writing – Page 86 – Steven Savage

Link Roundup 10/1/2013

October 1, 2013 by Steven Savage

What’s up today?

Lucha Libro – A cross between writing and professional wrestling where the looser is unmasked. I cannot tell you how great this is, and how if you do any writing events at conventions you need to consider this.
Gaymer Connect 2014 announced! Sounds like they’re doing fantastic – and worth getting involved in.
How the Nerd community helped one person fight cancer. A reminder of the good we can do.
The more companies are covered by financial analysts, the worse they do. Sounds like the attention is actually bad – and suggests there may be a size/publicity critical level. Worth looking into.
Job-wise apparently there will be more Hardee’s. Yeah, I know. Work is work.

– Steven “The Masked Randomizer” Savage

Competence Porn In Fiction Versus Gaming

August 23, 2013 by Steven Savage

I loved the article io9 did about the loss of Competence Porn (watching competent people do competent things) in SF. It noted how many SF stories had lost that element, leaving us with assorted “average” guys, non-scientists, and the like facing SF situations. I had to agree, at least on an intuitive level.

I miss tales of scientists and engineers solving stuff. I grew up with Dick Seaton (real name) of the Skylark stories. I, like many, wanted to be Spock or Scotty. I loved the idea of Iron Man and engineers making cool stuff.

I wasn’t into the idea that someone someone who lacks knowledge and skill (and doesn’t acquire them) is going to solve things. Wasn’t believable. Wasn’t a good story really. Didn’t give me anything to aim for.

(I could go into this as part of anti-intellectualism or “My ignorance is the same of your knowledge” trend or whatever, but that’s for later).

This got me thinking about gaming, another form of storytelling.

Elmore Leonard, R.I.P.

August 20, 2013 by Steven Savage

Elmore Leonard, famous crime novelist, passed away at 87. You can find out much more about him at his Wikipedia page. This is after all the guy who has had huge amount of Hollywood writings and adaptions to his name (Hey, Scott, you got more to do here).

He also left behind a lot of advice: that you’ll definitely want to check out.

– Steven Savage