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megwritesLinks:
1. "Malinda has statistics! I have theories!" - via![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rachelmanija. Pretty straightforward, relating to Malinda Lo's very telling stats about inclusivity and representation in YA fic, with thoughts on lit YA vs. SF/F Ya. One day, I'd also be interested to see what the numbers come out as if you did this with adult SF/F, especially since a lot of adults want to preach at young folks that "it gets better" - but judging by the shelves it gets worse when you transition to adult fic.
2. Why Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter is the Ultimate White Guilt Fantasy by K. Tempest Bradford. A great read and a fantastic, in-depth analysis of the movie. It contains some spoilers, in case you're concerned about that. Honestly, every moment she mentions is a moment where I rolled my eyes at the movie.
3. A List of (some) PoC SF/F authors - The various genres and formats are mixed here. Some work mainly in short stories, others are novelists, some are YA authors, some adult, some both. I can't vouch for all the works by all the authors, and it certainly is not an exhaustive list. I also acknowledge that the term PoC is a bit problematic/less helpful once you get out of white-dominated countries. However, this list could be a good stepping off point for readers who want to get some less white/Western/Euro-centric SF/F in their literary diet.
Not Relevant to Anyone But Me Writing-Mental Health Thought of the Day: Part of my problem re: feeling utterly unable to get past my mental blocks in writing is that I keep asking "why does this story even matter" and "what's the point in telling this story" and I keep getting the chirping cricket noise in my head.
Part of me is searching for justification for my writing, I suppose. When I'm plotting out or writing a story I can't help but ask myself why? What's important enough about it that it merits writing - but then I can't help thinking that by my own rhetoric, 99% of the books I read and love aren't "important" enough to be written. They're not about Deep Social Issues or Important Giant Ideas, they're just...stories. People's stories. Fun stories. Fantasies. Explorations.
But is that enough?
I also think it may help when my meds get switched. I can say that for me, Effexor does. not. work. I can see how others would benefit, so don't take my experience as a recommendation or anti-recommendation. I just know that I need to get off it and I'm deathly afraid of what my brain will do. I once skipped two days in a row of taking it and my brain went into what I can only describe as an epic and frightening electrochemical hydroplane.
As always, anyone who wants to talk brain chemistry and writing, comments are open.
Oh! Oh! Oh! Before I forget: I'm looking for a writing partner(s) who wouldn't mind hashing out raw ideas and taking a look at raw drafts (just a few pages or paragraphs here and there, not a whole manuscript or anything). I of course would want to reciprocate and would do the same for anyone who wanted it!
You can message, comment, etc.
How does one make the different parts of the sidebar (ie - the modules) different colors. Let's say one wanted to make each sidebar part a different color so that it made a rainbow. Which means that the box with the username and userpic is red and the box with the navigation is orange. Because let's say one loves rainbows in all the senses, including the delightfully queer ones.
How would one accomplish this via CSS? I ask because I got a new layout and I like the spacing, I just want to fiddle around with the colors some.
1. "Malinda has statistics! I have theories!" - via
rachelmanija. Pretty straightforward, relating to Malinda Lo's very telling stats about inclusivity and representation in YA fic, with thoughts on lit YA vs. SF/F Ya. One day, I'd also be interested to see what the numbers come out as if you did this with adult SF/F, especially since a lot of adults want to preach at young folks that "it gets better" - but judging by the shelves it gets worse when you transition to adult fic. 2. Why Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter is the Ultimate White Guilt Fantasy by K. Tempest Bradford. A great read and a fantastic, in-depth analysis of the movie. It contains some spoilers, in case you're concerned about that. Honestly, every moment she mentions is a moment where I rolled my eyes at the movie.
3. A List of (some) PoC SF/F authors - The various genres and formats are mixed here. Some work mainly in short stories, others are novelists, some are YA authors, some adult, some both. I can't vouch for all the works by all the authors, and it certainly is not an exhaustive list. I also acknowledge that the term PoC is a bit problematic/less helpful once you get out of white-dominated countries. However, this list could be a good stepping off point for readers who want to get some less white/Western/Euro-centric SF/F in their literary diet.
