The World in the Satin Bag A Blog and Novel by S. M. Duke. Writing discussion, genre fiction, reviews, and more!

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The Speculative Fiction Canons!
2007-10-26 18:44:00
I want you!That's right, I'm going through with this idea, but I can't do it alone. I need help from everyone out there. I don't want this to be a project that I do by myself, because I certainly do not have any sort of authority to do such a thing. So, I'm asking for involvement from the community. That means writers, readers, bloggers, etc. If you like SF and F, then you're welcome to include your opinion.Here's more information:Get involved! Your opinion matters. Suggest books, discuss why you think those books should be in a canon, etc.Talk about this project. Spread the word! The more people that get involved the better!Tell me what you think! Do you think I should move this project to its own page? Should it stay here? What do you think needs to be considered in the criteria? Etc.Remember the criteria (I added some stuff):PopularityThis is not what it sounds like. No books should be chosen purely on the fact that everyone out there bought it, read it, and loved. At t ...
Fiction 

The Speculative Fiction Canons!
2007-10-26 18:44:00
I want you!That's right, I'm going through with this idea, but I can't do it alone. I need help from everyone out there. I don't want this to be a project that I do by myself, because I certainly do not have any sort of authority to do such a thing. So, I'm asking for involvement from the community. That means writers, readers, bloggers, etc. If you like SF and F, then you're welcome to include your opinion.Here's more information:Get involved! Your opinion matters. Suggest books, discuss why you think those books should be in a canon, etc.Talk about this project. Spread the word! The more people that get involved the better!Tell me what you think! Do you think I should move this project to its own page? Should it stay here? What do you think needs to be considered in the criteria? Etc.Remember the criteria (I added some stuff):PopularityThis is not what it sounds like. No books should be chosen purely on the fact that everyone out there bought it, read it, and loved. At t ...
Fiction 

Sacrificing Quality For Style in Spec. Lit.
2007-10-25 07:15:00
To say that the idea of sacrificing quality for style applies only to speculative literature would be a severe misrepresentation of the truth. However, speculative literature has one problem that literary fiction seems to either be incapable of addressing or simply never plans to address in the first place: speculative literature must always entertain. This is a stigma particular present in fantasy where the concept of originality, in more ways than one, doesn't exist. Tolkien created the mold for the genre and as such it becomes increasingly difficult for new writers to come up with considerably profound works of fantasy. World building is often compared to Tolkien, and in a lot of cases when that happens, those comparing typically say that non-Tolkien world building lacks depth--an absurd notion considering that even Tolkien was no divine creator of fantasy tropes; he simply pioneered them. Given this, fantasy must, as a rule, entertain to be considered of any value in our incr ...
Style 

Sacrificing Quality For Style in Spec. Lit.
2007-10-25 07:15:00
To say that the idea of sacrificing quality for style applies only to speculative literature would be a severe misrepresentation of the truth. However, speculative literature has one problem that literary fiction seems to either be incapable of addressing or simply never plans to address in the first place: speculative literature must always entertain. This is a stigma particular present in fantasy where the concept of originality, in more ways than one, doesn't exist. Tolkien created the mold for the genre and as such it becomes increasingly difficult for new writers to come up with considerably profound works of fantasy. World building is often compared to Tolkien, and in a lot of cases when that happens, those comparing typically say that non-Tolkien world building lacks depth--an absurd notion considering that even Tolkien was no divine creator of fantasy tropes; he simply pioneered them. Given this, fantasy must, as a rule, entertain to be considered of any value in our incr ...
Style 

The Harry Potter Fiasco
2007-10-23 03:59:00
To be honest, I'm a little sick of Harry Potter right now thanks to all this recent news. I have good reason to be. I have no problem with a character being homosexual, and that isn't what this rant is about, but I do have a problem with begging for media acceptance and manipulating the public simply because you have the audience. The sad part of this is that J. K. Rowling has the power of a god among kids, so for her to say "being gay is cool" would be instantly accepted by millions not because they truly believe that homosexuality is okay, but because someone else told them so. Morality is not determined by those with knowledge, but those that don't understand immorality. To simply tell people that something is right or wrong does nothing but implant an idea with nothing to support it.Another thing is that everyone is playing this off as a big victory for the gay community when if they really thought about it they'd realize that it is far from the truth. First, Rowling never ma ...
Harry Potter 

