Pamela D. Lloyd's Blog, page 3
May 7, 2013
Should Writers Only Write Positively About the Future?
According to an article on Co.EXIST, Can Science Fiction Writers Inspire The World To Save Itself? there is a new collaboration between science fiction author Neal Stephenson and Arizona State University’s Center for Science and the Imagination. Project Hieroglyph, Co.EXIST reports, suggests that science fiction writers should stop writing stories about dystopian futures and instead focus on visions of a rosy future. Their hope is that this will result in a resurgence of the optimism that has marked more prosperous eras and, thus, to create a contemporary culture that encourages the creation of a more desirable prospect.
But, is the idea that science fiction writers can directly influence the future a realistic one, or is it little more than an application of sympathetic magic to the complex problems of the day? And, is it even necessary, or can the very literature to be eschewed, of dystopian, apocalyptic, and post-apocalyptic futures, a part of the solution that can help to bring about the same push to create a better future?
Neal Stephenson writes about his perspective on the need for a more positive approach to the future in his article, Innovation Starvation, and I get the impression from his article and from the Project Hieroglyph site that their actual vision is far more interesting and complex than simply asking writers to stop writing about what's wrong with the world, and start focusing on what we want to see, but I feel the need to address the underlying assumptions of the article, written by Co.EXIST Senior Editor Ariel Schwartz, which first brought this to my attention.
There are no simple answers. It's unrealistic to expect that if only writers would just stop being so negative and start being more positive it would make the world a better place. Literature is a part of an intricate conversation that exists within society between those who comment on the world around them and those who act to change it, with there being very little distinction between the two groups. We are all observers, all commenters, all participants, all actors, in the dance of social change. Writers respond to the world around them, as well as act in ways that will change the world. We see the world and identify possibilities, some attainable, others more fantastic (psychological and mythopoeic), and in response we imagine a world in which we attempt to follow those trends to their logical, or illogical, conclusions.
It’s a well-known phenomenon that published fiction tends to follow societal trends: when times are tough, when people as a general rule are discouraged, our fiction will reflect this mood; when things are better, economically, socially, environmentally, and so on, our fiction will reflect this only. And this is nothing to be ashamed of!
Writers as a whole (or, better yet, a herd of cats) cannot sound only a single note, for that is little more than putting our fingers in our collective ears and singing “la, la, la,” but must instead create a symphony of notes, sometimes aiming for the sublime and at others for a clashing discordance that reflects the cacophony of dissolution. It will take all of these myriad visions and creations to effect change, and the societal changes that result will rarely be something we could have predicted or planned for, but we must move forward with the confidence that our contributions are a valid part of the overall conversation. To write only of sweetness and light is as likely to create a world of complacency in the face of horrors as to create a world of eager engineers, striving for the betterment of man. To write only of darkness and terror may leave our readers frightened and discouraged, or may inspire them to forge ahead with endeavors that will solve the world’s problems.
Writers, let us continue to write in response to the world around us. Let us write stories of idyllic and horrific possibilities. Let us rewrite the past and pre-write the future. Let us, above all, create! Above all, let us continue to do so without muzzling ourselves, for it is when we write from our hearts that our writing is most powerful and most likely to effect the changes we want to see.
ETA: I think part of my reaction to the article, which I left unexpressed earlier, was the mention of several recent dystopian works and the statement: "It almost seems as though science fiction writers--and the general public--have given up on the future as a happy, technologically enhanced place to be." I feel that the article criticizes both writers and audiences for having a "bad attitude," and in so doing dismisses those involved in the specific works mentioned and all science fiction writers as doing a public disservice.
It ruffled my feathers, so I had to squawk.
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
But, is the idea that science fiction writers can directly influence the future a realistic one, or is it little more than an application of sympathetic magic to the complex problems of the day? And, is it even necessary, or can the very literature to be eschewed, of dystopian, apocalyptic, and post-apocalyptic futures, a part of the solution that can help to bring about the same push to create a better future?
Neal Stephenson writes about his perspective on the need for a more positive approach to the future in his article, Innovation Starvation, and I get the impression from his article and from the Project Hieroglyph site that their actual vision is far more interesting and complex than simply asking writers to stop writing about what's wrong with the world, and start focusing on what we want to see, but I feel the need to address the underlying assumptions of the article, written by Co.EXIST Senior Editor Ariel Schwartz, which first brought this to my attention.
