Saturday, April 12:
Saturday, April 5:
Saturday, March 29:
Saturday, March 22:
Saturday, March 15:
Saturday, March 8:
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Westercon Tweets and Facebook Posts
Saturday, April 12:
Saturday, April 5:
Saturday, March 29:
Saturday, March 22:
Saturday, March 15:
Monday, March 3, 2014
Exploring the Science Fiction Genre
Direct quotes from "Writing Excuses" Episode 8: Sci-Fi Genre
"Science fiction and fantasy: the genre is about writing new things and experiencing new things. Science fiction is about new things that are conceivably possible; fantasy is about new things that are conceivably impossible in our universe."
"We write science fiction for one of two reasons: (1) we either are very optimistic about what science can do and we are telling tales about the wonders of science and reason and structured thought, or (2) we are telling cautionary tales about the coming apocalypse and nuclear energy. And, sometimes we're doing both."
"The 'what if?' drove a lot of early science fiction writers."
"In the early days, it seemed like science fiction and fantasy and horror were all really one genre: the 'what if genres.'"
"Science fiction is a very reflective genre. Regardless of how it is done and how scientific it actually is, it's still intended to reflect an aspect of our society in a way you can't do in our society without changing a bunch."
"When I sit down to write a novel, I write a fantasy. But, when I sit down to write a short story, I write science fiction."
"The ideas are what drive science fiction, and for fantasy, it's often the setting that will drive me."
"A short story reveals character through action. In a novel, you lead up to the action based on who the character is."
What does it take to be a good science fiction writer?
"You need an understanding of the current sciences. You need to know a little astronomy, a little chemistry and a little bit of engineering."
"It's much more important with science fiction to know what's come before, than with some other genres."
"To write a cool, clever science fiction story, you have to check to make sure it hasn't been done a dozen times."
"You will always have people who are new to the genre. There's always room for entry level fiction in any genre."
"Science fiction and fantasy: the genre is about writing new things and experiencing new things. Science fiction is about new things that are conceivably possible; fantasy is about new things that are conceivably impossible in our universe."
"We write science fiction for one of two reasons: (1) we either are very optimistic about what science can do and we are telling tales about the wonders of science and reason and structured thought, or (2) we are telling cautionary tales about the coming apocalypse and nuclear energy. And, sometimes we're doing both."
"The 'what if?' drove a lot of early science fiction writers."
"In the early days, it seemed like science fiction and fantasy and horror were all really one genre: the 'what if genres.'"
"Science fiction is a very reflective genre. Regardless of how it is done and how scientific it actually is, it's still intended to reflect an aspect of our society in a way you can't do in our society without changing a bunch."
"When I sit down to write a novel, I write a fantasy. But, when I sit down to write a short story, I write science fiction."
"The ideas are what drive science fiction, and for fantasy, it's often the setting that will drive me."
"A short story reveals character through action. In a novel, you lead up to the action based on who the character is."
What does it take to be a good science fiction writer?
"You need an understanding of the current sciences. You need to know a little astronomy, a little chemistry and a little bit of engineering."
"It's much more important with science fiction to know what's come before, than with some other genres."
"To write a cool, clever science fiction story, you have to check to make sure it hasn't been done a dozen times."
"You will always have people who are new to the genre. There's always room for entry level fiction in any genre."
Saturday, March 1, 2014
Restoring American Communities
1. In Robert Putnam's "Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community," he discusses a decline in social interaction in the 20th century. He talks about how engagement has declined in various organizations, religious services, club meetings and other communities. How can a person's education predict his/her level of involvement in civil life?
2. Putnam uses the term "social capital" to describe connections we build with one another that benefit our own interests. How can social capital be both a private good and a public good?
3. One form of social capital is official membership in volunteer organizations. According to Putnam, there are three main types of volunteer organizations in American society: (1) Community-based organizations, (2) church-based organizations and (3) work-based organizations. Which of these types of organizations do you get most involved with?
