My 2010 in Review
Posted on December 30, 2010 Posted by John Scalzi 16 Comments
It’s been an interesting year. Some highlights, in no particular order:
1. Being elected President of SFWA and working with the current board of directors. I’ve largely kept to my self-imposed rule of not speaking about my presidential-related activities here, as a way to keep my personal views and organizational responsibilities clearly separate in the public eye. But I don’t think it’s out of line to say publicly that I’ve been extraordinarily fortunate as SFWA president to work with the current board of SFWA officers. They’re smart, committed, competent and engaged. As president, I’m in many ways the public face of the organization, but as president I can tell you that nothing gets done without good people on the board. I want to make sure you all know how much I appreciate the people I get to work with on SFWA matters.
2. Putting together the Clash of the Geeks project. Because, dude, it was totally ridiculous, and ridiculously fun, and we ended up raising a huge amount of money to help folks who suffer from Lupus. It’s easy to make the joke, per House, that “it’s never Lupus,” but House is fictional, and out in the real world, sometimes it is Lupus, and the folks who suffer from it could use a little help. It was nice to help, and nice to work with the talented people who contributed to it and put it together. And I thank each of you who downloaded our ridiculous thing and then donated a little, too. You still can, incidentally — download and donate. Just in case you haven’t, yet. It’s still tax deductible for 2010! Hint, hint.
3. My trip to Australia. It was the first time I’ve been to Australia, but I would love to go back at some hopefully-not-too-distant point in time, and this time spend more than a week.
4. Being married for fifteen years. Seriously, man. How lucky am I.
5. The general positive response to The God Engines. Getting Hugo and Nebula nods (not to mention pretty good sales numbers) for something that is entirely different from what I usually write is a very nice feeling. And I was delighted when people sent me e-mail which went “I just read The God Engines. Do you need a hug?” Thanks, folks, I’m fine.
6. My guest star appearance at the Minneapolis w00tstock. Because I’m a nerd and a ham!
7. Losing weight and becoming healthier. It does actually make a difference in how I feel about myself.
And a couple of things on the other side of the scale:
1. Kodi passing away. It’s a terrible thing to lose your dog.
2. Stargate: Universe being canceled. Sad for me, more sad for others, and especially sad when you think of the stories that Universe had yet to tell.
3. Doing things I can’t tell people about. This isn’t exactly a negative — and you’ll understand why when I can tell you about the things I’ve been doing — but it is more than a little frustrating. From all outside appearances, my 2010 creative output has been fairly small: A few short stories and editing Clash of the Geeks. But in fact I’ve been busily plugging away at a number of things, which have made me really happy, work-wise. It’s just when people ask, I can’t specify, which I suspect sounds like me saying “I’ve done nothing all year but kill virtual zombies.” Honestly, I didn’t just kill zombies. Be that as it may, to the extent I do any new year’s resolutions at all, my resolution for 2011 is to work on a whole more writing. You’ve already seen my intended writing schedule.
But overall, on a personal level, the good of 2010 more than outweighed the bad, and I’m looking forward to seeing what 2011 brings.
SOMEtimes he just lit them on fire, and other people killed them. Or, he threw a jar of goop at the zombies, and they killed each other. It isn’t all Scalzi’s fault people. :D
Have a happy new year’s, everyone.
Ah, the joy of possibly being the very first comment on a Scalzi blog… my whole miserable year has been salvaged !! In reality, though, 2010 has been a great year for me and one of the high points was reading (and sometimes participating in) this blog… it has been very interesting and highly informative, although I have to admit I don’t even understand half the replies…
Looking forward to seeing what new, exciting material comes out of your “secret projects” and all the rest of the discoveries I may or may not make in 2011. Best wishes to you (John) and your family and the rest of the menagerie of bloggers who spend so much time here masticating the hell out of every little minute of an ever widening array of spewings.
Doing things I can’t tell people about.
Have you been dressing up in spandex and roaming the night punishing evildoers?
Brad Wright is apparently trying to get a new lease on life for SGU–Syfy dropped it, but there are other possibilities. I’m personally doubtful, but hey, you never know.
In the game of life you win some and you lose some, but really the goal is to just keep playing. I’d say you’re doing a good job.
And with that I’ve made my year’s quota for “inane things that sounded profound inside my head.”
Dressing up in drag?
I killed quite a number of virtual bad guys. prestige 10, level 70, plus fall colored camo for my favorite weapons. for those unfamiliar with the game, that is a disgusting amount of hours.
I have since cut the game disk in half as a way to try to slow the addiction.
my resolution for next year include getting a number of producctive things done. maybe with the game out of the waay I might manage some of that.
I’ve spent the entire year writing, having completed a couple short stories, a novella, and just recently started working on my very first novel. While there have been ups and downs, and times where I took a break, I have never given up. I’ve gone to two different conventions, had a blast at both and made friends. I started kendo and started going to a gym. I bought an exercise bike for at home and have been using it.
Next year I hope to have my novel in good enough shape to submit it to Angry Robot books in March when they have their open submissions period. I don’t know if I can do this, but I’m sure going to try. Either way, I’m going to finish writing this book and start submitting it while I start work on the next. And I’m going to see about sending out the stories I’ve already completed to see if I can get them published.
This year I graduated from getting your books out of the library to buying them (or getting them as presents). Just finished up the paperback of Agent to the Stars, which was a Christmas present. Happy New Year!
Do you like when security guards call you POTSFWA?
I read “The God Engines” on my Kindle this week. Great read! I would not be opposed to another book in that world.
Happy New Year to you and yours, author Mr. Scalzi;). And thanks for the probably unintended, but still welcome dope-slap about those who want to write will find time to write. I learned a long time ago I’m not ever going to make a living at writing, but I enjoy it so I damn well make time for it and I feel better for it.
Congrats, Thanks, and best to you.
I know you don’t want to talk about it here, but is there any way for an outsider to know how things are going with the SFWA? I haven’t heard about any nasty flamewars or crazy DRM take-downs lately. I am thinking it might be a good idea to join, but I’d kinda like to know before I dip my toes into the pond that it’s not gasoline and you guys had some kind of loose canons going off there for a while.
Hope:
Things have been pretty quiet on that end, actually, which is how we like it.
Re 4.: Krissy is kinda lucky that you are sufficiently sapient to realize how well you have this aspect of life. You, on the other hand, are a luck machine oozing luck from every pore.
Hello!! I’m your fan. I’ve never read such a creative book in my life. You remind me of my infancy when I dreamed of rediculous things. I read ‘The old man’s war’ in Korean and the next series. If you know when ‘The last colony’ is translated in Korean?? Your book has so many scientific words that I can’t read the book without dictionary, my bad English. Please send me a e-mail. I’m a soldier so I cannot surf internet frequently. Happy new year~!!
soonmin715@nate.com . This is my address. Thank you.