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Maverick
Skeptic Friend
Sweden
385 Posts |
 Posted - 10/02/2004 : 12:36:37 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
Maverick wrote:quote:
If they don't like books they don't have to buy or borrow any.
I wish it were that easy, but many of these people see themselves as guardians of morality and/or decency, fighting to protect their children and/or community from "garbage."
It's obviously censorship, but they don't see it that way. Instead, they see a these books as attacks on the very fabric of society, and if left on the shelves, the next thing you know, there will be orgies in the streets, the Sun will turn black, and they themselves will be compelled to share in the blood sacrifices the rest of us are keeping hidden in our basements now.
Yes, I'm enjoying a bit of hyperbole. Really, though, the people challenging these books honestly do think that they're doing the correct thing. They believe they've not only got a right to do so, but a duty to do so.
Sometimes I feel a strong urge to challenge most of what TV offers us, or the music industry. Not based on moral indignation, but rather on the utterly poor quality of things. But then that would be wrong, too, of course. Switching channels works.
I can see how some art expressions can have an impact on people who already have issues of one kind or another. Maybe it can be one of many factors in how these people behave, but it can't be responsible. |
"Life is but a momentary glimpse of the wonder of this astonishing universe, and it is sad to see so many dreaming it away on spiritual fantasy." -- Carl Sagan |
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Maverick
Skeptic Friend
Sweden
385 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2004 : 12:41:05 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthySo, when my classmates were doing such as The Hardy Boys, [...]
Ah, I remember those books. Used to be among my favourites from I was 7 up to 12-13. Still got the books, haven't read them for a very very long time though. |
"Life is but a momentary glimpse of the wonder of this astonishing universe, and it is sad to see so many dreaming it away on spiritual fantasy." -- Carl Sagan |
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2004 : 12:54:55 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthy
Excellent! I was 15 when I was first published, a brief piece on venomous snakes in a now defunct (I think) rag called True. And they actually paid me for it! Unfortunatly, my attention span is so poor that I can't write much beyond 5.000 words or so. Several times, I've tried to get a novel going, but always end up with some 30, 000 or so words of gibberish and not even half way in. So, I stick to essays.
If there is indeed a god, that god's greatist gift to us is the ability to read and write, and to comprehend and enjoy the writings of others.
So was I. I published my first book (The Horse's Paradise, a child book) when I was 15, the same year I was selected to participate on an antology. Currently I've two half-written science fiction novels.
Ah, the joys of writing. |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9687 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2004 : 16:28:26 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Siberia
Result? I'm 19, with a short story and a book published.
So much for protection.
Way cool! Where can I get/read them?
I always dream about being a sci-fi writer but never got around to it. |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2004 : 16:59:08 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
quote:
Originally posted by Siberia
Result? I'm 19, with a short story and a book published.
So much for protection.
Way cool! Where can I get/read them?
I always dream about being a sci-fi writer but never got around to it.
In fact, I'm afraid you can't :( The publisher was a... uh... well, it was inconsiderate and made no effort to sell the book, so they're all stocked in my room (I've sold about 300, but the rest of the... tirage  ... is here). The other, since it was a contest, is rather lost in obscure libraries all over Brazil. Both are written in portuguese.
However, my DeviantArt account has several of my collected, random writings, including the first two chapters of my sci-fi novel-to-be. |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2004 : 18:20:35 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Siberia
quote:
Originally posted by Dr. Mabuse
quote:
Originally posted by Siberia
Result? I'm 19, with a short story and a book published.
So much for protection.
Way cool! Where can I get/read them?
I always dream about being a sci-fi writer but never got around to it.
In fact, I'm afraid you can't :( The publisher was a... uh... well, it was inconsiderate and made no effort to sell the book, so they're all stocked in my room (I've sold about 300, but the rest of the... tirage ... is here). The other, since it was a contest, is rather lost in obscure libraries all over Brazil. Both are written in portuguese.
However, my DeviantArt account has several of my collected, random writings, including the first two chapters of my sci-fi novel-to-be.
Translate that book into English at once! Children's books are excellent sellers. I wish I could write them.
Go to Amazon.com and order a copy of Writer's Market. Then select several houses and submit copies of the work to reputable American publishers. Get a good illustrator if you can, although if your work is accepted, the house will do it. Remember: query letters first describing it.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2004 : 18:34:03 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by filthy
Translate that book into English at once! Children's books are excellent sellers. I wish I could write them.
