Author–sci-fi/fantasy/horror, illustrator, and survivor advocate. Associate Editor at Pseudopod.
There are people who think that a valid book sales tactic is insulting more established authors that don’t know them on social media, claiming that said established author was attacking them for –when there is zero evidence to these claims. (Pathological lying)
There are certain people who feel it is appropriate to send their followers to troll established authors, or members of the SFF community. (Triangulation)
I view people putting their bullying opinions out there like a flasher in the park. They run up, show you stuff that is none of your business to be seeing, for the purpose of making you feel uncomfortable. So, in my opinion, overt your eyes. Don’t be a voyeur to internet exhibitionism. They are trying to violate your boundaries.
There has been a lot of discussions about whether or not certain females within nerdom are actually nerds/geeks/what-have-you, or just rotten posers.
With all that said, here’s what I think should be happening in a writer’s group, and here is what I tend to do when I put up something for review:
1- I bring a pen and paper.
2- I shut up!
3- I listen.
Many of my more seasoned vets out there know that opening a story up with weather is a giant no-no. The memo hasn’t gotten out to some of our unpublished friends yet, however.
Now, I’m not writing this blog to criticize other authors, or to poke fun. I’m writing this blog to look at some very good reasons to NEVER open up a story with weather. (Well…almost never. Wheel of Time novels open up with weather–the wind to be exact…but those openings aren’t really the beginning, after all.)
