The world is changing, Grasshopper ...

The world of books and publishing is changing and we authors watch it all wondering what will happen to us.

Here is a link to an article on a new form of Print on Demand. The machine goes into bookstores and libraries. It automatically prints,binds and trims perfect bound paperbacks, at point of sale. Some major publishers are on board with it, Hachette, Macmillan and Simon & Schuster to name a few. The machine was named 'Invention of the Year" in 2007.

As a writer, I feel anything that brings books closer to people is good. (I also feel like I'm living in the future. When ever I flick open my mobile phone I think of Star Trek and Beam me up, Scotty).

Another interesting development is e-books and how different publishers react to them. Some try to control all sourcing of e-books and see pirating of books on the web as something to chase down. Others try to reach new readers through this medium. There's a link down in the Interesting Sites on the side bar of this page to Baen Books free e-book page. Like Cory Doctorow, they figure if you like the e-book, you're likely to go out and buy more books by that author.

How do you feel about e-books and point of sale, print on demand?

Characters, what makes them loveable

Over here at the Mad Genius Club, Writers Division, we've been talking about what makes characters memorable.

I like odd ball characters who have to battle incredible odds like Lois Mcmaster Bujold's Miles Vorkosigan. Why? His body might be damaged and weak but his spirit is indomitable.

I like Joe Abercrombie's torturer in The Blade Itself. Just when you begin to feel empathy for him, Joe reveals something even more horrible about him. Yet he is a fascinating character.

If I find myself thinking about characters after I finish the book, then they have come to life for me.

What characters come to life for you?

coming back!

Coming back to blogging, coming back to writing!

Hi! It's been a strange period for me - first, putting up the guide to fantasy and spec fic writing at www.writingtips.com.au, then putting up all the WORLDSHAKER pages on my author site at www.richardharland.net. Great response to both the writing tips and the new novel, yay!

Then, this last week started out with two all-day workshops for the Sydney Writers Festival. I feel it's a coup just to get genre fiction in there - fantasy hasn't had much of a run in the past. Both workshops were sold out, and the feedback was very positive. That led on to a whole week of festival-related social events: the premiers Literary Awards on Monday (I was one of the judges); interview and dinner on Tuesday, festival 'opening' party on Wednesday. etc etc until finally, the Allen & Unwin drinks night yesterday. I'm all wined out …

And in the mornings, I found myself with time left over - no promotional activities to worry about - and started final planning on LIBERATOR (sequel to WORLDSHAKER). It felt like coming home - back to what I'm SUPPOSED to be doing, actually writing fiction! Today, the planning slipped almost accidentally into writing the first draft of the first draft of the first chapter - as though it had just been waiting to rush out onto the page. It felt so good to be actually writing again!

Cheers
Richard

Where do you belong, on Firelfy or the Enterprise?

Today was Indulgence Friday, Daryl and I slipped away together to watch Star Trek and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Don't look for science, take a deep breath and go along for the ride.

But, at the end, where Kirk is getting a medal for saving the earth I felt stifled. I would much rather have been sucked through that black hole into the vastness of space and gone off exploring without ever having to answer to the stuffed shirts back on earth.

It made me realise I would be more comfortable on the bridge of the Firefly Serenity, than on the Enterprise. I'm more comfortable writing about misfit characters, who slip through the cracks of officialdom.

Where do you belong, on the bridge of the Enterprise or on the Firefly Serenity?

Pet Peeves

Was thinking about things that annoy me when I'm reading. Here are a few:

Books where the female protagonist is five feet four and she can outrun and out-wrestle a six foot male. (Even with martial arts training this is not possible).

Books where the protagonist does the fictional equivalent of the horror movie babysitter, who goes outside to check on a strange noise.

Books where the main characters are so 'white bread' I can't identify with them. Give me twisted, give me tortured. That's why I love Joe Abercrombie's characters.

That's it for now, but I'm sure I'll think of some more.

Character Research

I came across this article. Organisational Sociopaths: rarely challenged, often promoted. Why?

Why indeed? After reading this, you can see how the economic collapse happened. Not only are people promoted to their level of incompetence but the way large companies are set up, they reward pathological behaviour. Managerial decision-making suffers from unhealthy symptoms, due to over-complexity, slefishness, and rewards systems that encourage narcisstic behaviours.

I'm currently reading Jasper Kent's 'Twelve'. It's set during Bonaparte's Russian campaign. Desperate Russians hire vampires to help defeat the advancing French, with predictable results. (Having said that I'm enjoying the book. It has a real sense of time and place).

How does someone like Bonaparte view the world?

If a psychologist interviewed Napoleon Bonaparte, he'd be declared dangerously delusional. Yet, this is the stuff, plot conflict is made of.