The Harry Potter Fiasco
2007-10-23 03:59:00
To be honest, I'm a little sick of Harry Potter right now thanks to all this recent news. I have good reason to be. I have no problem with a character being homosexual, and that isn't what this rant is about, but I do have a problem with begging for media acceptance and manipulating the public simply because you have the audience. The sad part of this is that J. K. Rowling has the power of a god among kids, so for her to say "being gay is cool" would be instantly accepted by millions not because they truly believe that homosexuality is okay, but because someone else told them so. Morality is not determined by those with knowledge, but those that don't understand immorality. To simply tell people that something is right or wrong does nothing but implant an idea with nothing to support it.Another thing is that everyone is playing this off as a big victory for the gay community when if they really thought about it they'd realize that it is far from the truth. First, Rowling never ma ...
Harry Potter 

Cover Designs: Yet Another Take
2007-10-22 18:18:00
This very subject has already been discussed here and here. Given that, I have to say that I have always thought about covers, not necessarily because I care how a book is packaged so much as I care about what is inside that particular book, but because I am one of those types that pays attention to a cover when I walk through a book store looking for something new to read. Maybe this makes me a terrible reader, but I can't help it. The way a book is packaged influences whether or not I pick something up, especially if it is a new author or an author I am not familiar with.But I also realize that a cover does not bear any significance in relation to what is found within the pages. We should all realize that. A book could have a cover that could win an art award and still have a terrible story, or be poorly written. But, there is no doubt that more books are judged by their cover than by anything else.Current trends find that science fiction and even fantasy are frequently being p ...
Cover  Designs 

Cover Designs: Yet Another Take
2007-10-22 18:18:00
This very subject has already been discussed here and here. Given that, I have to say that I have always thought about covers, not necessarily because I care how a book is packaged so much as I care about what is inside that particular book, but because I am one of those types that pays attention to a cover when I walk through a book store looking for something new to read. Maybe this makes me a terrible reader, but I can't help it. The way a book is packaged influences whether or not I pick something up, especially if it is a new author or an author I am not familiar with.But I also realize that a cover does not bear any significance in relation to what is found within the pages. We should all realize that. A book could have a cover that could win an art award and still have a terrible story, or be poorly written. But, there is no doubt that more books are judged by their cover than by anything else.Current trends find that science fiction and even fantasy are frequently being p ...
Cover  Designs 

The First SF & F Canons?
2007-10-20 20:41:00
I wish. Despite there being plenty of recommended reading lists from organizations, authors, and fans, there has yet to be an actual SF & F Canon. This is of course from my understanding. Perhaps someone has written their own canon, but from what I can tell and from what I know there is no official canon of SF & F works.Well, I wonder if this is because people don't care or because nobody has taken the time to make their ideas reality. I cannot no more say that I am qualified to create a legitimate canon, but I certainly know that I can be objective enough to be involved in deciding what novels make it into such a list. There are plenty of novels I have read that were fantastic, but I know do not deserve to be in a literary canon because they are not, generally speaking, a work of literary merit, or at least not necessarily a work that will greatly influence the genre. There's nothing wrong with such books at all. You can read a book that you really enjoy and it is still ...

The First SF & F Canons?
2007-10-20 20:41:00
I wish. Despite there being plenty of recommended reading lists from organizations, authors, and fans, there has yet to be an actual SF & F Canon. This is of course from my understanding. Perhaps someone has written their own canon, but from what I can tell and from what I know there is no official canon of SF & F works.Well, I wonder if this is because people don't care or because nobody has taken the time to make their ideas reality. I cannot no more say that I am qualified to create a legitimate canon, but I certainly know that I can be objective enough to be involved in deciding what novels make it into such a list. There are plenty of novels I have read that were fantastic, but I know do not deserve to be in a literary canon because they are not, generally speaking, a work of literary merit, or at least not necessarily a work that will greatly influence the genre. There's nothing wrong with such books at all. You can read a book that you really enjoy and it is still ...

