tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post4111496264063865042..comments2024-03-22T12:11:58.453-06:00Comments on Michael Offutt: Insecure Writers Support Group Post 1Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comBlogger33125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-58491223515682965372011-09-09T01:03:05.738-06:002011-09-09T01:03:05.738-06:00Sounds as if, like me, you've told people too ...Sounds as if, like me, you've told people too soon about your book. <br /><br />The advice I have heard a lot lately is to keep it all quiet and only let your CP, the agents and publishers know about it, so that they can judge it on its own merits before it is unleashed into the world, after that you cannot control how everyone will interpret your work, just hope it is well received and understood by the majority.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-89967645886086233122011-09-08T17:12:43.859-06:002011-09-08T17:12:43.859-06:00My MC is bisexual. . . really, I wouldn't hype...My MC is bisexual. . . really, I wouldn't hyperventilate about sexuality. Not anymore anyway. It's all over TV and movies. <br /><br />I like that the protag is gay and that it isn't the main focus of the book. It's part of the character's life, just like in real life.<br /><br />Keep writing!Kim Mullicanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08379949268188977298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-53580510793652639872011-09-08T06:08:52.086-06:002011-09-08T06:08:52.086-06:00OK, I had to admit I was snickering at your imagin...OK, I had to admit I was snickering at your imaginary interview. I think you were right to decline to speak at PFLAG - like you said, the fact that the MC is gay is NOT the focal point of the book. Anyway, I'm sure your readers will see it for what it is and not for (a tiny part of) what your character is. :-)Crystalhttp://littlebundleofcontradictions.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-77731002483936894362011-09-08T06:02:32.888-06:002011-09-08T06:02:32.888-06:00Cool. A book with a gay protagonist where the boo...Cool. A book with a gay protagonist where the book is not mostly about sexuality.<br />Seems to me this is exactly what's needed.Lisa Shaferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08141316010311729143noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-45555719138731384402011-09-07T22:37:27.847-06:002011-09-07T22:37:27.847-06:00Styx released Grand Illusion in 1977. Bonus round....Styx released Grand Illusion in 1977. Bonus round.<br /><br />And, I am not a science fiction nerd, just a word nerd, but if it helps, I accept you - and admire you, as well.<br /><br />Best;<br />PMT<br />http://thisthattheotherone.blogspot.comPM Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08103936210580390256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-25965332210686058792011-09-07T22:21:49.269-06:002011-09-07T22:21:49.269-06:00This is a great post, Michael. It's sad in thi...This is a great post, Michael. It's sad in this day and age that sexuality still has to be such a hotspot issue. You'd hope we were all a little more grown up than that. <br /><br />Except now I'm worried I won't understand your book because it has Langrangian calculus in it. There are different types of calculus? I'm already out of my depth here! <br /><br />Love your pitch sentence as well!Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12314617048592538691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-43637805402155845902011-09-07T19:12:46.351-06:002011-09-07T19:12:46.351-06:00The Q&A part had me chuckling.
Why does that h...The Q&A part had me chuckling.<br />Why does that have to be 'the point' for some people? I've never figured that out.Alex J. Cavanaughhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09770065693345181702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-90142628154508149002011-09-07T18:54:06.201-06:002011-09-07T18:54:06.201-06:00I agree with Lori Lee. A character can just be ga...I agree with Lori Lee. A character can just be gay without that defining their entire existence. <br /><br />I too got a D in college biology. I ended up with an English/communications major.M.J. Fifieldhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15626475963328519693noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-73322760844981045712011-09-07T18:39:09.436-06:002011-09-07T18:39:09.436-06:00For a moment there, I felt like I was listening to...For a moment there, I felt like I was listening to Douglas Adams. It was surreal.Andrew Leonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13964775673414653644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-71552991184635372492011-09-07T18:00:20.798-06:002011-09-07T18:00:20.798-06:00I remember when Orson Scott Card published Ender&#...I remember when Orson Scott Card published Ender's Game, and there was a big broo-ha-ha here in Utah because Ender's mother was Mormon. It was mentioned once, I think, but everyone made such a HUGE deal about it. Some were like, "oh, he's Mormon, he's going to start preaching." Others were like "he's blaspheming, because his future can't exist according to the Mormon faith."<br /><br />Funny thing: no one remembers that now. All they remember is he wrote a dang good book.<br /><br />I think it's awesome that you are writing a science fiction book about calculus. I look forward to reading it :)Angela Perryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15598455060979053040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-74661644266089807642011-09-07T17:43:42.861-06:002011-09-07T17:43:42.861-06:00This is a great idea. I will give the link to my s...This is a great idea. I will give the link to my sister in law, who must have written half a dozen manuscripts so far but did not dare to send any. Thanks:)MunirGhiasuddinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05232362559666320301noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-65112816357067241412011-09-07T17:10:59.325-06:002011-09-07T17:10:59.325-06:00That's why I love our blogging communities - w...That's why I love our blogging communities - we're all writers that can support each other, even if we're not all entirely writing the same types of stories.