Comments on: Writers of the Future, Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/ DEVISING A SYSTEM FOR REMEMBERING EVERYTHING Fri, 19 Mar 2010 01:06:06 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Hillary http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/#comment-179336 Hillary Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:16:55 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=347#comment-179336 I am a scientologist, and I think that I like it because I can relate to it. I remember past lives, and I can control different aspects of the MEST universe other than just picking something up and putting it down. What do YOU do with the MEST universe? Anyway, my only point is that I like the 'religion' (if you could call it that) because it has reality to me. That's all. Have a nice day everyone! Bye! I am a scientologist, and I think that I like it because I can relate to it. I remember past lives, and I can control different aspects of the MEST universe other than just picking something up and putting it down. What do YOU do with the MEST universe? Anyway, my only point is that I like the ‘religion’ (if you could call it that) because it has reality to me. That’s all. Have a nice day everyone!

Bye!

]]> By: Sheila http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/#comment-152251 Sheila Thu, 25 Jun 2009 13:10:45 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=347#comment-152251 If you'd like an article more recent than the Time Magazine expose, may I suggest this article from the St. Petersburg Times, which is so recent it didn't even exist when this blog post was first published-- http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1012148.ece Part One of Three. Read the other two parts if you want a clearer picture of where the money comes from. If you’d like an article more recent than the Time Magazine expose, may I suggest this article from the St. Petersburg Times, which is so recent it didn’t even exist when this blog post was first published–

http://www.tampabay.com/news/article1012148.ece

Part One of Three. Read the other two parts if you want a clearer picture of where the money comes from.

]]> By: Amy Sterling Casil http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/#comment-123661 Amy Sterling Casil Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:17:21 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=347#comment-123661 I recently reconnected with Joni and Galaxy Press. The contest is clearly continuing to grow, and the recent winners are definitely coming forth with careers such as Jay - and this was not necessarily true in decades past, where the contest could be presented as not-indicative of people going on to have careers after the early winners, which included original contest administrator Dave Wolverton (now writing as David Farland) and Robert Reed - very different, but equally influential and excellent writers. The guy that won the grand prize year #1 with me never published another thing, and it was kind of obvious he probably wasn't going to do too much, as he didn't complete a story during the week-long workshop. The story I completed was "Mad for the Mints" (you're free to read that at Book View Cafe or God forbid, buy it online - imagine that -- some dummies just did in the past month, ha - more fool them!). There's that for what you can do with a paperclip, a box of Altoid mints, and a mental problem - and I was officially NOT a winner, when I finally got something it was just a third prize winner, and it was at the very last possible moment I'd even be eligible to enter. Winning this contest, after learning about it, became one of my early writing goals and as described above, it's easy to see how well I did with that - it got there, but just barely. I'm posting because one of the things that occurred to me most strongly as I spent time with Joni and John the other weekend was that these tired old statements about the Scientologists and Scientology really need to be retired - at least as far as the contest is concerned. It truly has nothing to do with the Scientology religion, or with "converting" contestants to Scientology. Instead, it pays a tribute to an aspect of L. Ron Hubbard that predates the Church of Scientology - his writing career and his early efforts in working with new writers and developing a system of writing instruction. Like or dislike Hubbard's writing or ideas, he was a very interesting man. Those of us who were there those two years laughed at the animatronic Battlefield Earth figure ("Stoopid HUUUUMANNN!") and really took a good look at and learned from Mr. Hubbard's writing-related advice, writing, and his factual life experiences, history and non-Church-related ideas. Hubbard, his ideas, and the contest which is carrying on one of his non-Scientology interests, and the broad group of field-leading writers who have either served as judges in the past, or who are currently serving, plus the good points of the contest itself - identifying and giving a boost to new writers who genuinely have talent and stories to offer to readers - it really is moving forward rapidly. These complaints are not only kind of abusive and invalid as far as the contest is concerned, they're really out of date, too. I am very proud of what the contest has accomplished in recent years and I feel strongly they have overcome the taint of having me in their facility not one, but TWO years in a row. And that's what I have to say about that. I recently reconnected with Joni and Galaxy Press. The contest is clearly continuing to grow, and the recent winners are definitely coming forth with careers such as Jay – and this was not necessarily true in decades past, where the contest could be presented as not-indicative of people going on to have careers after the early winners, which included original contest administrator Dave Wolverton (now writing as David Farland) and Robert Reed – very different, but equally influential and excellent writers. The guy that won the grand prize year #1 with me never published another thing, and it was kind of obvious he probably wasn’t going to do too much, as he didn’t complete a story during the week-long workshop. The story I completed was “Mad for the Mints” (you’re free to read that at Book View Cafe or God forbid, buy it online – imagine that — some dummies just did in the past month, ha – more fool them!). There’s that for what you can do with a paperclip, a box of Altoid mints, and a mental problem – and I was officially NOT a winner, when I finally got something it was just a third prize winner, and it was at the very last possible moment I’d even be eligible to enter.

Winning this contest, after learning about it, became one of my early writing goals and as described above, it’s easy to see how well I did with that – it got there, but just barely.

I’m posting because one of the things that occurred to me most strongly as I spent time with Joni and John the other weekend was that these tired old statements about the Scientologists and Scientology really need to be retired – at least as far as the contest is concerned. It truly has nothing to do with the Scientology religion, or with “converting” contestants to Scientology. Instead, it pays a tribute to an aspect of L. Ron Hubbard that predates the Church of Scientology – his writing career and his early efforts in working with new writers and developing a system of writing instruction. Like or dislike Hubbard’s writing or ideas, he was a very interesting man. Those of us who were there those two years laughed at the animatronic Battlefield Earth figure (“Stoopid HUUUUMANNN!”) and really took a good look at and learned from Mr. Hubbard’s writing-related advice, writing, and his factual life experiences, history and non-Church-related ideas.

