Comments on: Pop Quiz for Writers

By: CE Murphy

CE Murphy — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 17:22:02 +0000

Ignore all, except I’ll often say “thanks” to an LJ-review if somebody points me at it.

Moving to Canada is on the short list of possibilities, though.

By: Steve Buchheit

Steve Buchheit — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 20:24:42 +0000

3. c – you forgot the “listen to the lamentations of their SO (significant others).”

And #5 sounds awfully familiar. I wonder where I’ve seen all of those answers given by the same person. Wait, wait, don’t tell me…

By: Bruce Cordell

Bruce Cordell — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 23:13:26 +0000

Publicly ignore, privately agonize.

By: llwheeler

llwheeler — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:56:01 +0000

Indeed it didn’t go unnoticed, sylvia_rachel. I still have the constant reminder of that fateful invasion, in the form of a green lizard on my keychain, a goblin tattoo in my pen drawer, and half a dozen more books added to my pile (sadly, some still in the TBR pile). We remember.

By: sylvia_rachel

sylvia_rachel — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 18:22:47 +0000

LOL! I think it should be pointed out, here, that Jim has in fact already invaded Canada at least once. His invasion force was small and their incursion brief, but the said incursion did not go unnoticed.

By: Liane Merciel

Liane Merciel — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:53:52 +0000

I’d like to see one about cover art, and how to discreetly suggest good ideas, dissuade bad ideas, and avoid dying of apoplexy if you get a cover depicting your modest 60-something nun heroine as an 18-year-old babe in a hot pink chainmail bikini, but alas! I do not know enough about the subject to even begin wording the options.

Oh, and maybe one about how to handle hordes of rabid fans who ask when you’re going to write a sequel that reveals Jig and Smudge’s long-hidden love affair, wherein they move to Canada and take up a new life as purveyors of delicious maple-glazed “goblin ear” pastries baked on Smudge’s back. Assuming that you don’t actually want to write that book (who knows, maybe you do…), how do you let them down easily? Smile and nod? Tell them to write a fanfic about it (shudder)? Grit your teeth and do it ’cause it’ll sell millions?

By: Joseph Lewis

Joseph Lewis — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:59:13 +0000

Let’s see:

8. Your blog is inundated with comments from angry fans because the latest installment in your popular series is late. These “fans” discuss your unhealthy weight/age/cholesterol level/interest in football. Do you…

(a) Ignore it.
(b) Unleash your loyal fans to defeat the angry fans in the Grand Coliseum of Fandom.
(c) Lock yourself in a tower and spend every waking second finishing the book as soon as inhumanly possible.
(d) Learn to enjoy Canadian football.

By: Jim C. Hines

Jim C. Hines — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:43:23 +0000

@Greg – What obsession? What are you talking about? The Mounties put you up to this, didn’t they… I’m on to you, buddy!

@Kameron – The fanfic question is a great idea, thanks!

@Adam – What about:

e. Send them a thank you note for all of the extra publicity and buzz they’ve provided for your book.

By: Adam Heine

Adam Heine — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:43:56 +0000

Here’s one:

7. Your book has been banned by (Iran/China/Canada/The Southern Baptist Convention). Do you…

a. Ignore it
b. Hold a press conference lambasting the evils of censorship
c. Write an even more controversial sequel in which the villains are thinly-disguised representations of (Iranians/Chinese/Canadians/Southern Baptists)
d. Vote for presidential candidates with intentions of invading (Iran/China/Canada/The South)

By: Adam Heine

Adam Heine — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:28:12 +0000

Kameron’s addition is a great idea, but I think there needs to be an option to (e) Create and maintain a website devoted to fan-created fiction of your world (then sell an anthology of it).