4. Some national organizations contain a board of directors who meet to make decisions without the consent of the members. Other organizations have local chapters where members can actually meet one another. Which of these structures creates more social capital?
5. Putnam gives a few examples of informal social connections in his book and characterizes two different types of people: Machers and Schmoozers. Machers are people who make things happen in the community and are all around "good citizens." They follow current trends, follow politics and work on community projects. Schmoozers are people who spend time in informal conversation and communion. They tend to host dinner parties, play cards and throw barbecues. Are you a Macher or a schmoozer? What characterizes you as such?
6. Self-help groups (i.e. A.A., Weight Watchers, etc.) have grown in recent years. What are people finding from these groups that they aren't finding elsewhere? How are these groups similar to online chat forums or apps such as My Secret App, Tell My Secret or Whisper?
7. The author argues that media dependency is the "single most consistent predictor" for civil disengagement. Do you think this is the case? Why or why not?
8. Some statistics from the book demonstrate that over time, although social engagement has decreased, tolerance has increased:
2. Putnam uses the term "social capital" to describe connections we build with one another that benefit our own interests. How can social capital be both a private good and a public good?
3. One form of social capital is official membership in volunteer organizations. According to Putnam, there are three main types of volunteer organizations in American society: (1) Community-based organizations, (2) church-based organizations and (3) work-based organizations. Which of these types of organizations do you get most involved with?
4. Some national organizations contain a board of directors who meet to make decisions without the consent of the members. Other organizations have local chapters where members can actually meet one another. Which of these structures creates more social capital?
5. Putnam gives a few examples of informal social connections in his book and characterizes two different types of people: Machers and Schmoozers. Machers are people who make things happen in the community and are all around "good citizens." They follow current trends, follow politics and work on community projects. Schmoozers are people who spend time in informal conversation and communion. They tend to host dinner parties, play cards and throw barbecues. Are you a Macher or a schmoozer? What characterizes you as such?
6. Self-help groups (i.e. A.A., Weight Watchers, etc.) have grown in recent years. What are people finding from these groups that they aren't finding elsewhere? How are these groups similar to online chat forums or apps such as My Secret App, Tell My Secret or Whisper?
7. The author argues that media dependency is the "single most consistent predictor" for civil disengagement. Do you think this is the case? Why or why not?
8. Some statistics from the book demonstrate that over time, although social engagement has decreased, tolerance has increased:
- In 1956, 50% of white Americans thought blacks and whites should go to separate schools
- In 1995, 4% had the same feelings
- In 1973, 45% of Americans thought library books that advocated homosexuality should be banned
- In 1999, 26% had the same feelings
Monday, February 24, 2014
The Virtual Community
How much trust should we put into strangers on the Internet? In a
life-or-death situation, the Internet can provide us with instant access
to helpful information, but can we trust it? If so, from where?
I think with the amount of content on the Internet, it's possible to find a number of opinions on any given topic. With that, if I am in a bind and need information quickly, I can find a variety of sources to show me how to do something. When I find one opinion on a blog, I can find many other authors or bloggers who support the same thing.
A few weeks ago, the pilot light went out for the water heater in my apartment. Naturally, my roommates and I looked up "How to light a pilot light" videos on YouTube. Because there were so many videos all saying the same thing, we felt more confident in what we were trying to do.
Yes, strangers can post anything and everything on the Internet, but when they are all saying the same thing, I tend to believe it more.
Should the Internet be regulated at all? If so, by whom? The Internet was developed with public funds, so should it be offered free? Is it fair for commercial entities to take control of the Internet? They've now put more money into it than the government.
We kind of touched on this subject in class today. Someone mentioned that if the government starts regulating the Internet, when does it stop? I agree. Where do we draw the line if companies or the government start censoring or regulating our use of the Internet? I think the Internet should remain free and unregulated.
What are the minimum elements of communication necessary between a group of people to create a community? How much communication is necessary to establish a relationship? How much future communication is needed to maintain that relationship?
