Analog SFF, October 2008
Page 26
What happened next would have been inconceivable without the Internet. Professional criticism came back from several people within half a day. I rewrote and posted again the same day. More criticism. More rewriting. On the fourth draft, in less than a week from a cold start, it was accepted for publication in Grantville Gazette. If I'd been submitting paper manuscripts by mail to a conventional magazine's slush pile, with only the editor and maybe a paid reader looking at it, I think I'd have been lucky to get that kind of advice in four years, let alone four days.
Second story, basically the same thing happened. The cycle was somewhat longer, because there was a lot more tech background to research and get right, and I was working with timelines and characters that two other authors were writing about concurrently. But again, the techies, the other writers, and the editorial board told me what I was doing wrong, so I could fix it fast. Published again.
So I tackled a bigger story. 8500 words this time. I had to ask for comments at one point, but the gang obliged and told me where I'd gone wrong. Accepted on the fifth draft, and in the queue for editing.
It's not just the word processor that's the productivity booster; it's the cheap and fast communication system on the other side of the computer that makes it possible for writers to help each other.
Now, as to the cost, the amount of computing horsepower a writer needs to do all this is probably an order of magnitude less expensive than my first typewriter, in constant dollars. A 10-year-old PC with a standard load of open source software will do the job admirably. I picked one up for $75 a couple of years ago in a computer graveyard and put in a couple of upgrades. I see similar machines listed in the local Sunday paper to give away. All the software I run on it is a free download, including the operating system, the office suite, the web browser, and the mail program. Monthly ISP charges are probably more of an issue than the cost of a machine, and even those have come down over the years as long as you don't need high speed.
I will say that a computer still costs more than a quill pen, but on the other hand it's a lot cheaper to send a manuscript by e-mail than by U.S. mail. So I think we've come out ahead on this one.
Cordially,
Jack Carrol
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The speed and ease of e-mail is both a blessing and a curse, depending on the circumstances. Certainly it facilitates the kind of workshopping you describe (but be careful: some publishers consider any prior publication, including posting online, to be prior publication that precludes their buying the work). E-mail also greatly facilitates editing, once a publisher is seriously interested in a piece. But many publishers who receive a great deal of material (including us) still require hardcopy for the initial reading, and an electronic “manuscript” only after purchase. We realize that submitting by e-mail makes things a little easier on the writer's end, but it makes them harder on this end in several ways that writers often haven't thought about.
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Dr. Schmidt,
Two comments, one on the editorial, “Our Most Important Product,” and one on the Reference Library.
First, with regard to the expense of buying the equipment needed by an author: computers are much more expensive than pencil and paper. However, that cost decreases over time (check your local used computer stores). On the other hand, it is also possible to find public access computers in public libraries. In that case, the primary expense would be the cost of storage media (and USB flash drives also decrease in cost even as the capacity increases). Availability of computers in libraries now could be compared to the availability of typewriters in public libraries some years back. With respect to typewriters, how much did your first typewriter (manual or electric) cost you in inflation-adjusted dollars?
Second, with respect to Robert Zubrin's contention ("...great gobs of money to Saudi Arabia...” as paraphrased in the Reference Library), how much of the US petroleum budget really goes to Saudi Arabia? I keep hearing that the majority of our purchased petroleum comes from suppliers in this hemisphere, Canada and Mexico being two of the major suppliers. As to biofuels, my own preference would be biodiesel over ethanol. The energy density in diesel fuel is much greater than that of ethanol. Diesel engines are becoming quieter and more efficient, as well as less polluting, all the time. One of the major problems with diesel has been sulfur; I don't see that as a problem with biodiesel.
By the way, I do have one more comment in addition the two I counted at the beginning. I do like the Jaggers and Shad stories.
Thanks for the (metaphorical) ear.
Doug Clapp
Colorado Springs, CO
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Dr. Schmidt,
I concur with reader Bruno Loran, June Brass Tacks, on Barry Longyear's stories. I enjoyed the first one, possibly because it was a novel story idea. The follow-on stories were increasingly less interesting. I'm not sure why. I was talking to a friend earlier this year about one issue and he complained it had “another damn duck story.”
On a more serious note, I noticed the lack of Analog representation among this year's Hugo nominations. I hope this speaks more of the growth of the industry.
Wayne Fiebick
Ridgecrest, CA
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Stan,
Just read the letter in the June 2008 issue regarding Barry Longyear's stories. Some people just have no sense of humor! Whenever you run one of these stories, it's always the first thing I read. I'm very familiar with the area that is the setting for the stories; Longyear understands both the people of the area, as well as the geography, both in the cities and in the countryside. His depiction of the pigeons and owls is a real hoot! I'm looking forward to more of them.