Killing Speculative Literature
2007-10-18 16:59:00
In the last year I've been realizing some growing trends that have made reading very difficult for me. Some of these trends have been in books that have gained popularity and the worst part of this is that these books become examples of good speculative literature when in reality they are not even good literature to begin with. We should not accept these trends, or allow these trends in any way to shape the direction of speculative literature. To do so could very well kill the genre, or at least kill its chances to be accepted by the academic world. It is already difficult for the literary academia to accept science fiction or fantasy as true literature and they will have no reason and no desire to accept it if they are forced to sift through dozens of books just to find one that is written well. So here they are (feel free to add to this):POV ViolationsI've read two books now that violate POV. One time I can accept, even two times doesn't bother me too much, but when it becomes ...
Literature 

Killing Speculative Literature
2007-10-18 16:59:00
In the last year I've been realizing some growing trends that have made reading very difficult for me. Some of these trends have been in books that have gained popularity and the worst part of this is that these books become examples of good speculative literature when in reality they are not even good literature to begin with. We should not accept these trends, or allow these trends in any way to shape the direction of speculative literature. To do so could very well kill the genre, or at least kill its chances to be accepted by the academic world. It is already difficult for the literary academia to accept science fiction or fantasy as true literature and they will have no reason and no desire to accept it if they are forced to sift through dozens of books just to find one that is written well. So here they are (feel free to add to this):POV ViolationsI've read two books now that violate POV. One time I can accept, even two times doesn't bother me too much, but when it becomes ...
Literature 

A Synopsis, Sorta...
2007-10-18 05:54:00
I thought it would be nice to share a synopsis, or at least a first draft synopsis, with all you out there for the book I am currently working on. Just a note though, things could change a little, but for the most part the story will be as follows:The White (Draft Title) or The Lies of Venicia (Secondary Draft Title) or To Lie on Actaeon (Third Draft Title) or I Have No Clue What the Final Name Will Be (My Mind's Title)Alan is a pilot on Actaeon, a backwater world colonized by humans long ago and abandoned by most of the human empire because of a mysterious entity known as the White. He leads of life of simplicity, roaming the wide stretches of unoccupied land transporting goods for Venicia, a city ruled by a class of Elders whose wisdom is trusted without question. When his world is suddenly turned upside down and all that he once loved begins to crumble he must set out to find the answers he needs to protect Aptus and ultimately Actaeon from falling into darkness...Eileen is a co ...

A Synopsis, Sorta...
2007-10-18 05:54:00
I thought it would be nice to share a synopsis, or at least a first draft synopsis, with all you out there for the book I am currently working on. Just a note though, things could change a little, but for the most part the story will be as follows:The White (Draft Title) or The Lies of Venicia (Secondary Draft Title) or To Lie on Actaeon (Third Draft Title) or I Have No Clue What the Final Name Will Be (My Mind's Title)Alan is a pilot on Actaeon, a backwater world colonized by humans long ago and abandoned by most of the human empire because of a mysterious entity known as the White. He leads of life of simplicity, roaming the wide stretches of unoccupied land transporting goods for Venicia, a city ruled by a class of Elders whose wisdom is trusted without question. When his world is suddenly turned upside down and all that he once loved begins to crumble he must set out to find the answers he needs to protect Aptus and ultimately Actaeon from falling into darkness...Eileen is a co ...

Will Science Fiction Die?
2007-10-16 19:36:00
The short answer is yes. But I'm not here to give a short answer. Instead, I intend to try to explain why science fiction will find itself in a terrible bind at some point in the future. The sad part of this is that many of us may watch science fiction die, or perhaps our children will witness that, and for those of us who are in love with the genre it will come as a crushing blow.The sad truth is that science fiction cannot survive forever as it sits right now. There may come an opportunity to change directions, but when that happens it ceases to be science fiction and becomes something else. Science fiction is not dead now, and isn't dying now, and issue I've already addressed. The fact of the matter is, science fiction is surprisingly fascinating right now not because it's necessarily predicting unimaginably beautiful futures, like in the Golden Age, but more or less taking the world as we know it and bending it to give a new perspective on our species and the complex issues t ...
Fiction  Science  Science Fiction 