There are no simple answers. It's unrealistic to expect that if only writers would just stop being so negative and start being more positive it would make the world a better place. Literature is a part of an intricate conversation that exists within society between those who comment on the world around them and those who act to change it, with there being very little distinction between the two groups. We are all observers, all commenters, all participants, all actors, in the dance of social change. Writers respond to the world around them, as well as act in ways that will change the world. We see the world and identify possibilities, some attainable, others more fantastic (psychological and mythopoeic), and in response we imagine a world in which we attempt to follow those trends to their logical, or illogical, conclusions.
It’s a well-known phenomenon that published fiction tends to follow societal trends: when times are tough, when people as a general rule are discouraged, our fiction will reflect this mood; when things are better, economically, socially, environmentally, and so on, our fiction will reflect this only. And this is nothing to be ashamed of!
Writers as a whole (or, better yet, a herd of cats) cannot sound only a single note, for that is little more than putting our fingers in our collective ears and singing “la, la, la,” but must instead create a symphony of notes, sometimes aiming for the sublime and at others for a clashing discordance that reflects the cacophony of dissolution. It will take all of these myriad visions and creations to effect change, and the societal changes that result will rarely be something we could have predicted or planned for, but we must move forward with the confidence that our contributions are a valid part of the overall conversation. To write only of sweetness and light is as likely to create a world of complacency in the face of horrors as to create a world of eager engineers, striving for the betterment of man. To write only of darkness and terror may leave our readers frightened and discouraged, or may inspire them to forge ahead with endeavors that will solve the world’s problems.
Writers, let us continue to write in response to the world around us. Let us write stories of idyllic and horrific possibilities. Let us rewrite the past and pre-write the future. Let us, above all, create! Above all, let us continue to do so without muzzling ourselves, for it is when we write from our hearts that our writing is most powerful and most likely to effect the changes we want to see.
ETA: I think part of my reaction to the article, which I left unexpressed earlier, was the mention of several recent dystopian works and the statement: "It almost seems as though science fiction writers--and the general public--have given up on the future as a happy, technologically enhanced place to be." I feel that the article criticizes both writers and audiences for having a "bad attitude," and in so doing dismisses those involved in the specific works mentioned and all science fiction writers as doing a public disservice.
It ruffled my feathers, so I had to squawk.
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
January 5, 2013
Cardinals in January
It's January 5 (Happy New Year, Everybody!) and here in Tucson that means cardinals. For many years now, we've had a mated pair of cardinals nesting in our pomegranate tree. My husband spotted the female earlier today, and one of my stepsons spotted the male, so we know they have arrived for their annual visit. Given that it's been close to ten years, now, that our visitors have graced our neglected garden, we do not know whether this is the same couple, or succeeding generations of a cardinal family, but we enjoy their presence, nonetheless.
This afternoon, we were graced with a couple of hours of liquid birdsong. Now, it's mostly quiet, with occasional moments of sleepy-sounding near warble. Are cardinals songbirds, as well as beautiful, or has another pair of birds taken up residence nearby? We do not know, but we are pleased, as always (except, perhaps, when the singing starts before dawn), by these cheerful reminders that now that we have passed the Midwinter Equinox, the days will be growing longer and Spring is soon to arrive.
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
This afternoon, we were graced with a couple of hours of liquid birdsong. Now, it's mostly quiet, with occasional moments of sleepy-sounding near warble. Are cardinals songbirds, as well as beautiful, or has another pair of birds taken up residence nearby? We do not know, but we are pleased, as always (except, perhaps, when the singing starts before dawn), by these cheerful reminders that now that we have passed the Midwinter Equinox, the days will be growing longer and Spring is soon to arrive.
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
November 29, 2012
Five First Lines, An Exercise
Snaffled from
eneit
, who got it from
anghara
, who got it from this post, by
fiction_theory
.
The exercise, which originated with this book, is as follows: Come up with five opening lines for books you never intend to write. Use different techniques and try out different genres than you usually would. Just make them as interesting and compelling in one line as you can.
To further challenge myself, I've selected genres in which I haven't written and with which I have limited experience. Which means I have done some limited research by reading small bits of works in each of my chosen genres.
