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News or Comments? vera.nazarian@sff.net
11-29-99
NEWSFLASH!
I changed my mind. I'm staying with the NAW after all. I care too much about the wonderful people in it to mess up a good thing, especially lately -- after a momentary lapse and roll in Myke's limburger pigsty, check out an example of the NAW at its shining best: Stephen Leigh and Ron Collins' brilliant classy exchange of 11-26-99 and 11-28-99 on the topic of slow versus fast writing modes. Bravo, gentlemen!
Meanwhile, as I was in the painful indecision limbo between being in the NAW or not, I was invited to join a brand new online journalling writer group, modeled on the original Not-A-Webring, and called WebRats. This one is run by Melanie Miller Fletcher, and the flavor here is that of writers' journals with Attitude -- a roguish rascally fun-loving edge. :-)
I accepted Mel's gracious invitation, and now as a result, I am not only a proud member of the original Not-A-Webring, but also a proud WebRat! :-)
Huge NAW congratulations are in order for Zette, who has had two of her novels accepted in a unique form of e-publication by Embiid, Melisa and Richard Michaels' new company! WAY TO GO, ZettaBearMistress! It took someone as intelligent as Melisa to finally take your novel-length work! WOOHOO!!! :-)
More congratulations going out to Caroline, who recently made her first sale to Jackhammer! :-) Way to go, babe!!!
Even more congratulations to Neile whose poetry book has been accepted for publication!! :-)
As for me, I got two friendly rejections, from Talebones and Altair. And thus, pop goes the Manic Rejection Weasel.
Thanksgiving weekend was spent at LosCon 26, a friendly mellow local relaxacon, where I got to hang out with a wonderful IRC-made-flesh buddy Fiona Avery, and briefly ran into our own Jenn in the hallway. :-)
No NAWticisms today -- instead, check out John Savage's oh-so-wicked 1999 Turkey Awards.... :-)
11-21-99
NEWSFLASH!
Later today...
I've thought about it, and I quit the NAW.
Earlier today...
Tamela comments on Personal Attacks.
Since when has the NAW policed the kind of entries we make? Do we have a Rulebook that says "no personal attacks?" Are we going to implement censorship? I don't think so. The only "pre-requisite" for NAW ever, has been to sometimes talk about writing, and to make at least one entry per month.
Otherwise, any one of us is free to rant and rave and speak our minds in any way shape or form, because it is our journal, dammit.
And so we have been. And by golly, all along we have been nice and kind to each other. In fact, up until now, most of the entries any one of us have made have never warranted a personal attack.
But you know what, there's always a first time.
I never promised any of you a rose garden.
And yes, I can and will tell any one of you to fuck off to your face, if you ever deserve it.
If you don't like me, and would like to add a Personal Politeness Amendment to the NAW, I would be happy to take my journal out quietly. In fact, I can even leave right now -- just let me know if I offend you. I hold no general grudges, and can continue to maintain the NAW on my home page indefinitely, and manage it, or I can let any one of you take over, and I'll be history.
But don't tell me how to respond.
Because I will get very personal, very fast.
And that's a promise.
11-20-99
NEWSFLASH!
I am one very angry fat woman.
In his latest journal entry, Myke Cole writes:
"...Oprah brings a guest on the show who talks about discrimination directed towards fat people. The irony is staggering. Being fat isn't like being black, or gay, or some other kind of minority, it's something you can CHANGE (other than the RARE cases of glandular disorders and such), all it takes is hard work and dedication. But do they want to work? Do they want to put one foot in front of the other and move towards a goal? No. They want to complain, they want to have it handed to them, they want to be a VICTIM. I would give my right arm to possess Oprah for a single moment to say: "Shut the f*$k up, fatass. Quit your whining and go to the gym, getting angry at the world for finding you repulsive will NOT change you, only YOU can change you". In the end, it's not up to them to control their sloth and their eating habits, it's up to the rest of society to accommodate THEM, even though they take up a whole row of seats on the bus or the train...."
Okay, what you just said about fat people, that is a bunch of fat crap, Myke.
You equate being a victim with being fat. If it were so easy to lose weight, then we would all do it. I would shake off my "sloth" and "eating habits" and drag my "repulsive" mammoth body to the gym, to become a slender shapely fit babe. And while I am at it, I would also get my finances in order and become rich. Next, I would embark upon a course of perfectly disciplined study and earn a dozen PhD's and become the most erudite human being. Finally I would methodically put down any physical drives of my body, and finish my life as an ascetic saint.