Hubbard, his ideas, and the contest which is carrying on one of his non-Scientology interests, and the broad group of field-leading writers who have either served as judges in the past, or who are currently serving, plus the good points of the contest itself – identifying and giving a boost to new writers who genuinely have talent and stories to offer to readers – it really is moving forward rapidly. These complaints are not only kind of abusive and invalid as far as the contest is concerned, they’re really out of date, too. I am very proud of what the contest has accomplished in recent years and I feel strongly they have overcome the taint of having me in their facility not one, but TWO years in a row. And that’s what I have to say about that.

]]> By: James Boland http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/#comment-14371 James Boland Thu, 01 May 2008 22:38:58 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=347#comment-14371 Since religion is being discussed, I think Christianity is an organized criminal syndicate. Just look at the facts: They have been burning innocent women at the stake, have committed ritual murder of over 30,000 Jews and have slaughtered non-believers wholesale over the centuries. More recently their priests have been molesting little boys and they are extorting millions from their parishioners with the threat that if they don't pay they go to hell. What a racket - and it's been going for well over a thousand years. Since religion is being discussed, I think Christianity is an organized criminal syndicate.
Just look at the facts:
They have been burning innocent women at the stake, have committed ritual murder of over 30,000 Jews and have slaughtered non-believers wholesale over the centuries.
More recently their priests have been molesting little boys and they are extorting millions from their parishioners with the threat that if they don’t pay they go to hell.
What a racket – and it’s been going for well over a thousand years.

]]> By: Laurie G http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/#comment-14370 Laurie G Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:50:45 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=347#comment-14370 Hey Brad, congrats on your Honorable Mention! I've had several HM's in WOTF, plus a Semi-Finalist and Finalist, but never got a phone call from the Contest Administrator. I'm jealous. Per KD Wentworth's comments in the WOTF forum, an HM means she liked the story well enough to read the whole thing, some aspects of your story telling craft were extremely well done, and yours was in the top 10-15% of entries. My near misses in the contest have given me the encouragement to keep going, knowing if I continue to work hard and learn more of the craft, I'll eventually start selling stories. Good luck to you. Maybe we'll both be winners in the same quarter and attend the workshop together. (The workshop is why I keep entering. The money and marketing help is nice, but I really want the workshop.) Hey Brad, congrats on your Honorable Mention! I’ve had several HM’s in WOTF, plus a Semi-Finalist and Finalist, but never got a phone call from the Contest Administrator. I’m jealous.

Per KD Wentworth’s comments in the WOTF forum, an HM means she liked the story well enough to read the whole thing, some aspects of your story telling craft were extremely well done, and yours was in the top 10-15% of entries.

My near misses in the contest have given me the encouragement to keep going, knowing if I continue to work hard and learn more of the craft, I’ll eventually start selling stories. Good luck to you. Maybe we’ll both be winners in the same quarter and attend the workshop together. (The workshop is why I keep entering. The money and marketing help is nice, but I really want the workshop.)

]]> By: Brad R. Torgersen http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/#comment-14369 Brad R. Torgersen Wed, 13 Feb 2008 05:55:17 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=347#comment-14369 Joni just called me and said I made an 'honorable mention' for WOTF. I am assuming it's 1st quarter? A remarkably unexpected call, and I am not quite sure what an Honorable Mention means, other than it might perk up a few heads if I put it into a cover letter on my future submissions. Can any of you more experienced and published folk comment on the 'Honorable Mention'? Obviously not as exciting as an actual semi-finalist win, but this is certainly the gosh darn biggest official praise I have ever gotten for any of my writing! Joni just called me and said I made an ‘honorable mention’ for WOTF. I am assuming it’s 1st quarter? A remarkably unexpected call, and I am not quite sure what an Honorable Mention means, other than it might perk up a few heads if I put it into a cover letter on my future submissions. Can any of you more experienced and published folk comment on the ‘Honorable Mention’? Obviously not as exciting as an actual semi-finalist win, but this is certainly the gosh darn biggest official praise I have ever gotten for any of my writing!

]]> By: Mitch Wagner http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/#comment-14368 Mitch Wagner Sun, 10 Feb 2008 06:25:47 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=347#comment-14368 @NetworkGeek on 44: OK, that's a whole different matter -- I thought you were making a broad statement about "people." Fans identify closely with the writers they admire, so the behavior you describe is understandable. It's an intimate connection, not the same as someone who performs a service for you. As for actors and celebrities voicing political opinions: They're people. They have the same right to speak out that you or I do. @NetworkGeek on 44: OK, that’s a whole different matter — I thought you were making a broad statement about “people.”

Fans identify closely with the writers they admire, so the behavior you describe is understandable. It’s an intimate connection, not the same as someone who performs a service for you.

As for actors and celebrities voicing political opinions: They’re people. They have the same right to speak out that you or I do.

]]> By: wil http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/#comment-14367 wil Sat, 09 Feb 2008 20:32:12 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=347#comment-14367 Jenna Elfman: She's Got Ball! http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5738 Jenna Elfman: She’s Got Ball!

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5738

]]> By: John Scalzi http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/#comment-14365 John Scalzi Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:36:22 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=347#comment-14365 Geologically, yes. Otherwise? Not so much. Geologically, yes. Otherwise? Not so much.

]]> By: Patrick M. http://whatever.scalzi.com/2008/02/06/writers-of-the-future-scientology-l-ron-hubbard/#comment-14364 Patrick M. Sat, 09 Feb 2008 16:03:32 +0000 http://scalzi.com/whatever/?p=347#comment-14364 What? You don't consider that recent? What? You don’t consider that recent?

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