Comments on: Nothing New to Say? http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/ A mutual support group for SF/F Novelists Sat, 30 Aug 2008 12:39:10 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: » Blog Archive » For a friend…. http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/#comment-1021 » Blog Archive » For a friend…. Wed, 14 Nov 2007 18:10:26 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/#comment-1021 [...] don’t take this just from me, go and read Maria V. Snyder’s post at [...] […] don’t take this just from me, go and read Maria V. Snyder’s post at […]

]]> By: Edwin McRae http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/#comment-955 Edwin McRae Thu, 08 Nov 2007 00:42:05 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/#comment-955 Writing is like cooking. We take existing ingredients, combine them and cook them in some new and tantalizing way, and serve it up to the hungry readers. There's nothing new about a carrot, or a beef steak, or an onion, but when you do some kind of Thai/Euro fusion kungfu flambe routine on them, you have something to blow your tongue off, or at least taste yummy. Writing is like cooking. We take existing ingredients, combine them and cook them in some new and tantalizing way, and serve it up to the hungry readers. There’s nothing new about a carrot, or a beef steak, or an onion, but when you do some kind of Thai/Euro fusion kungfu flambe routine on them, you have something to blow your tongue off, or at least taste yummy.

]]> By: David de Beer http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/#comment-941 David de Beer Tue, 06 Nov 2007 19:13:06 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/#comment-941 Isaac Newton (I believe) said that he accomplished what he did by standing on the shoulders of giants. No, there's little that's new, and new ideas and concepts are not nearly as new as we often think. I look at it as a cumulative effect, though, pretty much every experience and every book and basically every thing gels together and writers put that into words and story. I think, one can be certain that every time a writer puts down a story, to them it's new and familiar both, and hopefully enough readers will experience it that way too. Isaac Newton (I believe) said that he accomplished what he did by standing on the shoulders of giants.

No, there’s little that’s new, and new ideas and concepts are not nearly as new as we often think. I look at it as a cumulative effect, though, pretty much every experience and every book and basically every thing gels together and writers put that into words and story.
I think, one can be certain that every time a writer puts down a story, to them it’s new and familiar both, and hopefully enough readers will experience it that way too.

]]> By: S.C. Butler http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/#comment-933 S.C. Butler Mon, 05 Nov 2007 15:05:55 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/#comment-933 It's all about the spin. There are no new ideas, just different ways to tell them. I have a musician friend who puts it this way - "There are no bad songs, just bad versions of songs." Substitute 'stories' for 'songs' and you can say the same thing about writing. It’s all about the spin. There are no new ideas, just different ways to tell them. I have a musician friend who puts it this way - “There are no bad songs, just bad versions of songs.” Substitute ’stories’ for ’songs’ and you can say the same thing about writing.

]]> By: Simon Haynes http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/#comment-928 Simon Haynes Mon, 05 Nov 2007 03:52:22 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/11/04/nothing-new-to-say/#comment-928 Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom had something similar, to a small degree. (Indy fed poison, offered antidote only if he goes along with a certain deal.) That's the first one I thought of, and I'm sure there are others. (Total Recall?) Anyhow, like you say it's the treatment of the idea rather than the idea itself. It's just that you don't want others crying 'copycat!' Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom had something similar, to a small degree. (Indy fed poison, offered antidote only if he goes along with a certain deal.)

That’s the first one I thought of, and I’m sure there are others. (Total Recall?) Anyhow, like you say it’s the treatment of the idea rather than the idea itself. It’s just that you don’t want others crying ‘copycat!’

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