Will Science Fiction Die?
2007-10-16 19:36:00
The short answer is yes. But I'm not here to give a short answer. Instead, I intend to try to explain why science fiction will find itself in a terrible bind at some point in the future. The sad part of this is that many of us may watch science fiction die, or perhaps our children will witness that, and for those of us who are in love with the genre it will come as a crushing blow.The sad truth is that science fiction cannot survive forever as it sits right now. There may come an opportunity to change directions, but when that happens it ceases to be science fiction and becomes something else. Science fiction is not dead now, and isn't dying now, and issue I've already addressed. The fact of the matter is, science fiction is surprisingly fascinating right now not because it's necessarily predicting unimaginably beautiful futures, like in the Golden Age, but more or less taking the world as we know it and bending it to give a new perspective on our species and the complex issues t ...
Fiction  Science  Science Fiction 

Dystopian Commonalities in SF
2007-10-16 01:01:00
...or why dystopian fiction is so commonWe all know what the model dystopian novel is, since we had to read it in school. Some of us enjoyed it immensely; some of us hated it with a passion. In either case, we were presented with 1984 by George Orwell as the first true dystopian novel. Few of us probably questioned this, as many students seem apt to accept the almighty wisdom of their teachers. The truth of the matter is that dystopian fiction had already been invented before Orwell ever wrote 1984--a fact we have to accept because Orwell drew heavy influence from We by Zamyatin--and in a lot of ways, the idea of a dystopia is endlessly entwined into our literature no matter where we turn.But, that aside, it has been an interesting phenomenon to watch as science fiction paved the way for grander concepts in dystopia. Many who read science fiction and understand what a dystopia is will say "that sounds like half of all the science fiction books I've ever read", or at least somethin ...

Dystopian Commonalities in SF
2007-10-16 01:01:00
...or why dystopian fiction is so commonWe all know what the model dystopian novel is, since we had to read it in school. Some of us enjoyed it immensely; some of us hated it with a passion. In either case, we were presented with 1984 by George Orwell as the first true dystopian novel. Few of us probably questioned this, as many students seem apt to accept the almighty wisdom of their teachers. The truth of the matter is that dystopian fiction had already been invented before Orwell ever wrote 1984--a fact we have to accept because Orwell drew heavy influence from We by Zamyatin--and in a lot of ways, the idea of a dystopia is endlessly entwined into our literature no matter where we turn.But, that aside, it has been an interesting phenomenon to watch as science fiction paved the way for grander concepts in dystopia. Many who read science fiction and understand what a dystopia is will say "that sounds like half of all the science fiction books I've ever read", or at least somethin ...

The Literary Nazis: Part Two
2007-10-14 12:17:00
...or Why the Literary Academia Hates SF...from my viewpoint.Well, I thought I'd do a little extension on this post. What exactly makes those who seem to control the literary world and decide the fate of individual works of art hate science fiction so much? Given the discussion in my Literary Interpretation class, I think I have a couple ideas. Feel free to add your thoughts and ideas!Science: Most people who read are not scientists. Trends in science fiction have gone from fantastical truly unbelievable settings to ones rooted in reality. Some novels go as far as to bring up concepts that are rather complicated and hard to grasp for a lot of people--namely the current trend to use Quantum Physics. This can all be intimidating.Simplicity and Lack of Thought: I think I mentioned it in the previous article, but there is an unfortunate belief that science fiction is all pulp-fiction. They think it as simplistic, possibly formulaic writing. The likely reason for this is the overa ...
Nazis 

The Literary Nazis: Part Two
2007-10-14 12:17:00
...or Why the Literary Academia Hates SF...from my viewpoint.Well, I thought I'd do a little extension on this post. What exactly makes those who seem to control the literary world and decide the fate of individual works of art hate science fiction so much? Given the discussion in my Literary Interpretation class, I think I have a couple ideas. Feel free to add your thoughts and ideas!Science: Most people who read are not scientists. Trends in science fiction have gone from fantastical truly unbelievable settings to ones rooted in reality. Some novels go as far as to bring up concepts that are rather complicated and hard to grasp for a lot of people--namely the current trend to use Quantum Physics. This can all be intimidating.Simplicity and Lack of Thought: I think I mentioned it in the previous article, but there is an unfortunate belief that science fiction is all pulp-fiction. They think it as simplistic, possibly formulaic writing. The likely reason for this is the overa ...
Nazis 

