Declaring Hot Take Bankruptcy, Probably Through September
Posted on September 12, 2019 Posted by John Scalzi 27 Comments
So, I’m waaaaaaay behind on The Last Emperox (it’s my own damn fault), and as a result I’m now clacking away furiously and also, as it happens, very happily employing my nanny software during the day until I get my writing quota done. What this means is that when I sign back on to Twitter and other social media, people are often asking me what I think about whatever the hot topic of the day is, which has happened while I was not at all paying attention.
The answer to this question at the moment is usually two-fold: One, I probably literally just heard about it right that second (because my nanny software blocks news sites as well as social media), so uhhhh, I probably don’t know; Two, it turns out that writing all day makes my brain tired, so what it wants to do after a full day of clacking away is look at pictures of cats more than try to generate informed, nuanced opinions on things. This will likely continue to be the case through the end of the writing of the book, which, remember, I am now behind on, because I suck.
This is a long way of saying that between now and the end of the writing of the book (which I hope to God will be done before I leave for a week to Australia at the end of the month), I’m declaring Hot Take Bankruptcy, meaning whatever it is you want me to opine about, I probably won’t, and even if I do, I can’t guarantee that the take will be anything more than “Ehhhhhh… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯?” I know this will be frustrating for many of you, who rely on me for your daily dose of hot, hot takes, especially online. But, well, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯? For now, I just don’t wanna.
Mind you, this doesn’t mean I won’t occasionally point to a news story of our president (or the UK’s prime minister) doing some dumbass thing or another, or things of that type. But that’s usually about me tweeting something that already conforms to and confirms an opinion that I already have rather than attempting to formulate a whole new opinion on something I’ll need to read up on and think about. One’s work and the other isn’t.
The good news is, one, you’ll get a book out of it, and two, when the book is (finally for God’s sake) done I’ll almost certainly be back with all the takes you can possibly stand, hot, cold, tepid and everywhere else on the heat spectrum. Plus, I will finally get around to doing a Reader Request Week here, which is super late this year. Promise!
But in the meantime, please don’t expect much in the way of hot takes from me, even if the issue is important to you (and even if you think I should really care about it). The outside world’s gonna have to go on without me for a bit. You go on ahead. I’ll catch up eventually.
Sounds like its time for a hot take payday loan
But you seemed in such good humor in D.C. … you weren’t sweating or anything …
Can we send cat pix? My cat is a calico Japanese bobtail and she is very cute.
I’m not one to nag an author to finish a book because I want to read it(although I do) but want you to finish for your own peace of mind.
Please write the book!
I have no doubt that there will be ample opportunities for our Prime Minister to do yet more bizarre things, which is why I need all the help I can get to distract myself from the sheer lunacy of it all. Reading your book will be a lifeline and a worthy contribution to maintaining my sanity in difficult times, so please get on with it.
The issues involving you that are important to me are that you stay healthy, sane and that you still enjoy writing. The rest? Well, I like reading your rants, but if you don’t want to waste your mental energy on them, by all means, don’t. I’d much rather read The Last Emperox when it emerges next spring.
Oh, and I echo Lisa Hirsch above – I’ve got some pretty darned adorable felines, and if you find cat photos helpful/relaxing, I’d be happy to send you some. I don’t twitter or instamatic or post stuff in the cloud, but I can email you a couple of photos that might give you a grin. Only if you’re interested, of course, don’t want to clutter up your inbox.
Write, man, write!!
Write like the wind, John Scalzi…
Book > social media, blog posts.
But cat pictures are the most important thing on earth.
Australia? Yay! Any public appearances? Schedule?
What is the name of your nanny software, and where can I get it?
Oh, dear. John Scalzi will not be at my beck and call for online rants. I might have to, y’know, read a book or something.
I’d suggest not catching up afterwards – reality sucks at the moment. It’s definitely overrated.
But, really, how long does it take to type “fuck” every time Kiva is onstage?
;-)
Oh geez dammit I’m late formulating my ‘reader’s request’ for this season, good thing there’s a delay! ;-)
Good luck with the writing! Don’t worry about us. We’re just happy you’re writing away!
What nanny software do you use? I swear you mentioned this once and I have spent waaaaaay too much time trying to find the post. Please pretty please share?
@JK74, John may be too busy to reply for a while. But he’s reported to be doing a Q&A at Conflux in Canberra, which is on from 5th-7th October, at the Gungahlin library. I don’t know which day.
John,
Amazing how procrastination can be such a motivating force. Thanks for the heads up on the voids of your opinion for the cost of what I am sure will be a damn good read.
Beez
Have you tried Stephen King’s method? The one that he described in his “Misery” novel?
i would like to third the request for the name of your nanny software… it might really help (people)
But how will we live without your rants!?
Twitter could get CIVIL without you! Yikes!
Has anyone done fan art of Kiva Lagos yet?
This is the first time I’ve ever heard of nanny software. Is there au pair software? And does it, you know, nudge nudge?
While I, too, like your rants, I like your novels much more, and I wouldn’t want your hot takes drawing too much energy from them. So write, John, write like the wind! If I need a fix for rants, hot takes and whatnot, there’s always Stonekettle Station. ;-)
BTW, don’t feel that you need to have a book deadline to declare Hot Take Bankruptcy. “For now, I just don’t wanna” is plenty excuse in my book. :-)