Lady Agatha Gordon-Smythe was dying and Cynthia Billingsworth found that she was quite perplexed as to whether she should feel sympathy, or relief, having spent the last five years acting as nurse to her demanding and cranky aunt and sitting by as the old woman married off all her daughers to wealthy young men, and her sons to even wealthier women; while Cynthia cared little for life in the ton, she did not look forward to a life of caring for her various elderly relatives, or, worse, those of others, and so she knew she must find some other means of survival, even if it meant finding a husband. (Regency romance)Stepping onto the platform at the station in San Buenaventura, Addy was grateful for the sea breeze that gave her her first taste of ash-free air in days; also carried on the breeze was the lyrical sound of Spanish, the predominant tongue in the city, which worried her, for her knowledge of the language was limited to her study of a battered lexicon purchased in Utah and a copy of Don Quixote left behind by another passenger. (Western)Emily looked up at the clock and decided that 45 minutes of desultory work on the Bramwell campaign was enough to earn her a coffee break, especially since her manager, Laura, was in a meeting and the hot new guy from Marketing was in the break room. (Occupational fiction / Workplace tell-all)I see ghosts, everywhere. I know they are only fragments of memory, bits of flotsam left behind by those who leave, but as no one ever stays I have only the ghosts. (Existentialist fiction)Late for the first day of class, Martin ran up the steps of the Cesar E. Chavez Building, glad they were few and his economics class was on the first floor, since Coach had required all the new recruits to run laps for the last half-hour of practice, but no sooner had he slammed through the door into the entranceway than he came to a full stop, stunned by the sight of a pretty blond girl lying in a pool of blood. (Campus murder mystery)Note: Looking for genres you might want to play with? Wikipedia has an extensive list.
eneit
, who got it from
anghara
, who got it from this post, by
fiction_theory
.The exercise, which originated with this book, is as follows: Come up with five opening lines for books you never intend to write. Use different techniques and try out different genres than you usually would. Just make them as interesting and compelling in one line as you can.
To further challenge myself, I've selected genres in which I haven't written and with which I have limited experience. Which means I have done some limited research by reading small bits of works in each of my chosen genres.
Lady Agatha Gordon-Smythe was dying and Cynthia Billingsworth found that she was quite perplexed as to whether she should feel sympathy, or relief, having spent the last five years acting as nurse to her demanding and cranky aunt and sitting by as the old woman married off all her daughers to wealthy young men, and her sons to even wealthier women; while Cynthia cared little for life in the ton, she did not look forward to a life of caring for her various elderly relatives, or, worse, those of others, and so she knew she must find some other means of survival, even if it meant finding a husband. (Regency romance)Stepping onto the platform at the station in San Buenaventura, Addy was grateful for the sea breeze that gave her her first taste of ash-free air in days; also carried on the breeze was the lyrical sound of Spanish, the predominant tongue in the city, which worried her, for her knowledge of the language was limited to her study of a battered lexicon purchased in Utah and a copy of Don Quixote left behind by another passenger. (Western)Emily looked up at the clock and decided that 45 minutes of desultory work on the Bramwell campaign was enough to earn her a coffee break, especially since her manager, Laura, was in a meeting and the hot new guy from Marketing was in the break room. (Occupational fiction / Workplace tell-all)I see ghosts, everywhere. I know they are only fragments of memory, bits of flotsam left behind by those who leave, but as no one ever stays I have only the ghosts. (Existentialist fiction)Late for the first day of class, Martin ran up the steps of the Cesar E. Chavez Building, glad they were few and his economics class was on the first floor, since Coach had required all the new recruits to run laps for the last half-hour of practice, but no sooner had he slammed through the door into the entranceway than he came to a full stop, stunned by the sight of a pretty blond girl lying in a pool of blood. (Campus murder mystery)Note: Looking for genres you might want to play with? Wikipedia has an extensive list.
November 15, 2012
Crooked House (Centrum Rezydent), Sopot, Poland
City planners, I hope you're paying attention because if you built an entire community of surreal houses (using all the latest Green tech, of course), I would so want to live there. Really!
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
November 14, 2012
Work Toward Goals
What I’ve so far done this week
For Red PoulainePosted to Red Poulaine’s Musings and scheduled a second postPrinted packing slips and address labelsFor my writingMade a note of a story idea I got at TusConContacted the members of my writing group to schedule our next meetingFor my CRLA certificationSpent approximately 2 ½ hours working on assignments
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
For Red PoulainePosted to Red Poulaine’s Musings and scheduled a second postPrinted packing slips and address labelsFor my writingMade a note of a story idea I got at TusConContacted the members of my writing group to schedule our next meetingFor my CRLA certificationSpent approximately 2 ½ hours working on assignments
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
November 12, 2012
Staying Connected and On Task
I've been neglecting my DW and LJ communities for a long time, now, in favor of what I realize are often broader, but shallower, connections. I reach more people, but I do so at the expense of the wonderful conversations I used to enjoy here. In a way, I've been going for what the corporate world calls low-hanging fruit, which are, at least in my case, goblin fruit. This doesn't mean that those other ways of connecting online don't have a place in my life, but simply that I don't think they should be my primary means of communicating online.