The Literary Nazis (Against Science Fiction)
2007-10-13 22:33:00
I wrote the following as a journal entry for one of my literature classes this year. It came up during class really, the idea that the literary world considers science fiction, and fantasy, to be either not really literature at all, or lesser literature. This has become a sort of campaign for me now--attempting to change the minds of people about science fiction. Someone also brought up the idea that the novel is dying. I decided to address the issues in a journal entry. Keep in mind, I may not be right, and this was somewhat of an emotional response. Here it is:Something I am finding rather difficult to deal with and accept lately is this somewhat negative concept in the literary world that books like The Immoralist and similar ‘classics’ are significantly better literature than books that hold somewhat more higher prestige with the majority, such as Harry Potter. It was brought up in class today whether it is true that the importance of the novel is dying. I think the probl ...
Fiction  Nazis  Science  Science Fiction 

The Literary Nazis (Against Science Fiction)
2007-10-13 22:33:00
I wrote the following as a journal entry for one of my literature classes this year. It came up during class really, the idea that the literary world considers science fiction, and fantasy, to be either not really literature at all, or lesser literature. This has become a sort of campaign for me now--attempting to change the minds of people about science fiction. Someone also brought up the idea that the novel is dying. I decided to address the issues in a journal entry. Keep in mind, I may not be right, and this was somewhat of an emotional response. Here it is:Something I am finding rather difficult to deal with and accept lately is this somewhat negative concept in the literary world that books like The Immoralist and similar ‘classics’ are significantly better literature than books that hold somewhat more higher prestige with the majority, such as Harry Potter. It was brought up in class today whether it is true that the importance of the novel is dying. I think the probl ...
Fiction  Nazis  Science  Science Fiction 

Chapter Outlining, Your Thoughts?
2007-10-12 17:53:00
I've never really done outlining of any sort before. Originally it was because when I tried to do it I lost all interest in the story and stopped. Now, I don't outline because I'm afraid of it. A lot of my ideas never come into my head in their full form. I have an idea for something, start it up, and go with it.Lately I've been having problems though and am trying to do the whole outline thing, at least to the extent that I know the general direction of the story. But outlining is not nearly as easy as I thought. Basically this is what is going on:A long while ago I started a strange SF horror story called "The White". The title is only temporary, in fact I'm thinking of the changing it to "The Lies of Venicia", since that has more to do with what is going on anyway. Well, I put the story aside, unfinished, a long time ago for some reason or another and just came back to it and realized how much I really liked the idea (a human colony in another star system that has been turne ...

Chapter Outlining, Your Thoughts?
2007-10-12 17:53:00
I've never really done outlining of any sort before. Originally it was because when I tried to do it I lost all interest in the story and stopped. Now, I don't outline because I'm afraid of it. A lot of my ideas never come into my head in their full form. I have an idea for something, start it up, and go with it.Lately I've been having problems though and am trying to do the whole outline thing, at least to the extent that I know the general direction of the story. But outlining is not nearly as easy as I thought. Basically this is what is going on:A long while ago I started a strange SF horror story called "The White". The title is only temporary, in fact I'm thinking of the changing it to "The Lies of Venicia", since that has more to do with what is going on anyway. Well, I put the story aside, unfinished, a long time ago for some reason or another and just came back to it and realized how much I really liked the idea (a human colony in another star system that has been turne ...

Take That You Literary Fools!
2007-10-11 19:08:00
Oh yes, today is a day of joy and rapture. Today marks a day of greatness and a shifting change in the world of literature. I'm going to assume this is the first time this has happened, so here goes:Doris Lessing has just won the Nobel Prize for Literature!Why does it matter so much? Because Doris Lessing writes science fiction! It's a nice rub in the face of all those literary snobs who think SF as lesser fiction. Eat it!If you want to read more go here or here. Oh, and a little bit about her and her writing is here.Thanks so much to Doris Lessing for paving the way for other great SF authors out there! We have hope yet!(Don't click the read more, there is no more after this) ...

