November’s Experiment
Posted on November 5, 2013 Posted by John Scalzi 31 Comments
It’s crunch time on the novel, and from yesterday until it’s done (please God soon), I’ve decided to pretty much avoid all news from the outside world whenever possible. Two reasons: One, it’s distracting in a basic “oh look something I can read to avoid working” sense, and two, everyone is still screaming at everyone else at high volume and it doesn’t look like that’s going to stop at any point in the next month, so screw all y’all, I don’t need that when I’ve got a deadline to hit.
This doesn’t mean I’m going into a hermetically sealed glass box and will resent anyone who dares to inform me of what goes on beyond the frontier of my front yard. Some of it will undoubtedly leak in. I’m just not making any plans to seek out the news for myself. Hopefully it will work like I want. If it doesn’t, I do have a glass box. And I am not afraid to hermetically seal it.
…don’t forget the oxygen bottle…
PUNY HUMAN I DO NOT NEED YOUR OXYGlkjafjhalkhflkjhaljhfkjhfdkhhfkjhlgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
Sounds like a good plan, as long as it doesn’t trigger withdrawal. Point number two makes it sound like you won’t miss it much, at least for a while.
How much do these glass boxes cost they sound peacefull.
Who is screaming? Who DARES to scream when there is important novel-writing to be done? How many corks would you need, virtual or otherwise, to make them stop?
THIS IS A WONDERFUL AND SENSIBLE IDEA I WISH THE BEST IN YOUR EXPERIMENT
I hear ya, man. It’s hard. Good luck.
so when can we expect it on pirate bay?
Sounds like David Blaine stunt…
PUNY HUMAN I DO NOT NEED YOUR OXYGlkjafjhalkhflkjhaljhfkjhfdkhhfkjhlgggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg
Newsflash: John Scalzi has been discharged from hospital following his apparent attempted suicide. According to doctors, he is out of danger but oxygen starvation has resulted in severe brain damage.
He has since signed a contract with Baen.
And you’re starting on Election Day? You’ve got big ones.
Phoenician,
Here, have an internet.
Did I miss the word somewhere on expected release date for the next one? Someone help me out here?
Just be forewarned, Mr Scalzi. Don’t check out for too long.
Scalzi – Please tell me that you got a shot of tonight’s sunset. I didn’t have my camera with me, but the colors and clouds were astoundingly beautiful.
-Miami Valley Homeboy
Pssst! Illinois brings the count to 15.
Congrats, Land of Lincoln!
We’ll let you know if the zombie apocalypse starts while you’re busy.
ScaNoWriMo.
For the other readers who keep better track of our host’s announced contractual obligations (since our host has better things to do, like write), which book is he working on?
Haar, he seldom tells us which book. Guessing it might be the next installment in the series of The Human Division,* but not sure. Sometimes he tells us what universe it’s in (or what one it’s NOT in), but I don’t remember if he did that this time.
*Yeah, I know, is it really a novel, but hey. If he says it’s a novel, then it could be what he’s working on when he says “I’m working on my novel.” Doesn’t matter if you think it’s a novel or not.
Serialized publication does not the definition of novel invalidate.
I wish I had your self-discipline. As of Day 4 of NaNoWriMo, I only have ONE day’s worth of word count. I blame my three children. Not really their fault, but I blame them anyway.
Hmm. I wonder what would happen if we all took a break just for a bit? If the screamers had no audience? An interesting experiment.
If you’re locking yourself up to be all alone..wouldn’t that be hermitically sealed? Forgive me….that was a recluse use of a pun…I am shamed.
Haar, that’s not why people aren’t sure it’s a novel.
NaNoWriMoPro.
What Doug said! – he beat me to it :).
Xopher, why else wouldn’t it be a novel? The only novel thing about the novel was the manner of publication. And having written that sentence I’ll just stop.
Most of the plot arcs are very short (which contributes to the feel of being a collection of stories). The main plot arc is unresolved at the end. So it might be the first half (or third) of a novel published in two (or three) parts. But IANA a literary critic or definition maven; it just didn’t feel like a novel to me.
Btw, I read it whole when it came out as a book. And enjoyed the hell out of it. My dubiousness about its novelty (heh) should not be construed as meaning it’s not a damn good read.
http://asiaobscura.com/2013/11/sifting-through-arthur-c-clarkes-dvd-collection-in-colombo.htmla redditor visited arthur clarke’s home. thought it might be of interest.
Your Twitter feed from the last 24 hours (at least) suggests that there me be some flaws in your experimental design.