Go to Amazon.com and order a copy of Writer's Market. Then select several houses and submit copies of the work to reputable American publishers. Get a good illustrator if you can, although if your work is accepted, the house will do it. Remember: query letters first describing it.
Translating is the easy part. My mother worked with translations for nine years, and I know enough english to translate it myself. Illustrations are also fine and dandy, my super-mom is also a very good artist. Problem in publishing outside the country is payment. I've no cash to backup such a plan (especially with 1 american dollar = 3 brazillian reais). Even here, I published with sponsoring from Texaco.
But even so, I'll check it out. Thanks a lot for reminding me of Amazon.com :) |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2004 : 19:55:39 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Siberia
quote:
Originally posted by filthy
Translate that book into English at once! Children's books are excellent sellers. I wish I could write them.
Go to Amazon.com and order a copy of Writer's Market. Then select several houses and submit copies of the work to reputable American publishers. Get a good illustrator if you can, although if your work is accepted, the house will do it. Remember: query letters first describing it.
Translating is the easy part. My mother worked with translations for nine years, and I know enough english to translate it myself. Illustrations are also fine and dandy, my super-mom is also a very good artist. Problem in publishing outside the country is payment. I've no cash to backup such a plan (especially with 1 american dollar = 3 brazillian reais). Even here, I published with sponsoring from Texaco.
But even so, I'll check it out. Thanks a lot for reminding me of Amazon.com :)
Don't worry about the money. If your work is accepted by a house, they will be paying you. If it is not, you will be out no more than postage and the cost of the Market (it's expensive. If available, get one a couple of years old).
Never let a work or a manuscript lay idle. Send it everywhere, and if doesn't gain acceptance, something's wrong with it. Rewrite it and send it again.
Writing is one of the most competitive endevors in the world. There are many writers, but very few actually make a living at it. But Richard Scarey lives in Fat City due to his children's books.
Go for it, babe!
Haha, edited to add that I could paper a wall with rejection slips! Don't let that bastard grind you down, either.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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| Edited by - filthy on 10/02/2004 19:58:07 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26020 Posts |
Posted - 10/02/2004 : 23:14:24 [Permalink]
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| Speaking of writing, I had planned on doing NaNoWriMo this year, in an attempt to get myself immortalized as a crappy unpublished novelist - but a novelist nonetheless - but it'll have to wait until next year. Too much going on these days, and it didn't dawn on me until just now that it's already October. And yes, I understand that "putting it off for a year" is contrary to the entire point of NaNoWriMo, but... oh, well. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 10/03/2004 : 04:16:34 [Permalink]
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quote:
Originally posted by Dave W.
Speaking of writing, I had planned on doing NaNoWriMo this year, in an attempt to get myself immortalized as a crappy unpublished novelist - but a novelist nonetheless - but it'll have to wait until next year. Too much going on these days, and it didn't dawn on me until just now that it's already October. And yes, I understand that "putting it off for a year" is contrary to the entire point of NaNoWriMo, but... oh, well.
The first I've heard of them. Seems like an interesting outfit.
I gave up on being a novelist many years ago. I just can't seem to go the distance. Mostly these days, I write just for the joy of telling a story. I no longer even care if I get any money out of it. The bread never amounted to all that much, anyway.
A lot has changed since the days I bounced that snake piece off True, mainly the mechanics of it. Would that I had a word processer then -- I am a very clumsey typist. I used to have girlfriends type the final draft (under threat of death if they became creative whilst doing it) because they used a lot less White Out. I haven't submitted anything commercially in some years, but I'm told that it can all be done by e-mail or with a floppy. I've done this last.
The best money I ever made as an ink-stained wretch was writing resumes at $10.00 a page. I hated it, but as my rep was good, the cash flow and greed kept me at it for a long time. I would also write letters, for a price -- oddly, there remains a market for a letter writer. And unless basic educational standards in the US rise considerably, that tiny calling will always be there.
Today, I've got some essays (unpaid :scowl:) in the works for my daughter -- one of them is posted in the Mad Dog thread -- and little else.
At this point, I'll pass along a little wisdom that was given to me by none other than Danial Manix:
There is no such thing as good writing! There is only good re-writing.
To which I will add: Know when to stop writing. Like a watered-down stew, too many words dilute the meaning and thin the flavor.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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