CIMG3382 China Mieville and Elze
I got my picture taken with China Miéville at his book signing.
Date: 07/07/2006
I got my picture taken with China Miéville at his book signing.
CIMG3381 China Mieville signs books
China Miéville signs books at Readercon.
Date: 07/07/2006
China Miéville signs books at Readercon.
CIMG3385 Scott Bakker
Scott Bakker at the "Fantasy, Neuroscience and the Semantic Apocalypse" panel
Date: 07/07/2006
Scott Bakker at the "Fantasy, Neuroscience and the Semantic Apocalypse" panel
CIMG3427 China Mieville and Deanna Hoak
China Mieville and Deanna Hoak at the Meet The Pros party
Date: 07/07/2006
China Mieville and Deanna Hoak at the Meet The Pros party
CIMG3397 China Mieville, James Morrow, Brett Cox
Left to right: writers China Miéville, James Morrow and Brett Cox
Date: 07/07/2006
Left to right: writers China Miéville, James Morrow and Brett Cox
CIMG3401 China Mieville and Jesse Soodalter
Left to right: Jesse Soodalter, China Miéville and Brett Cox after the "War of Worldviews" panel
Date: 07/07/2006
Left to right: Jesse Soodalter, China Miéville and Brett Cox after the "War of Worldviews" panel
CIMG3438 David Louis Edelman and Deanna Hoak
David Louis Edelman and Deanna Hoak at the Friday night Meet The Pros party at Readercon
Date: 07/07/2006
David Louis Edelman and Deanna Hoak at the Friday night Meet The Pros party at Readercon
CIMG3441 David Hartwell and Kathryn Cramer
Editor David Hartwell and his wife Kathryn Cramer at the Friday night Meet The Pros party at Readercon
Date: 07/07/2006
Editor David Hartwell and his wife Kathryn Cramer at the Friday night Meet The Pros party at Readercon
CIMG3439 Karl Schroeder at the Meet The Pros party
Karl Schroeder at the Meet The Pros party at the Readercon 2006
Date: 07/07/2006
Karl Schroeder at the Meet The Pros party at the Readercon 2006
CIMG3443 Jeffrey Ford
Writer Jeffrey Ford at Readercon 2006
Date: 07/07/2006
Writer Jeffrey Ford at Readercon 2006
CIMG3406 Jeff Hecht and Karl Schroeder
Writers Jeff Hecht (left) and Karl Schroeder at the "SF and Continuing Human Evolution" panel
Date: 07/07/2006
Writers Jeff Hecht (left) and Karl Schroeder at the "SF and Continuing Human Evolution" panel
CIMG3411 John Scalzi and Beth Meacham
Science fiction writer John Scalzi (left) and Beth Meacham
Date: 07/07/2006
Science fiction writer John Scalzi (left) and Beth Meacham
CIMG3419 China Mieville and Jesse Soodalter
Science fiction writer China Miéville with Jesse Soodalter at the Friday night Meet The Pros party at Readercon
Date: 07/07/2006
Science fiction writer China Miéville with Jesse Soodalter at the Friday night Meet The Pros party at Readercon
CIMG3445 Girl in a flower wreath
A girl in a flower wreath at the Meet The Pros party
Date: 07/07/2006
A girl in a flower wreath at the Meet The Pros party
CIMG3458 John Clute
Science fiction writer John Clute on the "From Within It Devours" panel
Date: 07/08/2006
Science fiction writer John Clute on the "From Within It Devours" panel
CIMG3477 Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden
Kaffeeklatsch with editors Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden. Click on the image to find out what these editors think makes a science fiction novel or story interesting.
Date: 07/08/2006
Kaffeeklatsch with editors Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden. Kaffeeklatsches at Readercon were small gatherings, where a pro (a writer or an editor) met with fans (up to 10 people) around a round table, to chat and answer whatever questions fans wanted to ask them. Coffee and tea were served, hence the name. At their kaffeeklatsch, science fiction editors Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden gave interesting insights in what makes a SF/F novel or story good, at least if we define good as interesting or readable.
The conversation veered towards JK Rowling and the secrets of her success among mainstream readership (outside of science fiction fandom). Somebody (perhaps one of the Haydens) had this theory. In many SF/F books the reader needs to notice details whose significance he or she can't understand immediately, and store them for later use, to be remembered and interpreted later in the reading process as more information reveals itself. But Rowling does not make the reader do it. At any point in the book she reveals only as much information as is needed to understand what goes immediately after. One guy in the audience aptly called it Just-In-Time exposition.
And here's a snappy piece of advice given by Teresa Nielsen Hayden: if the passengers are critiquing the scenery, the train isn't going fast enough. Writers often think they have to give more exposition to the readers, whereas in fact they need to give less. If the plot moves fast enough, readers are less likely to notice inconsistencies or incompleteness or logical gaps in the exposition.
The conversation veered towards JK Rowling and the secrets of her success among mainstream readership (outside of science fiction fandom). Somebody (perhaps one of the Haydens) had this theory. In many SF/F books the reader needs to notice details whose significance he or she can't understand immediately, and store them for later use, to be remembered and interpreted later in the reading process as more information reveals itself. But Rowling does not make the reader do it. At any point in the book she reveals only as much information as is needed to understand what goes immediately after. One guy in the audience aptly called it Just-In-Time exposition.