Jack E. Garrett,
Monroe Township NJ
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Dear Dr. Schmidt,
I was dismayed to find on page 3 of June's Analog the ad from The Heartland Institute, claiming, “Global warming is not a crisis.” As you yourself have written in a number of editorials, global warming is a crisis, emission reductions are necessary, and virtually everything in this ad is false.
I understand that Analog needs advertising income, but perhaps the magazine could attract such income from more reputable sources. As a subscriber, I would even be willing to pay more on my subscription if I knew that the magazine could keep its integrity and not accept advertising from such sources.
Otherwise, keep up the good work! I love the magazine and I am always happy to receive the new issue.
Alina Badus
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In general, ads are sold by a different department in which editors play little role. We would normally not try to censor them in any case, and even if we wanted to we do not have the resources to try to verify the factual accuracy of everything an advertiser pays to say. But we will try in the future to make sure that any paid ad that might be mistaken for an article is clearly labeled as an advertisement.
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We welcome your letters, which should be sent to Analog, 475 Park Avenue South, Floor 11, New York, NY 10016, or e-mail to analog@dellmagazines.com. Space and time make it impossible to print or answer all letters, but please include your mailing address even if you use e-mail. If you don't want your address printed, put it only in the heading of your letter; if you do want it printed, please put your address under your signature. We reserve the right to shorten and copy-edit letters. The email address is for editorial correspondence only—please direct all subscription inquiries to: 6 Prowitt Street, Norwalk, CT 06855.
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Reader's Department: UPCOMING EVENTS
by Anthony Lewis
17-19 October 2008
CAPCLAVE 2008 (Washington, DC area SF conference) at Rockville Hilton, Rockville, MD. Author Guest of Honor: James Morrow; Critic Guest of Honor: Michael Dirda. Membership: $50 until 30 September 2008, $60 thereafter. Info: www.capclave.org/. Capclave 2008, c/o Barry Newton, P. O. Box 53, Ashton, MD 20861
>
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30 October-3 November 2008
WORLD FANTASY CONVENTION at Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Guests: David Morrell, Barbara Hambly, Tom Doherty, Todd Lockwood; TM: Tad Williams. Membership: Attending USD/CAD125 (GBP62/AUD146) until 30 April 2008 (limit of 850), Supporting: USD/CAD35 (GBP17/AUD41); additional for Awards Banquet USD/CAD50 (GBP25/AUD58). Info: www.worldfantasy2008. org/; info@worldfantasy2008.org; World Fantasy 2008, c/o The Story Box, 1835-10 Avenue SW, Calgary, Alberta T3C 0K2 Canada.
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6-9 November 2008
ILLUXCON (Fantastic illustration conference) at Heritage Center, Altoona, PA. Guests include Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, John Jude Palencar, Bob Eggleton. Membership: $150 (limited to 200); $15 for 9 November only; no other one-day memberships. Info: website: www.illuxcon.com/; info@illuxcon.com.
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21-23 November 2008
NEW ENGLAND FAN EXPERIENCE (popular culture conference) at Hyatt Regency Cambridge, Cambridge, MA. Guests include George Takei, Bob Eggleton. Experience Membership: $45; Weekend package: $225; rates available for individual events. Info: www.nefe.us/; New England Fan Experience, c/o United Fan Con Inc. 26 Darrell Drive, Randolph MA 02368. Please make all checks or money orders out to United Fan Con Inc.
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21-23 November 2008
ORYCON 30 (Oregon SF conference) at Waterfront Marriott, Portland, OR. Writer Guest of Honor: Harry Turtledove; Editor Guest of Honor: Ginjer Buchanan; Artist Guest of Honor: Jeff Fennel, Fan Guest of Honor: Cecelia Eng. Membership: $40 until 31 July 2008; more thereafter. Info: www.orycon.org/orycon30/; OryCon 30, PO Box 5464,Portland OR 97228-5464
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28-30 November 2008
DARKOVERCON 31 (Marion Zimmer Bradley-oriented conference) at Holiday Inn Timmonium, Timmonium, MD. Guest of Honor: Patricia Briggs; Special Guest: Katherine Kurtz; Musical Guests of Honor: Clam Chowder. Membership: $45 until 1 November 2008; $50 thereafter (payable to Armida Council, PO Box 7203, Silver Spring, MD 20907). Info: www.darkovercon.org
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28-30 November 2008
LOSCON 35 (Los Angeles area SF conference) at LAX Marriott, Los Angeles, CA. Writer Guest of Honor: John Scalzi; Artist Guest of Honor: Gary Lippincott; Fan Guest of Honor: Michael Siladi. Membership: $35 in advance. Info: www.loscon.org/35a/; Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society, Inc.,11513 Burbank Boulevard, North Hollywood, CA 91601
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Visit www.analogsf.com for information on additional titles by this and other authors.