Comments on: Are science fiction/fantasy writers insane? http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/ All you can eat sci-fi and fantasy books Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:02:16 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Marc Vun Kannon http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/#comment-301 Marc Vun Kannon Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:52:01 +0000 http://www.keepingthedoor.com/?p=225#comment-301 The Door Into Summer was my first Heinlein novel and still my favorite. It has a great deal of character development and fewer plot devices than many of his other stories. I completely agree with you that writing cultivates self-awareness, but not always. Many of the icons so common in fantasy are traps for the unwary. Bad writers fall into those traps. Good ones recognize the purpose of the icon but manage to remake it, so it suits the purpose of the story. In the process they end up remaking themselves. All life is recognized as a fiction, a story we tell as we live it. Comedians do much the same thing, at least the good ones do. They have to observe the normally automatic behavior of those around them (and themselves) to find new subjects of humor. The Door Into Summer was my first Heinlein novel and still my favorite. It has a great deal of character development and fewer plot devices than many of his other stories.

I completely agree with you that writing cultivates self-awareness, but not always. Many of the icons so common in fantasy are traps for the unwary. Bad writers fall into those traps. Good ones recognize the purpose of the icon but manage to remake it, so it suits the purpose of the story. In the process they end up remaking themselves. All life is recognized as a fiction, a story we tell as we live it.

Comedians do much the same thing, at least the good ones do. They have to observe the normally automatic behavior of those around them (and themselves) to find new subjects of humor.

]]> By: Renai LeMay http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/#comment-214 Renai LeMay Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:12:54 +0000 http://www.keepingthedoor.com/?p=225#comment-214 Hey Sean, recently read your book The Stone Mage & the Sea, have to say I quite enjoyed it! Hey Sean,

recently read your book The Stone Mage & the Sea, have to say I quite enjoyed it!

]]> By: Renai LeMay http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/#comment-184 Renai LeMay Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:43:18 +0000 http://www.keepingthedoor.com/?p=225#comment-184 Heh. On a subjective level I guess I feel that all writers truly are insane on some level :) But objectively I don't agree! :) Heh. On a subjective level I guess I feel that all writers truly are insane on some level :)

But objectively I don’t agree! :)

]]> By: Chris Warren http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/#comment-182 Chris Warren Wed, 12 Aug 2009 09:53:35 +0000 http://www.keepingthedoor.com/?p=225#comment-182 The question of the sanity or insanity of writers, and in particular Si-Fi/Fantasy writers is one that will rage on forever. Being a Fantasy author myself (Randolph's Challenge Book One - The Pendulum Swings) I feel qualified to comment. This qualification is backed by the fact that I am also published in the non-fiction world with a textbook on HR Management (now admittedly that was 15 years ago and my fiction publication is only just published) so unless I've become insane in the last fifteen years (but I don't feel different and I am still a practicing HR and OD specialist), then I must come down on the side of sanity. I think the comment in your article, "When it comes to sci-fi/fantasy writers, I feel their ability to envision speculative worlds heightens their ability to impartially observe their own reality," is probably the most important and summarises my views. However, a thought has just struck me - maybe all HR and OD specialists are insane as well!! Chris Warren Author and Freelance Writer Randolph's Challenge Book One - The Pendulum Swings The question of the sanity or insanity of writers, and in particular Si-Fi/Fantasy writers is one that will rage on forever. Being a Fantasy author myself (Randolph’s Challenge Book One – The Pendulum Swings) I feel qualified to comment. This qualification is backed by the fact that I am also published in the non-fiction world with a textbook on HR Management (now admittedly that was 15 years ago and my fiction publication is only just published) so unless I’ve become insane in the last fifteen years (but I don’t feel different and I am still a practicing HR and OD specialist), then I must come down on the side of sanity.

I think the comment in your article, “When it comes to sci-fi/fantasy writers, I feel their ability to envision speculative worlds heightens their ability to impartially observe their own reality,” is probably the most important and summarises my views.

