Kelly McCullough's Blog, page 30

Minicon Report - Day Three

From facebook:

Overcast day. This being Minnesota, there are no flowers blooming, and the grass is still stubbornly brown. Not that I mind. April is the cruelest month, and we don't even get lilacs here. Just mud and all the debris that the now-gone snow had hidden. Scraps of paper and plastic. Dog poop. Last fall's sodden leaves.

I have a raw throat, which may be a cold or simply too much talking at Minicon. I am going to miss the con's last day and stay home and read and maybe write.

Wyrdsmiths Meeting

Wyrdsmiths met last night. Jane Yolen is in town and her son Adam Stemple, who is a member of the group, brought her along. A very nice gathering. Though the staff of the coffee house where we meet had to ask us to be less boisterous, since we were bothering the other customers. The staff said we could crank up the volume after 9:30. The coffee house closes at ten, and they figured we would make sure the place was empty at closing time.

Jane was not the problem. It was the rest of us.

We were cheerful and happy.

Self-Publishing

This is a comment on a post by Charles Stross on why he does not self-publish. It comes from facebook via my blog. Never waste sentences. Reuse them whenever you can:

Stross can sell the books he writes to publishers. If you can't, self publishing begins to look more interesting. It also looks interesting if you have a back list of out-of-print novels and an audience that might be interested in buying them. -- I have been thinking of self-publishing, out of curiosity. But it would have to be something I couldn't find a publisher for. A poetry book or a chapbook...

It seems to me the easiest thing is to look for a publisher. There are plenty out there. Even a small publisher is better than self-publishing, unless you really enjoy putting books together and marketing them. I'm not a designer; and I know nothing about marketing.

I have written about this before. I go back and forth about self-publishing. I think it's worth doing, if you are realistic about how much you are likely to make from a self-published book. I see the marketing as the problem. Production has become much easier, and there are people who will do it for comparatively modest amounts of money. But how do you get the word out? And how much time and energy will it take? Would you be better off spending the time and energy on writing?

On another topic, I am amazed that Stross can write two books a year. The fastest I have even written a novel was eighteen months. A Woman of the Iron People took me thirteen years. I took off a lot of time in the middle, and wrote another novel. I haven't done the figuring recently, but I used to average about 36,000 finished, publishable words a year. Some years I wrote a lot more. Some years I barely wrote.

Granted, I was working day jobs most of the time. I am writing more rapidly now, though not a lot more rapidly. It has taken me seven months to write one 12,000 word novelette, though it wasn't the only thing I was working on.

Some stories come easily and quickly. I can write a story in a week, if all goes well. But many are difficult -- deliberately so. I try to push my limits. Since I don't make much money from writing, the main reason to do it is -- it's interesting, which means doing something new. Well, another reason is to get attention. No question, I like to entertain people.

Kelly and Lyda both write rapidly. Kelly's writing speed is amazing. Partly, they are more disciplined about writing than I am, and partly -- I think -- their natural speed is greater than mine. I mull and brood and revise a lot.

That’s Snow Dragon, It’s a Madcap Adventure!

Mirroring this over here at Wyrdsmiths since I haven't here posted in a while. Originally posted here. (Kelly)

Matt Kuchta and I have a now well established madness to our methods. It starts out with a suggestion for some sort of thing we can build or break or film or make.

For example, Matt says: "Hey, Kelly let's build a white elephant in Neil Gaiman's backyard."

The next thing that happens is escalation. I go out to the yard and look around and think: hey, look at that giant mound. Then I come back with: "Screw elephants, let's make a dragon, a really really big dragon!"

