Comments on: Science Fiction Writers and Toynbee Convectors http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/science-fiction/science-fiction-writers-and-toynbee-convectors/ Science Fiction Novelist, Blogger, Web Programmer Wed, 16 May 2012 16:18:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Lou Anders http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/science-fiction/science-fiction-writers-and-toynbee-convectors/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Lou Anders Mon, 26 Dec 2005 04:02:19 +0000 http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/?p=84#comment-14 <p>Don't leave out the good Hal Duncan's most edifying response: http://notesfromthegeekshow.blogspot.com/2005/12/ghetto-within-ghetto.html</p> <p>Hal's blog is well worth reading, and even better if you can picture it being read in the voice of Begbie from Trainspotting.</p> Don’t leave out the good Hal Duncan’s most edifying response: http://notesfromthegeekshow.blogspot.com/2005/12/ghetto-within-ghetto.html

Hal’s blog is well worth reading, and even better if you can picture it being read in the voice of Begbie from Trainspotting.

]]> By: David Louis Edelman http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/science-fiction/science-fiction-writers-and-toynbee-convectors/comment-page-1/#comment-13 David Louis Edelman Mon, 19 Dec 2005 19:00:50 +0000 http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/?p=84#comment-13 <p>Unbeknownst to me, apparently everyone in creation has already been discussing this topic ad nauseum. See <a href="http://benford-rose.com/blog/?p=3" rel="nofollow">Gregory Benford</a>'s take, <a href="http://www.scalzi.com/whatever/003914.html" rel="nofollow">John Scalzi</a>'s take and my editor <a href="http://www.louanders.com/2005/12/evangelical-science-fiction_18.html" rel="nofollow">Lou Anders</a>' take.</p> Unbeknownst to me, apparently everyone in creation has already been discussing this topic ad nauseum. See Gregory Benford‘s take, John Scalzi‘s take and my editor Lou Anders‘ take.

]]> By: David Louis Edelman http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/science-fiction/science-fiction-writers-and-toynbee-convectors/comment-page-1/#comment-12 David Louis Edelman Thu, 15 Dec 2005 17:20:04 +0000 http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/?p=84#comment-12 <p>Good points all, enough to fuel another blog post or seven. Other factors for the ghettoization of SF I would add to the mix:</p> <p>(1) The compartmentalization/specialization of everything in our culture, brought about by the Internet's ability to target much narrower niches than television or traditional publishing ever could.</p> <p>(2) The influence of Hollywood, which has its own dismal view of SF that rarely extends beyond "Star Trek" and "Star Wars."</p> <p>(3) The fact that much of the most visible SF is targeted at adolescent and teenage boys. (Witness the covers with the big-breasted chicks in tight leotards waving big guns while leaping out of ultra-cool spaceships.)</p> Good points all, enough to fuel another blog post or seven. Other factors for the ghettoization of SF I would add to the mix:

(1) The compartmentalization/specialization of everything in our culture, brought about by the Internet’s ability to target much narrower niches than television or traditional publishing ever could.

(2) The influence of Hollywood, which has its own dismal view of SF that rarely extends beyond “Star Trek” and “Star Wars.”

(3) The fact that much of the most visible SF is targeted at adolescent and teenage boys. (Witness the covers with the big-breasted chicks in tight leotards waving big guns while leaping out of ultra-cool spaceships.)

]]> By: David Price http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/science-fiction/science-fiction-writers-and-toynbee-convectors/comment-page-1/#comment-11 David Price Wed, 14 Dec 2005 14:25:28 +0000 http://www.davidlouisedelman.com/?p=84#comment-11 <p>Very interesting, Dave. As I suspect you'd agree, the issue probably goes beyond the shelving and I think there are many sub-questions to be tackled here. </p> <p>For instance, how much of the "ghetto-izing" (as you put it) of science fiction is just an outgrowth of the "serious fiction" vs. "genre fiction" distinction embraced by book review editors, prize committees, and others?</p> <p>Hasn't science fiction always been "ghetto-ized" (if the metric is book reviews and book awards)?</p> <p>To what extent might science fiction be making demands on readers -- e.g., in terms of scientific literacy or interest -- that literary-minded readers today can't or don't want to meet?</p> Very interesting, Dave. As I suspect you’d agree, the issue probably goes beyond the shelving and I think there are many sub-questions to be tackled here.

For instance, how much of the “ghetto-izing” (as you put it) of science fiction is just an outgrowth of the “serious fiction” vs. “genre fiction” distinction embraced by book review editors, prize committees, and others?

Hasn’t science fiction always been “ghetto-ized” (if the metric is book reviews and book awards)?

To what extent might science fiction be making demands on readers — e.g., in terms of scientific literacy or interest — that literary-minded readers today can’t or don’t want to meet?

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