My life is busy, and I don't always spend my time wisely. I feel overwhelmed by the many things I want to do, so far too often I retreat into doing things that are meaningless. I know better—heck, I've taught time management skills to students—but, I am not as self-disciplined as I want to be, nor as I need to be. Maybe I'm just in post-con dumps—TusCon 39 was last weekend—but there's nothing like the reminder that yet another year has passed in which I didn't finish even a tiny fraction of the things I wanted to do, to make me feel that it's time for me to figure out how I can stay on task to complete more of the things that are important to me, while also being connected in more meaningful ways.
I'm not going to make promises, but I am going to make an effort to find a better balance in my life: one that supports me in my multiple creative efforts; that ensures I keep up my commitments at home, at work, and in the online business I share with my husband; and that helps me stay connected in the ways I want to be, with the people that matter.
Here are some highlights of my goals, in no particular order:Write moreSubmit moreJump start the almost quiescent writing group I'm part ofComplete the CRLA Level II certification requirements before the end of the semesterStay on top of all administrative tasks for Red Poulaine, the Etsy shop I share with my husbandPost at least twice a week to our shop blog, Red Poulaine's MusingsFinish the quilt I started at least three years ago, in time to ship it for ChristmasFinish this listP.S. I really hate it when a post in progress gets inadvertently posted. :P
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
My life is busy, and I don't always spend my time wisely. I feel overwhelmed by the many things I want to do, so far too often I retreat into doing things that are meaningless. I know better—heck, I've taught time management skills to students—but, I am not as self-disciplined as I want to be, nor as I need to be. Maybe I'm just in post-con dumps—TusCon 39 was last weekend—but there's nothing like the reminder that yet another year has passed in which I didn't finish even a tiny fraction of the things I wanted to do, to make me feel that it's time for me to figure out how I can stay on task to complete more of the things that are important to me, while also being connected in more meaningful ways.
I'm not going to make promises, but I am going to make an effort to find a better balance in my life: one that supports me in my multiple creative efforts; that ensures I keep up my commitments at home, at work, and in the online business I share with my husband; and that helps me stay connected in the ways I want to be, with the people that matter.
Here are some highlights of my goals, in no particular order:Write moreSubmit moreJump start the almost quiescent writing group I'm part ofComplete the CRLA Level II certification requirements before the end of the semesterStay on top of all administrative tasks for Red Poulaine, the Etsy shop I share with my husbandPost at least twice a week to our shop blog, Red Poulaine's MusingsFinish the quilt I started at least three years ago, in time to ship it for ChristmasFinish this listP.S. I really hate it when a post in progress gets inadvertently posted. :P
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
June 25, 2012
Sarah's Reviews Giveaway
Sarah's Reviews is currently offering a $100 Amazon gift card giveaway in support of the publication of Andy Gavin's The Darkening Dream. The ebook is currently available for just $0.99 on Amazon. I've never read anything by Andy Gavin, and I have a long list of books waiting to be read, but I've signed up for this giveaway, as it's just too good to pass up. Check out the details at Sarah's Reviews.
April 19, 2012
Faerie Winter Paperback Release & Giveaway Offer
My friend, the terrific author Janni Lee Simner
![[info]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380948985i/3477173.gif)
janni
, is offering prizes in connection with the paperback release of her YA novel Faerie Winter.
Faerie Winter is the sequel to Jannie's novel Bones of Faerie. These are the first two books in her Bones of Faerie trilogy. Bones of Faerie is a great book with one of the best opening chapters I've ever had the pleasure to read. While I haven't yet read Faerie Winter, I'm sure it meets the same high standards as the first in the series. Janni Lee Simner's Bones of Faerie series has received high praise from many distinguished authors and reviewers.
I highly recommend you read these books.
The Rules (as posted at http://janni.livejournal.com/780608.html)
- Mention in a blog post, fb post, tweet, tumblr, and/or anywhere else online and publicly visible that Faerie Winter comes out in paperback on April 10 and that it's the sequel to Bones of Faerie (or, alternately, book 2 in the Bones of Faerie trilogy). If you want to say something more about either of the Faerie books, that'd be lovely, though not required.
- Link to the Faerie Winter website
- Come back to [Janni's] post and link to the places you did both of the above
- (optional, for blog entries) Copy these rules (including this one :-)) to your post, and encourage your readers to enter this contest by doing all of the above in turn, and telling them to then to come back to your blog and link to their mention or mentions
- Deadline is April 20 (at midnight Pacific Daylight Time) and [Janni will] ship anywhere. This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
janni
, is offering prizes in connection with the paperback release of her YA novel Faerie Winter.