It's all the same, really. Some of us can lose weight. Others can study. Others can dream and create wonder.
It's a matter of control, of fine-tuning, of focus.
Just because you can't have control over your body, does not make you a victim. You might have wonderful control over other parts of your being. In fact, most of us have at least one such area of our lives we control and master. We are therefore NOT victims.
And hell, no one has perfect control over every aspect of their existence.
A victim is someone who has relinquished all control. All responsibility.
Think about that, for a moment, Myke. Your anger is your weakness. Maybe it's time you too stopped being a victim.
11-17-99
NEWSFLASH!
Well, Ron is not the only one nattering on about databases and corporate data handling that is the future which is closer to science fiction than we think....
Today and tomorrow, I am hanging out at Oracle Open World '99 here in Los Angeles, going to various presentations about e-Business and the Web and Oracle WebDB, and Oracle Developer 6.0, and all the other latest and greatest in the marrage of database and the internet and Java Beans plugins drippin' and grindin' away everywhere. :-) And then there's the trade show floor with all the wild wacky raffles and giveaways, and freebies and silly business-nerd-person fun.
Lord, I am tired. :-)
Hey, more NAWticisms! Stop it already, people, you have all gotten to be too clever lately! :-) Once again, some of them are chronologically out of order, so please read back a little....
Oh, Lisa, I really think you have said some powerful things in your couple of latest posts. I think your view about wanting everyone to win is wonderful too! And I can see exactly where you're coming from. Intense stuff!
As I am typing this, I am listening to Sting's latest CD.... I love Sting! Just had to tell you people this, out of the blue... :-)
11-16-99
NEWSFLASH!
Welcome back to Jenn's journal! :-) It has a great new look!
Boy, those new NAWticisms are just popping up every day, it seems, like new mushrooms after a rain.... :-)
Incidentally, I think the NAW turbulence is rather healthy.... We're getting into some intense opinionated rants, and it's fun. ;-)
Hey, did I mention I got a couple of rejections recently? Yup, one from Weird Tales, and one from Adhoc. What do I have to say to that? Phooey and double phooey. Those magazines are just missing out on a good thing -- my award-caliber work. *snarf*
Next week, LosCon 26! And the week after that, I will return to novel-writing. Screw the short story markets. ;-)
11-15-99
NEWSFLASH!
Later today...
Amazing! Speaking of awards, what just happened is a totally unrelated coincidence. Today I was deeply touched and honored to hear from Rachel Holmen, who has named me "Woman of the Week, Nov 01, 1999" on her web site. All I can say is, "Wow!"
Earlier today...
Well, Criminy! We're back to the awards discussion, again. Okay, okay, fine. Once again, I agree with valid points that everyone seems to be making, but as far as declaring my journal page an awards-free area, let me clarify.
My news/journal page is oh so very mundane. Anyone who would like to give it an award is welcome to do so, since I do believe in politeness and saying my "thank you's" for a kindly intended nicety. But -- I firmly believe that anyone who thinks this place deserves a journal award must not be reading enough journals! Really, I see myself as the "glue that binds," the NAW Mom. Nothing spectacular happens here. In fact, I spend almost more time doing the grapevine (as in, so and so did this, and so and so did that, so congrats) than talking about myself. So, why have this journal? Two good reasons -- I have rotten memory, and this serves as a reminder and personal timeline, and reason two, I like being part of the gang. :-)
Now, as far as awards in general are concerned -- of course I'm out to get me some! I am competitive as hell myself, and I have my sights set on ALL THE WRITING AWARDS -- Nebulas and Hugos and the Pulitzer and the Nobel. *giggle* I just don't think this little journal of mine is intended as an award-worthy piece of writing that is representative of my abilities. It was never meant to be! I have neither the time nor the inclination, nor an open enough personality to crank out intensely personal rich life commentary like many other good folks. And since that's the case, why should this journal -- a stripped down sterile thing -- be worthy of any decent award?
In any case, don't you worry about me and awards, dearies. I plan to have some in the long run, and am building a proverbial shelf for them, even as we speak. *wicked grin*
Just don't trivialize me and award this journal. :-)
11-14-99
NEWSFLASH!
