate when words will not do. In monasteries, monks uses signs to communicate in areas where speech is forbidden, for instance. In industries where machines made speaking impossible—in ships’ engine rooms, in steel mills, textile mills, and sawmills—workers also found ways to communicate with their hands.”

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-lost-secret-sign-language-of-sawmill-workers