Faerie Winter is the sequel to Jannie's novel Bones of Faerie. These are the first two books in her Bones of Faerie trilogy. Bones of Faerie is a great book with one of the best opening chapters I've ever had the pleasure to read. While I haven't yet read Faerie Winter, I'm sure it meets the same high standards as the first in the series. Janni Lee Simner's Bones of Faerie series has received high praise from many distinguished authors and reviewers.
I highly recommend you read these books.
The Rules (as posted at http://janni.livejournal.com/780608.html)
- Mention in a blog post, fb post, tweet, tumblr, and/or anywhere else online and publicly visible that Faerie Winter comes out in paperback on April 10 and that it's the sequel to Bones of Faerie (or, alternately, book 2 in the Bones of Faerie trilogy). If you want to say something more about either of the Faerie books, that'd be lovely, though not required.
- Link to the Faerie Winter website
- Come back to [Janni's] post and link to the places you did both of the above
- (optional, for blog entries) Copy these rules (including this one :-)) to your post, and encourage your readers to enter this contest by doing all of the above in turn, and telling them to then to come back to your blog and link to their mention or mentions
- Deadline is April 20 (at midnight Pacific Daylight Time) and [Janni will] ship anywhere. This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
January 18, 2012
Stop Censorship: Stop SOPA and PIPA
Censorship affects us all.
Today, blogs and sites across America, Canada, and the world are blacked out in protest of two legislative bills proposed in Congress: SOPA and PIPA. These two bills, which Congress claims are intended to stop online piracy, would have disastrous consequences for free speech, online communication, and online commerce.
"Online commerce?" you ask. Yes, online commerce. SOPA and PIPA would overwhelmingly favor big business over small business, making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for independent creatives (authors, artists, musicians) to do business online. For an excellent overview of why this is so, read author and reviewer Cheryl Morgan's analysis.
Related articles
Why We've Censored Wired.com (wired.com)
STOP SOPA (cyberlaw.stanford.edu)
SOPA and PIPA (blogs.discovermagazine.com)
BlackoutSOPA.org - Change your profile picture to protest SOPA! (darioalvarez.net)
Google Protests SOPA And PIPA By Censoring Logo, Offering Information And A Petition (inquisitr.com)
What SOPA means around the world - literally (thenextweb.com)
Websites go dark at start of SOPA/PIPA protest (digitaltrends.com)
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
Today, blogs and sites across America, Canada, and the world are blacked out in protest of two legislative bills proposed in Congress: SOPA and PIPA. These two bills, which Congress claims are intended to stop online piracy, would have disastrous consequences for free speech, online communication, and online commerce.
"Online commerce?" you ask. Yes, online commerce. SOPA and PIPA would overwhelmingly favor big business over small business, making it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for independent creatives (authors, artists, musicians) to do business online. For an excellent overview of why this is so, read author and reviewer Cheryl Morgan's analysis.
Related articles
Why We've Censored Wired.com (wired.com)
STOP SOPA (cyberlaw.stanford.edu)
SOPA and PIPA (blogs.discovermagazine.com)
BlackoutSOPA.org - Change your profile picture to protest SOPA! (darioalvarez.net)
Google Protests SOPA And PIPA By Censoring Logo, Offering Information And A Petition (inquisitr.com)
What SOPA means around the world - literally (thenextweb.com)
Websites go dark at start of SOPA/PIPA protest (digitaltrends.com)
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
October 6, 2011
Inventing the Cardboard Box | Etsy.com Blog
I'm in the process of building an Etsy store, so I've been spending a fair amount of time on the site learning my way around and delightedly favoriting items I find charming, original, beautiful, or just plain strange.
I've also discovered the Etsy blog, which provides an eclectic window into a diverse range of subjects. Today, I found "Inventing the Cardboard Box," by chaps676. I love being able to collect such tidbits of esoterica; they charm my magpie soul with bright and shiny new bits of information and soothe my frustrated pragmatist with the hopeful promise of potential usefulness.
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
I've also discovered the Etsy blog, which provides an eclectic window into a diverse range of subjects. Today, I found "Inventing the Cardboard Box," by chaps676. I love being able to collect such tidbits of esoterica; they charm my magpie soul with bright and shiny new bits of information and soothe my frustrated pragmatist with the hopeful promise of potential usefulness.
This entry was originally posted on Dreamwidth at pameladlloyd. Feel free to respond at either location.
