Alexander M. Zoltai's Blog, page 151
April 21, 2014
Let The Game Begin!
Most of us like playing a game now and then.
Some of us would rather play games than go to work.
It’s been said Life is a Game…
It’s believed Stories began around our ancestors’ campfires…
Well, I’m a writer and I’m always looking for ways to encourage folks who also might want to be writers.
And, I’ve found a delightful way to help people write stories by playing a game!
I wrote about it recently in two articles:
Storium — The Online Storytelling Game
Now, I’ve created a...
April 18, 2014
Friday Fantasy ~ Number Twenty
The Merfolk’s Dilemma
~ The Merfolk were a generally happy people until they discovered their Great Problem.
Image courtesy of WikiMedia Commons ~ http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elisabeth_Jerichau_Baumann_havfruen.jpg
Mysterious poisons from unknown parts across the ocean were killing the coral of their habitations—their homes, in the cliffs below the shelf off the shore of the island, were decomposing.
None were yet sick from the poisons but all felt strange sensations…
Their Shaman was a...
April 17, 2014
Writers & Money ~ Revisited . . .
There are many reasons to write besides making money.
Image courtesy of Svilen Milev ~ http://efffective.com.
Some folks might even declare that having money as a goal is “improper”…
I suppose it depends on one’s ability to be detached from the money—not having money as the prime reason for writing?
Seems that writing for only the money could easily warp some of the more humane reasons to write?
I’ve written quite a few posts about writers and money and one in particular about a new magazine that...
April 16, 2014
Games, Life, and Storytelling
My love of games helped turn me into a writer.
Image courtesy of Dave Edmonds ~ http://www.freeimages.com/profile/bluehor
And, I can’t help but feel that, long ago, our ancestors couldn’t tell the difference between a game and a story.
Also, games have been very successfully used to teach life skills.
So, I was excited today when my email held an article from Publishing Perspectives about goings on between writers and gamers at The London Book Fair.
The excitement was increased when I saw another...
April 15, 2014
A Present for *You* on My Birthday :-)
Turning 68 isn’t quite the same as turning 5, or 27, or 46, or 53…
Image courtesy of Svilen Milev ~ http://efffective.com
While remaining Young At Heart is Highly Recommended, age has its advantages—making lots of mistakes adds up to a few successes :-)
Being an authorwho blogs about Reading, Writing, and Publishing means I will work on my birthday; but, also means I certainly won’t feel at all bad about it.
So, before I get back to work, I wanted to pass out a few presents to my readers—6 links...
April 14, 2014
Storium — The Online Storytelling Game
Have you ever played a game and had it turn into a story?
Have you ever read a story and felt like it was a game?
How about playing a game that actually helps you and few other folks write a story?
I’ve blogged before about how stories and games can interact:
“Is fiction just a game authors play with readers?”
Writing & Games ~ Sometimes It’s Hard To Tell Which Is Which…
“…when you’re writing, it can sometimes seem like you’re in a game with your characters and you’re not sure who’s...
April 11, 2014
Friday Fantasy ~ Number Nineteen
Mythological War
~ They arrived at the island in high spirits.
Trevor and Megan had won the national Name The New Flavorific Cereal Contest.
Their prize was this all-expense-paid, week-long vacation on Grand Muse Island.
As they left the boat and began their walk down the gorgeous path leading to the area where they’d stay, Megan stopped Trevor with:
“You be the minotaur and I’ll be the sphinx!”
“What?”
“You’re the bull-headed one and I like the way that little sphinx is looking at you; so, since I...
April 10, 2014
Are Your Ideas Getting Enough Attention?
I feel Everyone has at least one idea that would help others if it could be shared and get the attention it deserves…
Image courtesy of Sigurd Decroos ~ http://www.freeimages.com/profile/cobrasoft
But, there’s toomuch “content” flooding the ‘Net now about how to get attention.
Most of it is wrong…
And, that’s not just my opinion.
It’s backed-up by a noted researcher at the Wharton School.
His name is Jonah Berger and he’s an expert in the Science of Social Transmission.
Also, even though this blog i...
April 9, 2014
Want To Help Spread The Joy of Reading?
How were you introduced to reading?
In the comfort of your parents home?
At your grandparents?
At a friends house?
How about being introduced to reading in a public park?
What if you found an organization that would help you foster a stronger culture of reading, starting at street level?
Meet UNI, the non-profit creator of Portable Reading Rooms:
“…we operate reading rooms that bring architect-designed structures, high quality books, and dedicated staff, to the city’s plazas, parks, and public space...
April 8, 2014
The Future of Reading . . .
There’s so much in the press about Reading; but, most of it pretends it’s about Publishing…
Image courtesy of guillermo ossa ~ http://www.freeimages.com/profile/memoossa
Will digital kill print?
Will self-publishing kill the traditional houses?
And, all the authors feel compelled to share their opinions—opinions only since hard facts in the realm of books are so difficult to find…
Of course, the prevailing opinion is that readers are consumers and authors must feed that consumption.
What’s happened...