Now in the real world the next thing that happens would be someone talking us down. But here in the Land of Hijinks, the next question is generally: "When can we start?" Or, "Who's crazy enough to help?" Or, "High speed, time lapse, or stop motion?" Or, "I wonder what sort of pictures we could take with the finished product…"

Then you get things like this: Photo: Kelly McCullough Which looks like this from above (230 feet from nose to tail tip): Photo: Kelly McCullough And like this, with yours truly in the Vallejoesque role of the slave girl being rescued by the heroic barbarian…or something like that: Photo Matthew A Kuchta Or the filmic version of the construction (Video link for those who can't see the embed): (click on space above if video doesn't appear immediately) Building the Snow Dragon from Matt Kuchta on Vimeo. So, that's how things happen here in the Barony of Madcap in the Land of Hijinks.

More of Matt's marvelous photos of the process can be found at his Flickr set.

With many thank yous to our enablers and volunteers, in this case: Todd Zimmerman, Ethan Zimmerman, Mandy Little, and Laura McCullough. And to Neil Gaiman for supplying the snow and the setting, and to Woodsman Hans for help on the snowblower front.

Self-Promotion and How-to Books

This is my share of a facebook discussion with Jeff VanderMeer on self-promotion and how-to writing books. I am omitting Jeff's share, because I don't have his permission. The discussion started with Jeff writing that advice on using blogs and social media for self promotion was out of date. I dislike self promotion, since it seems too damn close to bragging, and because it's hard to do well. So I wrote the following:

Nice to see my prejudices -- based on nothing in particular -- confirmed by someone who thinks about writing. I keep a blog, so people can find me on the Internet. There an email address on the blog, and a few times this has been useful. People did find me, and I was glad. I do facebook mostly because I enjoy it. But I don't expect to build an audience. There are not enough science fiction fans who love marmalade.

Decades ago the late Joel Rosenberg told me I wasn't going to enough cons. I needed to be out there building visibility and and an audience. I said, "But Joel, what if people don't like me?" I don't actually see myself as dislikable, but I am fairly introverted. I have watched introverts put themselves through hell, trying to be charming and lovable at cons. Why not do what you enjoy? You will be better at it.

Jeff has a book on writing coming out titled Wonderbook. It sounds amazing, due to remarkable images and layout. The discussion moved on this, and I wrote this:

I do read how-to writing books, even ones by Natalie Goldberg, because it's interesting to think about the process of writing and it's interesting to think about why people write. And because I keep thinking I need to reinvent myself as a writer. Start from the beginning and do it over. -- There is something really compelling to people about writing. Studs Terkel did a wonderful book titled Working, which is interviews with people about their work. He asked people what they would do, if they could do anything. The most common answers were, "I would do something that helped other people" and "I would write." I figure Patrick and I are pretty lucky. He spent most of his work life in human services, and I have written. I also did accounting. You'd be surprised how few people say, "If I could do anything, I would do accounting."

Modern Technology

This is from facebook:

Jeff VenderMeer did a post on communication technology... To wit, the new Google Glass and why it is not a good idea. I decided to not become comment # 110 on his post and instead do my own post. I deeply value the Internet. It has made my life much easier and more interesting. Now, when it's one a.m. and I need some bit of information for a story, I can get it at once, instead of waiting till the library opens. And when an idle question drifts through my mind, I can access Wikipedia. How old is Chow Yun Fat?

I love having facebook friends on the other side of the world.

I love being able to to take my netbook out to a coffee shop and write. Cell phones can be very useful. But there is also something to be said for actually being where one is and noticing what is going on around one. And there is something to be said for limiting information, especially since so much of it is crap.

I have always been a bit slow to adopt new technology, and I plan to continue to be slow. My phone is dumb. My netbook is a netbook. My Netflix movies come on DVDs. There is something to be said for time not filled with electronic input.

When I go on trips, I often carry my netbook. But I don't use it to connect with the Internet. The time away from e-information is very pleasant. I took my new nook to Minneapolis on Tuesday. Riding the bus on the way back, I pulled it out and played solitaire. It bothered me that I wasn't paying attention to the sky and the passing city. So I put the nook away.