However, a thought has just struck me – maybe all HR and OD specialists are insane as well!!

Chris Warren
Author and Freelance Writer
Randolph’s Challenge Book One – The Pendulum Swings

]]> By: Sean Williams http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/#comment-180 Sean Williams Wed, 12 Aug 2009 05:15:24 +0000 http://www.keepingthedoor.com/?p=225#comment-180 I'd say that most writers are crazy, not just SF writers, and in fact most people in general--if the definition of sanity is not having consuming interests and never thinking about the world we live in. I’d say that most writers are crazy, not just SF writers, and in fact most people in general–if the definition of sanity is not having consuming interests and never thinking about the world we live in.

]]> By: Candy Paull http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/#comment-178 Candy Paull Tue, 11 Aug 2009 21:34:49 +0000 http://www.keepingthedoor.com/?p=225#comment-178 I read my first Heinlein in high school: Have Space Suit Will Travel. Even Heinlein's juvenile titles offered food for thought, and sometimes were easier to access than his later, more "adult" later novels. My favorite, The Door Into Summer, is a deceptively simple tale of time travel and skulduggery, but touches on human relationships, possible futures, and societal mores. It's about storytelling and good writing. Sci fi offers more scope for the imagination, but the stories still revolve around the same old earthbound human dilemmas. And I personally believe that any writing, even "bad" writing, helps cultivate self awareness. I have found that learning to view your own life as an observer is part of the process of developing spiritual awareness. Being a writer gives me a form for that. I read my first Heinlein in high school: Have Space Suit Will Travel. Even Heinlein’s juvenile titles offered food for thought, and sometimes were easier to access than his later, more “adult” later novels. My favorite, The Door Into Summer, is a deceptively simple tale of time travel and skulduggery, but touches on human relationships, possible futures, and societal mores. It’s about storytelling and good writing. Sci fi offers more scope for the imagination, but the stories still revolve around the same old earthbound human dilemmas. And I personally believe that any writing, even “bad” writing, helps cultivate self awareness. I have found that learning to view your own life as an observer is part of the process of developing spiritual awareness. Being a writer gives me a form for that.

]]> By: Renai LeMay http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/#comment-176 Renai LeMay Tue, 11 Aug 2009 12:40:19 +0000 http://www.keepingthedoor.com/?p=225#comment-176 The Australian government seems to be taking it that way as well, with their attempts to censor the internet :( But do you mean George Orwell was insane? Or sane? I would argue he was very sane. His books echo as a warning and as entertainment for the ages. Renai The Australian government seems to be taking it that way as well, with their attempts to censor the internet :(

But do you mean George Orwell was insane? Or sane? I would argue he was very sane. His books echo as a warning and as entertainment for the ages.

Renai

]]> By: Michael http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/#comment-174 Michael Tue, 11 Aug 2009 11:16:47 +0000 http://www.keepingthedoor.com/?p=225#comment-174 How about George Orwell? (A bit sad, however, that the British government is taking 1984 as a blueprint rather than a warning these days.) How about George Orwell?
(A bit sad, however, that the British government is taking 1984 as a blueprint rather than a warning these days.)

]]> By: Renai LeMay http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/#comment-168 Renai LeMay Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:10:11 +0000 http://www.keepingthedoor.com/?p=225#comment-168 True ... maybe you need to know your own world very well before you can start to imagine others? Renai True … maybe you need to know your own world very well before you can start to imagine others?

Renai

]]> By: Renai LeMay http://www.keepingthedoor.com/2009/08/10/are-science-fictionfantasy-writers-insane/#comment-167 Renai LeMay Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:09:14 +0000 http://www.keepingthedoor.com/?p=225#comment-167 That's the reason I love it as well Tamara ... no other sort of book can expand your horizons so much :) Renai That’s the reason I love it as well Tamara … no other sort of book can expand your horizons so much :)

Renai

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