<br />More importantly though, which NHL team does your MC root for? :-)Deniz Bevanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17134553551048836979noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-79145763659998358392011-09-07T16:53:49.076-06:002011-09-07T16:53:49.076-06:00Sometimes people latch onto details that you don&#...Sometimes people latch onto details that you don't find very important and work them into bigger things than they are in the story. It's nothing you can control, so don't worry about it too much. All you can do is write to make yourself happy, and other will follow. If they want to make a bruhaha about it, the best you can do is not stoke the fires. (:Elisa DeLanyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06466740168508428362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-50355540374887954022011-09-07T16:39:32.398-06:002011-09-07T16:39:32.398-06:00Intelligent readers won't judge your book by t...Intelligent readers won't judge your book by the fact the protagonist is gay. I wouldn't let that bother you at all.Bellehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14175778756449339363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-45724135950362663482011-09-07T16:14:11.753-06:002011-09-07T16:14:11.753-06:00Stopped by to give you a follow and a shout of tha...Stopped by to give you a follow and a shout of thanks for organizing the judging of the challenges. Will look forward to getting to know you and your blog as the dust settles a bit ^_^Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00769602845843608247noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-46478374521576590732011-09-07T14:13:11.433-06:002011-09-07T14:13:11.433-06:00People love to get hung up on the Story of the Aut...People love to get hung up on the Story of the Author rather than the <i>Author's Story</i>. Just remind yourself that it's the same hurdle JK Rowling had to overcome when people wanted to focus only on how she wrote as a single mother on benefits, Stephane Myer being a Morman, etc. <br /><br />Just keep answering those silly kind of questions with your fabulous wit and who knows, maybe someone in that audience might pick up your book because they are a Scifi nerd at heart.Steph Schmidthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00975939582442193113noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-19305940027922700122011-09-07T13:16:37.099-06:002011-09-07T13:16:37.099-06:00Thanks for sharing your "insecurity" wit...Thanks for sharing your "insecurity" with us, Michael.<br /><br />I say go for it. It's refreshing to see diverse characters introduced to the literary-verse. And I love the responses to the proposed questions you'd receive! :)David P. Kinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17259276981865439853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-55440901479077077742011-09-07T13:03:20.973-06:002011-09-07T13:03:20.973-06:00@Julie: Math iz gud, yes? Thank you for visiting :...@Julie: Math iz gud, yes? Thank you for visiting :)<br /><br />@Charlie: 1 and a half years from now.Michael Offutt, Phantom Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10557969104886174930noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-57031983485332169292011-09-07T12:55:17.887-06:002011-09-07T12:55:17.887-06:00So...when is your book going to be made available ...So...when is your book going to be made available to the nerdy public, like me?Charlie Pulsipherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08877018077937978788noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-44560791113225044312011-09-07T11:38:55.725-06:002011-09-07T11:38:55.725-06:00You lost me at calculus. Seriously, I think that ...You lost me at calculus. Seriously, I think that once we can write characters who are gay, of different religions or cultures, or of alternative belief patterns and not have someone think it's controversial, that will be a truly wonderful day. I think the important thing is to say my story is about a person, and being gay is only one facet of the character, just like in reality.julie feddersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06621537183935460781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-54203832707554981572011-09-07T11:34:38.991-06:002011-09-07T11:34:38.991-06:00I think it's good that you are adding diversit...I think it's good that you are adding diversity to the fiction world with your writing. I can also see how you would worry about how accepting people will be to your concept-it sounds like it deals with some fairly complex issues. It's just a matter of being confident in what you have written and not letting your insecurity hold you back.Alyson Burdettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16916059117572619004noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-80659409245817044562011-09-07T11:06:24.925-06:002011-09-07T11:06:24.925-06:00One thing to keep in mind is that currently, in ou...One thing to keep in mind is that currently, in our culture, the idea of "out" is so shocking and interesting, that people automatically assume that that is the central feature of any gay person's life. For instance, the current fight over "teaching gay history" isn't even really about those who fought for gay civil rights. It's about individuals who happened to be gay and did great things with their lives, and the ability to MENTION that fact when discussing their achievements. To many of us this seems silly. However, I have to think back on the day when I discovered that the SIMs could date members of their own sex. I wanted to throw a freaking party! It wasn't that they'd improved the game, it was that flirting with (and making whoopie with, and marrying and adopting children with) girls in a nationally accepted game was permitted and not really even groused about. <br />I could only imagine some poor little Mormon girl playing and accidentally discovering the "flirt" button... oh my.<br />I cannot wait to read your book doll. To me, the lifestyle IS beside the point, but Mutt made a great point about the Military choice for gay people. It is a cultural change and one you could definitely address if you get called again.lizzyBathoryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13240777768274838923noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-57173112146910024392011-09-07T11:04:12.217-06:002011-09-07T11:04:12.217-06:001977 is also the year I was unleashed upon the wor...1977 is also the year I was unleashed upon the world, so it's doubly awesome.Matthew MacNishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03264738483763244969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-87182491180680198712011-09-07T10:54:35.205-06:002011-09-07T10:54:35.205-06:00When I'm frustrated, I ask my husband 'Why...When I'm frustrated, I ask my husband 'Why didn't I choose something easier to do than writing?'<br /><br />I can't tell you you won't have to decline more invitations from groups who just don't get it, but you do have to work according to the dictates of your creative juices. Write your book, worry about what people think after. That's my two cents worth.J.L. Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05666634455836834179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2495499100279472520.post-56402322598472452532011-09-07T10:39:07.477-06:002011-09-07T10:39:07.477-06:00What a nice post. I love that your character &quo...What a nice post. I love that your character "just happens to be" gay, and the whole story isn't about that. It's one of many dimensions of character.<br /><br />I don't have the link, but recently I saw a lovely post written by a sci-fi author who wanted people to stop treating her as an African-American-lady author, and see her as a sci-fi author.<br /><br />P.S. recent episode of Breaking Bad, with Jesse at group? OMG so upsetting.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com