I mentioned in a post a couple weeks ago about a tweet I received from Nationwide Insurance. Out of nowhere, the company tweeted at me and offered me a gift card just so I can keep doing what I love. Although I'm not going to switch to Nationwide Insurance right now, in the future I will remember that tweet, when I'm in the market for new insurance because of the sense of community the company is trying to build.
After I got the tweet, I checked out the #loveforlove campaign to learn a little more about what Nationwide was doing. The company was tweeting similar things to random people just to build a larger community. It's a really interesting campaign and definitely worth checking out.
How do chat rooms help or hinder societies?
Being in a chat room, often without an identity, gives people the courage to attack others verbally. On one extreme, chat rooms give people a venue for cyber bullying. On the other hand, they give people a venue to share the same feelings and beliefs that they may be too scared to share elsewhere.
I think with the amount of content on the Internet, it's possible to find a number of opinions on any given topic. With that, if I am in a bind and need information quickly, I can find a variety of sources to show me how to do something. When I find one opinion on a blog, I can find many other authors or bloggers who support the same thing.
A few weeks ago, the pilot light went out for the water heater in my apartment. Naturally, my roommates and I looked up "How to light a pilot light" videos on YouTube. Because there were so many videos all saying the same thing, we felt more confident in what we were trying to do.
Yes, strangers can post anything and everything on the Internet, but when they are all saying the same thing, I tend to believe it more.
Should the Internet be regulated at all? If so, by whom? The Internet was developed with public funds, so should it be offered free? Is it fair for commercial entities to take control of the Internet? They've now put more money into it than the government.
We kind of touched on this subject in class today. Someone mentioned that if the government starts regulating the Internet, when does it stop? I agree. Where do we draw the line if companies or the government start censoring or regulating our use of the Internet? I think the Internet should remain free and unregulated.
What are the minimum elements of communication necessary between a group of people to create a community? How much communication is necessary to establish a relationship? How much future communication is needed to maintain that relationship?
I mentioned in a post a couple weeks ago about a tweet I received from Nationwide Insurance. Out of nowhere, the company tweeted at me and offered me a gift card just so I can keep doing what I love. Although I'm not going to switch to Nationwide Insurance right now, in the future I will remember that tweet, when I'm in the market for new insurance because of the sense of community the company is trying to build.
After I got the tweet, I checked out the #loveforlove campaign to learn a little more about what Nationwide was doing. The company was tweeting similar things to random people just to build a larger community. It's a really interesting campaign and definitely worth checking out.
How do chat rooms help or hinder societies?
Being in a chat room, often without an identity, gives people the courage to attack others verbally. On one extreme, chat rooms give people a venue for cyber bullying. On the other hand, they give people a venue to share the same feelings and beliefs that they may be too scared to share elsewhere.
Top Ten Influencers for Dragons Keep Fans
This list is based on the following keywords:
1. GameSpot (720K followers). @gamespot
2. Star City Games: The world's largest Magic: The Gathering store and content producer (20.4K followers). @starcitygames
3. Stephen King: Author (322K followers). @StephenKing
4. Joey Pasco: Magic: The Gathering podcaster and event commentator for SCGLive (4,141 followers). @AffinityForBlue
5. Riot Games: Developer and Publisher of League of Legends (262K followers). @riotgames
6. Gerrard Capashen: Magic player (2,982 followers). @Gfabs5
7. Kobe: Former pro-gamer (55.8K followers). @RiotKobe
8. Matt Sperling: Magic player (6,104 followers). @mtg_law_etc
9. Brandon Beck: CEO and co-founder of Riot Games (24.8K followers). @BrandonBeck
10. Aaron Forsythe: Director of R&D, Magic: The Gathering (18.2K followers). @mtgaaron
1. GameSpot (720K followers). @gamespot
8. Matt Sperling: Magic player (6,104 followers). @mtg_law_etc
Saturday, February 22, 2014
Social Media: A Rallying Cry
Digital networks have given people the ability to organize and mobilize. "We are the 99 percent" was a political slogan used alongside the Occupy Wall Street movement. The slogan came from a Tumblr blog that was launched by a 28-year-old New York activist. It illustrates that less than 99 percent of the U.S. population make less than $343,927 annually.