Not Relevant to Anyone But Me Writing-Mental Health Thought of the Day: Part of my problem re: feeling utterly unable to get past my mental blocks in writing is that I keep asking "why does this story even matter" and "what's the point in telling this story" and I keep getting the chirping cricket noise in my head.
Part of me is searching for justification for my writing, I suppose. When I'm plotting out or writing a story I can't help but ask myself why? What's important enough about it that it merits writing - but then I can't help thinking that by my own rhetoric, 99% of the books I read and love aren't "important" enough to be written. They're not about Deep Social Issues or Important Giant Ideas, they're just...stories. People's stories. Fun stories. Fantasies. Explorations.
But is that enough?
I also think it may help when my meds get switched. I can say that for me, Effexor does. not. work. I can see how others would benefit, so don't take my experience as a recommendation or anti-recommendation. I just know that I need to get off it and I'm deathly afraid of what my brain will do. I once skipped two days in a row of taking it and my brain went into what I can only describe as an epic and frightening electrochemical hydroplane.
As always, anyone who wants to talk brain chemistry and writing, comments are open.
Oh! Oh! Oh! Before I forget: I'm looking for a writing partner(s) who wouldn't mind hashing out raw ideas and taking a look at raw drafts (just a few pages or paragraphs here and there, not a whole manuscript or anything). I of course would want to reciprocate and would do the same for anyone who wanted it!
You can message, comment, etc.
How does one make the different parts of the sidebar (ie - the modules) different colors. Let's say one wanted to make each sidebar part a different color so that it made a rainbow. Which means that the box with the username and userpic is red and the box with the navigation is orange. Because let's say one loves rainbows in all the senses, including the delightfully queer ones.
How would one accomplish this via CSS? I ask because I got a new layout and I like the spacing, I just want to fiddle around with the colors some.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-03 09:11 am (UTC)I think so. I would GLADLY read escapism/not about Serious Issue books that at least didn't perpetuate said issues. Says someone who wants to like romance books and romcoms and fluffy tv shows more than I usually do.
Of course, I'm also going through a similar writing block, I think, re fanfic, so. :/
I'm not good with IM, but if you wanted to email me to bounce around story ideas, I'm up for that. (fourfoothunter @ gmail dot com)
no subject
Date: 2012-07-03 12:30 pm (UTC)Effexor is awesome for some people, and not awesome for others. (Same for any psych med, honestly. Don't believe the manufacturer's hype - there's a certain degree of suck it and see in psychopharmacology because we all have different brains.) Good luck with the changeover, and make sure the doctor or the pharmacist gives you clear instructions for the wash-out period, as well as the expected length of time for onset of the new meds.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-03 04:28 pm (UTC)Stories explore what it means to be human. I take issue with the idea that you need to tackle something on a grand scale - and sometimes (often?) it's better to show than to tell: by having a story where people relate to each other sensibly you demonstrate how the world can be. While fighting monsters or whatever.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-04 02:26 pm (UTC)- The comments on Bradford’s post are a fascinating example of how folks react to the mention of race. It looks like some aren’t responding to her commentary on the movie at all – they’d rather be angry about the mere concept of White Guilt and its possible influence on the psyche of white USians.
- It’s funny that you should feel awkward over the fact that your stories don’t make a point – I often feel uneasy with the fact that mine do. I’ve been wrestling of late with the knowledge that my current project is going to end up a tract on the abuse of the environment in the name of agriculture, and have been contorting the story in every which way to minimize that element. I’ve been reading the classics of SFF of late, and those that make a point – well, I wouldn’t say they lose value because of it, but it adds a strange and dated quality. So: fun stories are good stories. Explorations are good. Adding a ‘point’ wouldn’t make them worth more.
- Meds are great and also they suck. Best of luck with adjustments.
- Ooh, writer talk? You can find me at smw.writes @ gmail, if you'd like.