tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post235458389712220442..comments2023-10-09T04:48:51.981-07:00Comments on SFR Brigade: Walking the Line in SFRUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-30074502271754880552010-06-18T22:36:27.191-07:002010-06-18T22:36:27.191-07:00@Laura - Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
@Ma...@Laura - Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it!<br /><br />@Marcella - Ooh, thank you for the info!Gini Kochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17801375495279134392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-48730863102599743912010-06-18T11:48:05.293-07:002010-06-18T11:48:05.293-07:00Gini, the B&N in question was the store at the...Gini, the B&N in question was the store at the Crossroads Mall in Bellevue, WA.Marcella Burnardhttp://www.marcellaburnard.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-10668771205612548122010-06-17T15:28:38.830-07:002010-06-17T15:28:38.830-07:00Great post! Thanks for sharing. It's nice to s...Great post! Thanks for sharing. It's nice to see other SFR writer's views on this.Laura Scarletthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00446878423460367164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-23031976961953975542010-06-16T15:28:43.895-07:002010-06-16T15:28:43.895-07:00@Heather - Woot!@Heather - Woot!Gini Kochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17801375495279134392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-81684226900669943552010-06-16T11:10:52.751-07:002010-06-16T11:10:52.751-07:00Awesome post. I will have to read it later when I ...Awesome post. I will have to read it later when I have more time to savor all the SFR worldbuilding goodness.<br /><br />I just popped in to say that SF Signal linked to this post!<br /><br />http://www.sfsignal.com/archives/2010/06/sf-tidbits-for-61610/Heather Masseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00913459109753829391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-3250694295854086252010-06-16T10:54:42.752-07:002010-06-16T10:54:42.752-07:00@Anna - short isn't always right. Sprinkled in...@Anna - short isn't always right. Sprinkled in and through is better. If you can do it. Yeah, it's FUN! walking that line. LOL<br /><br />And, just relax and remind your muse that you can always edit or cut. Every word coming out doesn't have to be perfect, that's why we call them drafts.Gini Kochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17801375495279134392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-19582663511755007112010-06-16T09:42:15.293-07:002010-06-16T09:42:15.293-07:00@Gini--My books are all wips right now. I think th...@Gini--My books are all wips right now. I think they all lean toward the SF or harder side. Some of vital elements that will definitely need explaining but I'll try to make that short. LOL.<br /><br />I just hope to finish them. LOL. My muse needs some butt-kicking. LOL. Or maybe I just need some unbroken sleep.AnnaM.noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-71928010141065056442010-06-15T20:43:35.163-07:002010-06-15T20:43:35.163-07:00@Laurie - thanks! I'm really glad you enjoyed ...@Laurie - thanks! I'm really glad you enjoyed it! (And so glad someone else knew which song I was referring to...LOL!)<br /><br />Some readers like over-building (my husband, for one), some don't. It's all about finding what works best for our individual writing styles and voices, isn't it? And then having those wonderful critiquers and beta readers who are able and willing to point out where we still need to improve. :-DGini Kochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17801375495279134392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-89207001630770336182010-06-15T18:43:03.435-07:002010-06-15T18:43:03.435-07:00Great article, Gini. And I appreciate the Garden ...Great article, Gini. And I appreciate the <i>Garden Party</i> quote, too. So true.<br /><br />I learned the dangers of "over-building" with my first novel, where I had pages and pages of description of a palace. With help from critiquers I learned how to cut all the dull static descriptions and keep it interesting by using character interaction--either physically or emotionally--with their environment, much like your definition: "so the reader/viewer is included into the story with a sense of acceptance or wonder and is able to suspend disbelief."L. A. Greenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01198035351359321392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-41559087010169445172010-06-15T17:18:31.503-07:002010-06-15T17:18:31.503-07:00@M.Pax - I've heard similar. Cerebral's al...@M.Pax - I've heard similar. Cerebral's all well and good, but you have to grab the heart as well as the mind. I love world building, but I like character interaction more (and fight scenes...LOL). But I love to be taken to new worlds by other authors -- it's great to see what we all come up with, because it's a never-ending variety of interesting places and ideas.<br /><br />@Marva - You never know what's going to grab whom and how. I agree that there's a lot of romance in older SF. I think there's a lot of romance in not-that-old SF, too. And from what I'm seeing at places like SF Signal, the hard SF folks are chomping at the bit for your book. :-D<br /><br />I could get into the "true to science" debate with you, because I don't think there's a clear line for what IS true to science, if you will, but that's for either another article or over martinis. ;-DGini Kochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17801375495279134392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-23717025247106010482010-06-15T15:48:03.939-07:002010-06-15T15:48:03.939-07:00As a long-time SF reader, I really like SF I read ...As a long-time SF reader, I really like SF I read to be true to science whether there's romance in it or not.<br /><br />It seems to me that old-time SF is filled with romance and sex. Look at Robert Heinlein. Couldn't get much more sex back in the day and still be mainstream SF.<br /><br />I hope when my book comes out that readers will read a non-paranormal, non-alien, hard SF dystopian future . . . with rayguns. ;)Cellophane Queenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08166797508899835493noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-39172417940142026362010-06-15T15:09:02.906-07:002010-06-15T15:09:02.906-07:00I got a comment from a critique partner today that...I got a comment from a critique partner today that SF seems much more cerebral. I suppose it is. World building is my favorite part. :)M Paxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-63208179954374630692010-06-15T13:09:18.695-07:002010-06-15T13:09:18.695-07:00@Anna - thanks so much! I'm still bouncing ove...