The blog served as a launching point for a social movement. People began submitting stories and using the slogan in a variety of ways. Even members of the one percent, who make more money than 99 percent of the population, would use the slogan "We are the 1 percent; we stand with the 99 percent," to show their support for higher taxes.
The blog itself says, "Who are we? Well, who are you? If you're reading this, there's a 99 percent chance that you're one of us."
Then it goes on to explain who makes up the 99 percent, versus the one percent:
"They are the 1 percent. They are the banks, the mortgage industry, the insurance industry. They are the important ones. They need help and get bailed out and are praised as job creators. We need help and get nothing and are called entitled. We live in a society made for them, not for us. It’s their world, not ours. If we’re lucky, they’ll let us work in it so long as we don’t question the extent of their charity.
"We are the 99 percent. We are everyone else. And we will no longer be silent. It’s time the 1 percent got to know us a little better. On Sept. 17, 2011, the 99 percent will converge on Wall Street to let the 1 percent know just how frustrated they are with living in a world made for someone else. Let us know why you’ll be there. Let us know how you are the 99 percent."
Because of social media, Occupy Wall Street had a venue for conversation. People were able to rally together because social media bridges a communication gap. In this case, the social media messages were centered around "us vs. them" themes, but it was effective in bringing together a group for a cause.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Social Media Ideas for @Westercon67
Tweets for @Westercon67 for the Dragon's Keep crowd:
1. You've played the game, learn how to make your own @Westercon67. #magicthegathering
2. Level up with your favorite authors @Westercon67!
3. How did your favorite hero come to be? Find out for yourself @Westercon67.
4. Come check out the Dragon's Keep game room @Westercon67.
5. Could you come up with the next great game? Learn from the best @Westercon67.
6. Your favorite comic book didn't end like you wanted? Rewrite it your way @Westercon67. #DragonsKeep
7. Watch the story unfold @Westercon67. #DragonsKeep
8. Learn the secrets behind your favorite fantasy board games @Westercon67.
9. Don't let the rest stay unwritten. Finish the story @Westercon67. #DragonsKeep
10. @Westercon67: Where the magic really happens. #DragonsKeep
Facebook Posts:
1. Share your favorite Magic the Gathering experiences for a chance to win tickets to Westercon 67.
2. What's your favorite comic book moment? Respond for a chance to win tickets to Westercon 67.
3. How long has it been since you played Magic the Gathering?
4. Where do you find your best inspiration? We'll help you find some at Westercon 67.
5. Don't forget to stop by Westercon 67 for a chance to meet your favorite comic book authors.
Keywords:
1. You've played the game, learn how to make your own @Westercon67. #magicthegathering
2. Level up with your favorite authors @Westercon67!
3. How did your favorite hero come to be? Find out for yourself @Westercon67.
4. Come check out the Dragon's Keep game room @Westercon67.
5. Could you come up with the next great game? Learn from the best @Westercon67.
6. Your favorite comic book didn't end like you wanted? Rewrite it your way @Westercon67. #DragonsKeep
7. Watch the story unfold @Westercon67. #DragonsKeep
8. Learn the secrets behind your favorite fantasy board games @Westercon67.
9. Don't let the rest stay unwritten. Finish the story @Westercon67. #DragonsKeep
10. @Westercon67: Where the magic really happens. #DragonsKeep
Facebook Posts:
1. Share your favorite Magic the Gathering experiences for a chance to win tickets to Westercon 67.
2. What's your favorite comic book moment? Respond for a chance to win tickets to Westercon 67.
3. How long has it been since you played Magic the Gathering?
4. Where do you find your best inspiration? We'll help you find some at Westercon 67.
5. Don't forget to stop by Westercon 67 for a chance to meet your favorite comic book authors.
Keywords:
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