Okay, Myke's intense argument about the so-called "rules" of writing really hit home for many of us. You know what, Myke? I really do agree with you, and with the spirit of what you're saying about the freedom of your creative will. I also agree with Ron, who says that not rules, but logical and structural guidelines do have a place in the long run. And I agree with others who had spoken out on this subject. Originally I wanted to go off on a rant of my own, but I think you have indeed said the gist of what I think. However, this is what I'd like to add:
Write indeed what you want, with little or no "guidelines" to help your work's structure take form. However, when you are done -- however it had taken you to get there, and in whatever form -- the final product of your effort, your finished work, should be somehow compelling, even seductive to the reader.
It may not have the bang opening, or minimal description, or speedy action, or any of the gazillion other recommended things that supposedly make your story attractive. But it should and must have something. And that something is nothing more than a spark of living wonder that the writer puts into the work, and makes it sizzle with his or her own personal electricity and worldview. Without that energizing "thing," the work is dead, and uninteresting to all, even if it does follow the "rules." With that bit of compelling energy, the work will be read and remembered even if supposedly all it does is describe the ingredients on a cereal box.
Maybe, it is a bit of one's own will that has to go into the work...
Hey, on a different note, here's today's NAWticism... :-)
And finally, here, for your viewing amusement, are extremely cute pictures of my new cat Sophie and significantly less cute, me with short hair. :-)
11-7-99
NEWSFLASH!
Did hell just freeze over, or am I making two consequitive entries in two days? *grin*
First, congratulations to Mary for her sale to the "I am Cat" Issue of Pulp Eternity! :-)
Now, I just have to respond to Diana who is in turn responding to Ron's statement of October 27th, about making time to write. Okay, I do agree with Diana that there are times in your life when other things come first like training for a new job. Man, can I relate to that! I've been devoting most of my time learning the ropes at the new job at the software company, and heck, it's my priority number one here, until I am up to speed! In fact, trying to do anything else has turned out to be unsuccessful, since my mind stubbornly returns to the details of the job, Oracle database programming, SQL queries, AutoCAD and MicroStation drawings, and NT networking. I find that I even dream about SQL SELECT statements at night!
My point is, there's no way that I can make time for actual writing, even were I as regular and persistent as Ron.
However, unlike Ron and Diana both, who do not consider writing the sum of their existence, I am going to admit right here and now that I am a terrible human being. You see -- writing *is* the sum of my existence. Everything else, including job security, and buying a comfortable house, and even maintaining personal physical health, and human relationships with family and friends -- is all just a means to an end. In the end, all I care about is to be able to write. All my life work is leading up to it. I think not of a comfortable house -- but of a writing office which is not cluttered, and will allow me room to breathe so that I can write better. I don't think of family and friends and people in general as things to fill my life -- but of things that, by the way, will be in my life while I am writing.
I do not think of personal fulfillment.... Actually, hold it, I do. To me, it is seeing my children -- not flesh and blood but paper and ink -- sit on crowded shelves and insinuate with dreams of wonder into other people's minds and lives.
Are you frightened of me yet? :-)
And yet, how ironic it is, that I still cannot and do not, in fact, find regular time for writing. Writing happens randomly and exultantly. It will never be a routine, but will always come as a culmination of my thought process and my life experience, coming in irregular but wondrous "bursts of self" spilling over.
I think I'd better quickly change the subject. :-) Yes, it's about Journal Excellence Awards. Yes, Diana, you have a huge vote from me, and I believe with all my heart that if anyone deserves a Journal Award, that's you. I am frankly surprised they didn't give you one, since your journal rocks. :-) But like Linda, who I think also rocks, and has an award-winning journal in my opinion, I am going to declare my own humble news page an award-free zone. Why? Because this is not so much a journal I have here, but an announcements page. Sometimes (like right now), I go off into opinion-piece rants. But normally I just report on the news as they happen to me and those around me. ;-)
But before I do that no-award thing, I am going to sneak in a Vera's Virtual Vivacity Journal Award of my own to Linda J. Dunn and Lisa Silverthorne and Tippi N. Blevins which I grant to you with all sincerity. Your journals are wonderful! :-)
11-6-99
NEWSFLASH!
If you're wondering where I got the black ribbon memorial logo for MZB, it's off the MZBFM site. You can put it on your page in memory of Marion.
Big hugs going out to Zette, whose mother suffered a stroke. Hang in there, friend!
In the lighter news, welcome back to Linda's journal. We missed you! :-)
I have also added a couple of new NAWticisms to the page, so please check it out. :-) Also, please be sure to read past some of the older ones, since one of the new ones comes chronologically earlier.
Check out my home page and my newsgroup, good visitor # 2544
Van Nuys, California
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since 11-6-99