Take That You Literary Fools!
2007-10-11 19:08:00
Oh yes, today is a day of joy and rapture. Today marks a day of greatness and a shifting change in the world of literature. I'm going to assume this is the first time this has happened, so here goes:Doris Lessing has just won the Nobel Prize for Literature!Why does it matter so much? Because Doris Lessing writes science fiction! It's a nice rub in the face of all those literary snobs who think SF as lesser fiction. Eat it!If you want to read more go here or here. Oh, and a little bit about her and her writing is here.Thanks so much to Doris Lessing for paving the way for other great SF authors out there! We have hope yet!(Don't click the read more, there is no more after this) ...

Heinlein's Rules of Writing
2007-10-10 20:28:00
If you don't know who Heinlein is, you obviously don't read SF. I regret to say I have yet to read any Heinlein, which could be considered blasphemy by many. In any case, he was an influential writer and he had a few little rules that even to this day seem to be rather relevant. This also is going to address a comment by Jameel regarding 'constant fiddling', where you are always making changes rather than progressing the story. So pay attention:Rule One: You Must WriteSounds obvious doesn't it? The problem is that too many people, including myself at one time, say they want to be writers, but never actually get anything done. You can't be a writer if you don't write!Rule Two: Finish What You StartThis one I have problems with and I think a lot of writers do too. Sometimes you'll write something and suddenly be extremely bored with it. Are there others of you out there that have that problem? To put it simply, though, you can't publish anything if you never finish anything.Ru ...
Writing 

Heinlein's Rules of Writing
2007-10-10 20:28:00
If you don't know who Heinlein is, you obviously don't read SF. I regret to say I have yet to read any Heinlein, which could be considered blasphemy by many. In any case, he was an influential writer and he had a few little rules that even to this day seem to be rather relevant. This also is going to address a comment by Jameel regarding 'constant fiddling', where you are always making changes rather than progressing the story. So pay attention:Rule One: You Must WriteSounds obvious doesn't it? The problem is that too many people, including myself at one time, say they want to be writers, but never actually get anything done. You can't be a writer if you don't write!Rule Two: Finish What You StartThis one I have problems with and I think a lot of writers do too. Sometimes you'll write something and suddenly be extremely bored with it. Are there others of you out there that have that problem? To put it simply, though, you can't publish anything if you never finish anything.Ru ...
Writing 

So You Want To Be A Writer...
2007-10-09 19:56:00
Being a writer, even a published one, is not an easy thing. We all wish we could have the succss of people like Stephen King or John Grisham, selling million dollar book contracts and selling millions upon millions of copies worldwide in a whole assortment of different languages. The sad part of that dream is that it most likely will never come true.In short, being a writer is hard. Here are some things to think about to make sure you're serious about this venture:Trying to keep up with the market is impossible. Therefore writing to the market is pointless, unless it's short stories. Even if you sell your novel, it could take a year or more before it ever goes to print. By then, whatever market you had written and marketed that book to may have changed and now your really interesting and original novel is old news.Rejections are common. Some writers go through hundreds of submission attempts before anyone ever gives them a shot. You'll likely have the same problem. The market ...

So You Want To Be A Writer...
2007-10-09 19:56:00
Being a writer, even a published one, is not an easy thing. We all wish we could have the succss of people like Stephen King or John Grisham, selling million dollar book contracts and selling millions upon millions of copies worldwide in a whole assortment of different languages. The sad part of that dream is that it most likely will never come true.In short, being a writer is hard. Here are some things to think about to make sure you're serious about this venture:Trying to keep up with the market is impossible. Therefore writing to the market is pointless, unless it's short stories. Even if you sell your novel, it could take a year or more before it ever goes to print. By then, whatever market you had written and marketed that book to may have changed and now your really interesting and original novel is old news.Rejections are common. Some writers go through hundreds of submission attempts before anyone ever gives them a shot. You'll likely have the same problem. The market ...