@Anna - thanks so much! I'm still bouncing over here about it. LOL<br /><br />I think I'm right on the line with Touched by an Alien, and some of that's because I don't write hard SF. I can read it and enjoy it, but I'm not going to write it any time soon. Would you call your books more hard SF than soft?<br /><br />Really, I think it's great that there IS that full spectrum. Because not everyone likes the same things, and some days you want beef, some days chicken, some days a salad, and so forth. I love (LOVE) chocolate cake with vanilla butter-cream frosting, but I couldn't eat it every meal. (Every day, now that's another story...) So why should what readers want to read be any different?Gini Kochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17801375495279134392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-69941245044056499432010-06-15T12:25:40.777-07:002010-06-15T12:25:40.777-07:00Gini,
Great article! You're right about not p...Gini,<br /><br />Great article! You're right about not pleasing everyone. I have Touched on my wishlist at the Sony store, but promised dh I'd read some of my print books before buying more ebooks. But it shouldn't be too long.<br /><br />You're right that there's a whole spectrum of degrees of romance to sf that readers like. I'm on the SF end, but I'm finding that every year I inch closer to the middle. LOL. <br /><br />Can't wait to read your book. Congrats on getting a multi-book deal.Anna McLainnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-66927719848048079492010-06-15T12:11:59.387-07:002010-06-15T12:11:59.387-07:00@Kaye - thanks, I'm really glad you liked the ...@Kaye - thanks, I'm really glad you liked the article! And I totally agree with you -- trying to fit into what "looks hot" is useless. If you're with one of the Big 6, it'll be 2 years before your book has a hope of hitting the shelves. It's faster with independents and epubs, but tastes change, and that quickly. Better to write the book you love that you can stand behind at any time, IMHO.<br /><br />@Amber - I owe that line to Ricky Nelson (he was both gorgeous AND talented), but it's always been true. Do what you love, please yourself, and the rest will follow.<br /><br />@Marcella - I'm so glad you're enjoying it! And awesome news on Touched by an Alien being the staff pick! Which B&N? (I must know! LOL) <br /><br />Good questions about DAW. DAW only pubs Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror. They DO feel they're out on a limb with TBAA, but it's not just the romance part, it's the other elements, too, the humor and the general attitude, the voice. But from an editing standpoint, my editor is a DREAM. I'm being completely spoiled, because she's just amazing. She had no issues with the romance (at all), but did have me bump up some Christopher and Kitty interactions to make the triangle more real. <br /><br />I'm not a believer in the idea that a SF/F editor can't properly edit SFR, because mine can, did, and does. My book is Science Fiction first (which is a DAW speciality), romance, humor and action second. So, from that aspect, my editor had no issues with the book -- she's been editing SF for a long time. <br /><br />I didn't write TBAA with any SFR intent (I didn't know SFR existed as specific sub-genre until the book was out and Heather and Agent Z at The Galaxy Express taught me the secret handshake and told me all about it, and why I fit there) -- I wrote the story I wanted to tell. DAW really believes in it, they purchased Books 3 & 4 last month, so I think that's both a good sign for me personally and for SFR in general. If one of the biggest publishers of SF/F is behind an SFR series, then that has to bode well for the sub-genre as a whole. At least, that's my hope.Gini Kochhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17801375495279134392noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-27699534028220475012010-06-15T11:09:17.112-07:002010-06-15T11:09:17.112-07:00Wow. I'm reading Touched by an Alien right now...Wow. I'm reading Touched by an Alien right now, Gini - and am enjoying it. You might be pleased to know it was shelved in Scifi at a local B&N and was, in fact, a staff pick at that store - so it had a write up and shelf space for cover-out presentation. It hadn't occurred to me that Daw had no romance imprint - but now that you say it, I recall that it's true. How challenging were the edits based on that? Obviously your editor loved your stuff to take a chance on picking up a genre he/she wasn't entirely familiar with - but did that present any issues when edits came your way?Marcella Burnardhttp://www.marcellaburnard.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-8524253723238264382010-06-15T10:34:16.145-07:002010-06-15T10:34:16.145-07:00"...you'll never please everyone so you&#..."...you'll never please everyone so you'd better please yourself." What perfect advice!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2835785233541439590.post-28913905827273186992010-06-15T07:43:37.338-07:002010-06-15T07:43:37.338-07:00Very interesting, Gini! Nice points too.
I'm...Very interesting, Gini! Nice points too. <br /><br />I'm a big SF girl, but also romance is a love of mine as well. I am thrilled we have a genre where we can incorporate both aspects. <br /><br />I agree about walking the line and giving pubs what they are seeking, or seek out a pub that fits with your work. And still, be true to yourself and your story. Don't try to fit yourself into a sub-genre just because it may be the next big thing.<br /><br />World building as it relates to SFR is one of the subjects I touched lightly on and discussed on my recent blog tour to promo my book. I see it as important and necessary esp. for SFR.<br /><br />Info dumping and/or not enough info? Yeah, we need a balance. And to do this is a practice, as well as researching the science/tech part. We also need to balance the romance with that science/tech. How the balance plays out depends on the pub we target. As you said, some stories will lean more toward romance, and some more toward science, or SF. Knowing the publisher we are targeting is the key here.<br /><br />Thanks for all the great information!Kaye Manrohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03639814610213100626noreply@blogger.com