MarsCON Schedule

If you happen to decide to go to MarsCON this weekend, here is my schedule:



Gender Limitations in SF/F

Re(a)d Mars/Taylor (2nd Floor)— Friday 06:00 pm
Discuss how strong female characters are frequently portrayed as abandoning most, if not all, things feminine. Also, male characters who take on what are considered traditionally female roles are being portrayed as emasculated. Can a powerful female character be warm and nurturing and can a house husband be more than a punch line?
With: W. Scott Patterson, mod.; Rachel Gold, Lyda Kimberly Long-Ewing, Lyda Morehouse, Kathryn Sullivan
 
Writing Comedy in Speculative Fiction
Re(a)d Mars/Taylor (2nd Floor)— Friday 09:00 pm
How can one blend comedy and speculative fiction to their mutual advantage? Do you have personal faves among those who do the blending?
With: Roy C. Booth, mod.; P M F Johnson, Lyda Morehouse
 
The Future of Fandom
Re(a)d Mars/Taylor (2nd Floor)— Friday 10:00 pm
Paul Valery wrote, “The future isn’t what it used to be.” What did SF fandom used to be, how has it changed, and how will it change? Will it thrive into the future?

With: Rick Gellman, mod.; Lyda Morehouse, Michael Lee
 
Female Fandom in Comics
Krushenko’s (13th Floor)— Saturday 02:00 pm
Women are becoming more involved with the comics industry, and this has brought female readers and comics to the forefront. However, we are still seeing sexism despite these facts. In some cases, misogyny has increased. How do readers face these situations and what can be done to rectify these problems?
With: W. Scott Patterson, mod.; Cynthia Booth, Christopher Jones, Rebecca Marjesdatter, Lyda Morehouse
 
How to Write a Good Fight Scene
Re(a)d Mars/Taylor (2nd Floor)— Saturday 03:00 pm
Writers trained in various fighting techniques offer tips on how to make a fight feel like it really happened.
With: Sarah Clemens, mod., S.N. Arly; Doug Hulick, P M F Johnson, Lyda Morehouse
 
Clone Rights, and Those of Other Genetically Engineered People
Re(a)d Mars/Taylor (2nd Floor)— Saturday 09:00 pm
Would current law allow the genetically engineered to be enslaved or discriminated against? Why is there such a gap between the way much of science fiction treats such people and how they would have to be treated in reality.
With: G. David Nordley, mod.; , Prof Tom Gardner, Naomi Kritzer, Kimberly Long-Ewing, Lyda Morehouse
 
Good Blog/Bad Blog: Modern Technology and Artists
Krushenko’s (13th Floor)— Sunday 10:00 am
What modern technology is available for artists (for self promotion, research, networking, other reasons)? Online research, boon or bane? What purpose can a blog serve? What things can go wrong? Discussion boards—good, bad, or dependent on how they’re used? Facebook? G+? Twitter? How can these be useful? When do they become a hindrance?
With: S.N. Arly, mod.; Haddayr Copley-Woods, Naomi Kritzer, Lyda Morehouse
 
 

Politics and Writing

(Cross-posted from my LJ)

On Facebook, I re-posted this article from the Guardian: http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2013/feb/11/dc-comics-homophobic-writer-superman which notes that Orson Scott Card has been hired by DC to write several issues of their Superman title.

I have surprisingly mixed feelings about this. Orson Scott Card has very destructive, hateful politics that include, among other things, an active hatred of *me* personally because I've happened to have fallen in love with someone of the same sex. Thus, I support efforts to boycott Card's writing in general (because money speaks, particularly in America), BUT I'm uneasy when people say he should never have been hired in the first place.

Card is, by all accounts, an odious person in terms of his political views, but that does not mean he shouldn't be offered gainful employment.

I don't know how writers write comic books. I get the sense of committees and long, pre-thought out storylines that have been hashed out in advance. Thus, I have to assume that DC Comics is aware of Card's politics and hired him, in fact, based on a proposed storyline for Superman. Card is (or has been) a very talented writer. I loved Ender's Game. There is also no mention in the article about what Card is planning to do with the character or plot of Superman and if his politics are going to figure in, I can see how people can and should be up in arms. But... if they're not? Doesn't he have a right to tell his story? I think he does, just as we have a right to judge it for what it *is* rather than the man behind it.

