The Guardian offers another article about self-publishing, digital and otherwise.
Lynn Viehl of Paperback Writer wrote a thoughtful post about the spectrum of elements a novel needs and the spectrum of skills a writer needs.
Worldbuilding is definitely one colour in this spectrum of skills, particularly but not limited to SFF writers. At Noise 2 Signal, Abi Sutherland offers this interesting post on worldbuilding. Found via Jay Lake.
The Locus Award winners have been announced. No big shocks there, though I’m a bit surprised that Blackout/All Clear seems to be sweeping so many awards. But the SF novels shortlist wasn’t that great. I don’t understand the appeal of Ship Breaker either. Or rather, I understand the appeal, it plays into trendy eco-apocalypse fears. I just don’t happen to share it, because Ship Breaker tackles subjects I’m very familiar with and it doesn’t do it very well IMO. Still, everybody else in the world seems to love it.
The Stoker Awards have been given out as well. I don’t really have much to say about the results, because horror is not my genre.
Though it is interesting that urban fantasy is grossly overlooked by the Hugos, Nebulas, World Fantasy, Stoker and Clarke awards, i.e. all major genre awards. The only place where urban fantasy novels have been honoured on occasion are the Rita awards and the Ritas are for more likely to honour paranormal romance or time travel romance (no surprise, since they are a romance award after all).
sending...