Comments on: What is Work? http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/ A mutual support group for SF/F Novelists Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:30:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.1 By: S. M. Payne http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-4162 S. M. Payne Fri, 05 Dec 2008 21:10:31 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-4162 (aka ‘talking to myself’ which according to my spouse is a form of mental instability) My grandmother always said this was a sign of a genius. Which is good, because all of my family does it. :) (aka ‘talking to myself’ which according to my spouse is a form of mental instability)

My grandmother always said this was a sign of a genius. Which is good, because all of my family does it. :)

]]> By: Rebecca Schultz http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1457 Rebecca Schultz Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:28:13 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1457 Work is dificult lol Work is dificult lol

]]> By: chrisweuve http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1337 chrisweuve Mon, 24 Dec 2007 05:42:00 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1337 I tried notepads by the bed, but that didn't work -- too much coordination required when I am half-asleep. So, I adopted the same solution I did as for the car -- digital audio recorders. Nothing fancy -- just something that records, stores as individual files, and plays back. I tried notepads by the bed, but that didn’t work — too much coordination required when I am half-asleep. So, I adopted the same solution I did as for the car — digital audio recorders. Nothing fancy — just something that records, stores as individual files, and plays back.

]]> By: vijayendra http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1334 vijayendra Mon, 24 Dec 2007 04:36:03 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1334 I fool myself with the research ruse too. For me, the biggest hurdle in the way of writing is reading. I fool myself with the research ruse too. For me, the biggest hurdle in the way of writing is reading.

]]> By: S.C. Butler http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1313 S.C. Butler Thu, 20 Dec 2007 13:04:23 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1313 John- Now there's an idea. I actually have a friend who's writing a series of stories with a character who does just that while he's chatting with ghosts. So no one will think he's mad. John-

Now there’s an idea. I actually have a friend who’s writing a series of stories with a character who does just that while he’s chatting with ghosts. So no one will think he’s mad.

]]> By: John Mark Ockerbloom http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1310 John Mark Ockerbloom Thu, 20 Dec 2007 00:13:21 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1310 On the muttering to oneself in #5 and #9: I'd imagine if you get one of those little Bluetooth cell phone accessories and put it in your ear, you'd seem perfectly normal muttering to yourself on the sidewalk. Who's to know you're not actually talking to anyone else? On the muttering to oneself in #5 and #9: I’d imagine if you get one of those little Bluetooth cell phone accessories and put it in your ear, you’d seem perfectly normal muttering to yourself on the sidewalk. Who’s to know you’re not actually talking to anyone else?

]]> By: Frank Wu http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1305 Frank Wu Wed, 19 Dec 2007 19:48:57 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1305 Reading. Lots of reading. Non-fiction, fiction. Politics, religion, science. Lots of short stories. Surfing the internet is research. Sometimes, at least. Reading. Lots of reading. Non-fiction, fiction. Politics, religion, science. Lots of short stories. Surfing the internet is research. Sometimes, at least.

]]> By: Stefan Fergus http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1302 Stefan Fergus Wed, 19 Dec 2007 16:36:58 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1302 As someone just starting out as a writer (very early stages), it's encouraging to know I'm not the only one walking around cities muttering to myself. In Durham (in the north of England) there are plenty of mad people, so no one tends to bat an eyelid when I come sauntering along testing a line of dialogue or colourful description of something unpleasant. Showers, not so useful as I tend to have them in the morning, when I'm basically dead. Notepads by the bed - have 4! All filling up with last minute Eureka moments that often get discarded or filed away for later use. Having a blog also helps, but it's written very stream-of-conscious, which means often it's jumbled and incoherent (not good, for someone trying to be an author). As someone just starting out as a writer (very early stages), it’s encouraging to know I’m not the only one walking around cities muttering to myself. In Durham (in the north of England) there are plenty of mad people, so no one tends to bat an eyelid when I come sauntering along testing a line of dialogue or colourful description of something unpleasant.

Showers, not so useful as I tend to have them in the morning, when I’m basically dead. Notepads by the bed - have 4! All filling up with last minute Eureka moments that often get discarded or filed away for later use. Having a blog also helps, but it’s written very stream-of-conscious, which means often it’s jumbled and incoherent (not good, for someone trying to be an author).

]]> By: Cliff Dunbar http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1301 Cliff Dunbar Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:56:43 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1301 To rescue my protagonists from the twisted plot corners I paint them into, I take a walk by the lake in front of my house. I go at night, and sit on one of the benches and stare at the palm trees and the moonlit ripples. It sounds nice, but I don't actually see any of that stuff. I'm lost in my fictional alternate universe. This is hard work, but I'm sure the dog-walkers who interrupt my musings with their well-intentioned greetings don't see it that way. The revelations I get in the shower and on the can and at bed time are qualitatively different from my lakeside machinations. They are the crafty turn of phrase, the poetic imagery, the aesthetic and economical delivery of a sentence I have already written, but which could have been done better. Those must be written down immediately, because they will never be recovered. To rescue my protagonists from the twisted plot corners I paint them into, I take a walk by the lake in front of my house. I go at night, and sit on one of the benches and stare at the palm trees and the moonlit ripples.

It sounds nice, but I don’t actually see any of that stuff. I’m lost in my fictional alternate universe. This is hard work, but I’m sure the dog-walkers who interrupt my musings with their well-intentioned greetings don’t see it that way.

The revelations I get in the shower and on the can and at bed time are qualitatively different from my lakeside machinations. They are the crafty turn of phrase, the poetic imagery, the aesthetic and economical delivery of a sentence I have already written, but which could have been done better. Those must be written down immediately, because they will never be recovered.

]]> By: Martyn Drake http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1299 Martyn Drake Wed, 19 Dec 2007 15:48:17 +0000 http://www.sfnovelists.com/2007/12/18/what-is-work/#comment-1299 While not a novelist (although nearly a technical writer for a series of computer related books), I do come up with various ideas - little self contained "compartments" which could form part of a story if I were to actually sit down and write it. These usually come on when I'm by myself and having had a bit of mental stimulation beforehand - such as watching TV, listening to music, or catching up with the newspapers of the day. I think the strangest place that an idea (and thankfully it has only been ONE idea to date) has formed has, unfortunately, being during the act of lovemaking. I won't go into details, but my mind just... wondered for a split second. And it was a funny idea too. Just thank goodness I didn't scream, "Eureka!" at the time - I'm sure my wife would have had me committed at that stage, and possibly the sofa would be the only companion I would have had for a while. Ain't life grand? While not a novelist (although nearly a technical writer for a series of computer related books), I do come up with various ideas - little self contained “compartments” which could form part of a story if I were to actually sit down and write it. These usually come on when I’m by myself and having had a bit of mental stimulation beforehand - such as watching TV, listening to music, or catching up with the newspapers of the day.

I think the strangest place that an idea (and thankfully it has only been ONE idea to date) has formed has, unfortunately, being during the act of lovemaking. I won’t go into details, but my mind just… wondered for a split second. And it was a funny idea too. Just thank goodness I didn’t scream, “Eureka!” at the time - I’m sure my wife would have had me committed at that stage, and possibly the sofa would be the only companion I would have had for a while.

Ain’t life grand?

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