Someone said this would be clearer if the writer in question were a Holocaust denier, and I'm not so sure. People think all sorts of stupid, wrong, and actively hurtful things. I'm not sure that makes a difference about whether or not they'll tell a good story about a guy from another planet.... I'm just not sure. I think that it's VERY true that a writer's personal demons can surface when they write, sometimes utterly unconsciously. I also think that DC Comics has editors. Card has not, to my knowledge, been given carte blanche to write whatever he wants. I believe he's required, as much as any other writer hired by a company like DC, to stick within the established storyline/canon/universe Bible. I don't think that just because Card is at the helm Superman will suddenly be raised Mormom.

If that happens? Boycott the f*ck out of DC.

If he writes a good story? Well, then an a$$hole can write a good story.

Look, the guy hates ME and ALL MY FRIENDS, personally. I think that should have consequences and, frankly, it looks like it is given how many people seem to be suggesting that they will refuse to buy anything with his name on it. However, I think it's a dangerous thing when we start saying "people like that should never be hired." Because people 'like that' often end up being people 'like us' under difference circumstances.

To misquote the ACLU: I think the man is a wanker, but I support his right to be a wanker.

In similar news, my politics gets discussed in this new critical study: http://www.amazon.com/Cyberpunk-Women-Feminism-Science-Fiction/dp/0786466537

TBF, the author of this work is really focused on what the TEXT implies about what my politics are, and this is why I *get* why people are uneasy at the idea of Card writing an iconic figure like Superman. Politics leak out. If you have any kind of moral point to your story, your opinions on it tend to be expressed in one way or another. However, I think that this is a dicey line we walk as writers--I have characters espouse things I don't agree with all the time. The character of Deidre is squicked when Michael reveals himself to be bisexual and she can't cope with Page's fluid gender because she's a Catholic raised in a restrictive society. That's how she'd be and I have to be true to her character before my own views.

I was really struck by this while watching Downton Abbey last night (we'd recorded Sunday's episode.) The attitude nearly everyone had about Tom's sexuality is EXTRAORDINARILY modern, to the point that my suspenders started snapping. "He can't help the way he is," the Earl says at one point, and I was like, "Really? Quoting Lady Gaga now? Because at this point homosexuality was considered a disease! Not all lassiez faire, oh, they were born that way!" I liked this, of course, but I thought maybe they'll pulled their punches in a way that was out of character. I think it could have been horrifying powerful to let the hammer come down on Tom the way it probably really would have. It would also have forced a modern audience to sympathize with an odious character for something we now recognize as NOT HIS FAULT. It could have been really educational for the 'kids these days' to see just how CRUEL the fate of the 1920s queer really was.

Feeling Confident

I was lying in bed last night, reading a book by an author I admire. All at once I was suffused by a calm and certain feeling. "I can do better than this," I thought. "I am a better writer." And then I thought, "If I lie here quietly, the feeling will go away." So I did, and it did.

I'm actually feeling pretty good. In the last few days, I have gotten praise from a good editor and a nice-sized check from the same good editor; and I am feeling happy with the current story -- aka the very wet, noir, planetary romance. It still needs work, but I like it.

Praise, money, and the satisfaction of a job well done. Can't beat that trio.

Falling into SF Like Falling Love

There's a really lovely interview with me over at SF Signals today that you can check out, if you'd like: http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2013/01/interview-with-lyda-morehouse/

In it, Paul Weimer asks me how I came to "fall into" science fiction, which, for me, was a bit like falling in love (as opposed to falling into ill repute, though perhaps my friends and family would disagree.) I also attempt to answer the rather existential question of "Who *is* Lyda Morehouse?" which I do in my usual flip and asinine way.