And here's a snappy piece of advice given by Teresa Nielsen Hayden: if the passengers are critiquing the scenery, the train isn't going fast enough. Writers often think they have to give more exposition to the readers, whereas in fact they need to give less. If the plot moves fast enough, readers are less likely to notice inconsistencies or incompleteness or logical gaps in the exposition.
CIMG3465 Harry Potter look-alike
At their kaffeeklatsch, editors Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden (previous image) talked a bit about JK Rowling, and her amazing ability for just-in-time exposition. Is it surprising that Harry Potter himself showed up in the audience? :-)
Date: 07/08/2006
At their kaffeeklatsch, editors Patrick and Teresa Nielsen Hayden (previous image) talked a bit about JK Rowling, and her amazing ability for just-in-time exposition. Is it surprising that Harry Potter himself showed up in the audience? :-)
CIMG3488 Kathryn Cramer
Kathryn Cramer talks about her insights into information infrastructure that enabled her to creatively use IT to help disaster relief efforts after the 2005 hurricanes and Pakistan earthquake.
Date: 07/08/2006
Kathryn Cramer talks about her insights into information infrastructure that enabled her to creatively use IT to help disaster relief efforts after the 2005 hurricanes and Pakistan earthquake.
CIMG3490 Ellen Kushner
Writer Ellen Kushner at the "Embracing the Uncomfortable" panel
Date: 07/08/2006
Writer Ellen Kushner at the "Embracing the Uncomfortable" panel
CIMG3503 China Mieville and Adam Golaski
Writer China Miéville (left) is interviewed by Adam Golaski
Date: 07/08/2006
Writer China Miéville (left) is interviewed by Adam Golaski
CIMG3509 David Hartwell with his daughter
Before the Bad Prose contest on Saturday night, editor David Hartwell receives birthday greetings from the audience.
Date: 07/08/2006
Before the Bad Prose contest on Saturday night, editor David Hartwell receives birthday greetings from the audience.
CIMG3517 Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Shariann Lewitt, James Macdonald
Left to right: Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Shariann Lewitt, and James Macdonald at the "Social Class" panel
Date: 07/09/2006
Left to right: Patrick Nielsen Hayden, Shariann Lewitt, and James Macdonald at the "Social Class" panel
CIMG3520 Andrea Hairston
Andrea Hairston at the "Social Class" panel
Date: 07/09/2006
Andrea Hairston at the "Social Class" panel
CIMG3525 China Mieville and Lancer Kind
China Miéville (right) and a fan (Lancer Kind, according to his name tag) at China Miéville's kaffeeklatsch
Date: 07/09/2006
China Miéville (right) and a fan (Lancer Kind, according to his name tag) at China Miéville's kaffeeklatsch
CIMG3498 Kelly Link
Writer Kelly Link at the "Embracing the Uncomfortable" panel
Date: 07/08/2006
Writer Kelly Link at the "Embracing the Uncomfortable" panel
CIMG3502 Kelly Link talking to Scott Edelman
Writer Kelly Link is talking to Scott Edelman in the lobby.
Date: 07/08/2006
Writer Kelly Link is talking to someone in the lobby.
CIMG3458 Jeanne Cavelos and Jeffrey Ford
Jeanne Cavelos and Jeffrey Ford on the "From Within It Devours" panel
Date: 07/08/2006
Jeanne Cavelos and Jeffrey Ford on the "From Within It Devours" panel
CIMG3511 Scott Bakker, Liz Gorinsky, and others at the bar
Scott Bakker (left), Liz Gorinsky, and others at the hotel bar on Saturday night at Readercon 2006
Date: 07/08/2006
Scott Bakker (left), Liz Gorinsky, and others at the hotel bar on Saturday night at Readercon 2006
CIMG3512 Scott Bakker, John Scalzi and others at the bar at Readercon 2006
Second from left, clockwise: Scott Bakker; rightmost: John Scalzi; to his left: Liz Gorinsky; and others at the hotel bar on Saturday night at Readercon SF convention
Date: 07/08/2006
Second from left, clockwise: Scott Bakker; rightmost: John Scalzi; to his left: Liz Gorinsky; and others at the hotel bar on Saturday night at Readercon SF convention
CIMG3415 Jesse Soodalter and China Mieville's earrings
Jesse Soodalter and a close-up of China Mieville's formidable earrings
Date: 07/07/2006
Jesse Soodalter and a close-up of China Mieville's formidable earrings
CIMG3423 China Mieville and Jesse Soodalter
Science fiction writer China Mieville with Jesse Soodalter at the Friday night Meet The Pros party at Readercon 2006
Date: 07/07/2006
Science fiction writer China Mieville with Jesse Soodalter at the Friday night Meet The Pros party at Readercon 2006
CIMG3432 Liz Gorinsky at the Meet The Pros party
Liz Gorinsky and an unidentified con-goer at the Friday night's Meet The Pros party at the Readercon 2006
Date: 07/07/2006
Liz Gorinsky and an unidentified con-goer at the Friday night's Meet The Pros party at the Readercon 2006
