View Full Version : The Barbara Adams Chat
In this chat you will get to meet Barbara Adams - the best known Trekker in the world, central figure in Trekkies 1 & 2, honorary member in Trekkers Norway, actor in Gatekeeper and a 4Father. She lives in Little Rock, Arkansas (USA).
Supreme Comander JAF
05-05-2008, 15:17
Ill be the first to welcome you to the board. Live long and prosper!
And I have to repeat my question from the shoutbox: Why does Little Rock, Arkansas sounds so familiar to me? I guess it could be that youre living there but I think its becaues one of your presidents was rised there, right?
Speaking about presidents: The rules of adressing will be helish is mrs clinton make it to white house with his housband as the first lady AND a former president, especially since youre mostly reffering the former presidents as presidents most of the time. So then youll have two presidents living in the white house! How fun could that be? J.
Rachel Krystad
05-05-2008, 15:38
You may be the first one to welcome her aboard on this site in this thread. But both I and Thomas welcomed her in the shoutbox yesterday. ;)
But I say welcome again. :) Hopefully the talks here will be just as interesting as those on TN. ;)
Well, George in Seinfeld pretended to be from Little Rock, Arkansas one time? :]
Welcome Barbara!
So did Bill Clinton - but we know better though ;P Adams is originally a New Yorker though, and as she is now VERY VERY VERY old, she will be moving to Florida very shortly. Hirr Hirr (actually she will).
Supreme Comander JAF
06-05-2008, 12:41
Florida is a nice place to live if youre rich enough. Would be a dream state of my own if I ever get a green card. J.
Actually the crime rate is not that good, and they do get a lot of storms as well, even though the climate is great in general. Isn't that so, Barbara? This is were my relatives live! :)
Supreme Comander JAF
06-05-2008, 17:01
Thats what the close comunities is for, he? J.
Hello!
Yes, sort of, President Bill Clinton was from Hot Springs, AR (West of Little Rock) and Governed the State from Little Rock for five (I think) years.
Actually, because he was president, customarily he will always be called President Clinton. I'm not sure how the media will formally address him if Hilary becomes president.
I'm still hoping she gets the nomination. Today is what could be the deciding vote if she doesn't do well in the two states voting today. I voted for her in this state's primary so now I can only wait it out until November.
You may be the first one to welcome her aboard on this site in this thread. But both I and Thomas welcomed her in the shoutbox yesterday. ;)
But I say welcome again. :) Hopefully the talks here will be just as interesting as those on TN. ;)
Hello Rachel;
Thank you for your welcome(s).
I'm sure our topics will be just as interesting here as on the Trekker Norway site. As I all ready stated, my internet connection is upgraded so I can be online at any time during the day (when I'm home, of course) so it will be easier for me to be on when some of you may be.
Actually the crime rate is not that good, and they do get a lot of storms as well, even though the climate is great in general. Isn't that so, Barbara? This is were my relatives live! :)
Thomas:
The crime rate in Miami is fairly high, but the rest of the state of Florida is not much worse than anywhere else in the US. The storms are less vicious than Oklahoma or Arkansas (fewer tornadoes), but it does get hurricanes and it has a high rate of thunder storms. The worse part of it's climate is the Fire Ants. The land is very flat.
I have an aunt and cousin there, but it's been many years since my last visit.
Well, George in Seinfeld pretended to be from Little Rock, Arkansas one time? :]
Welcome Barbara!
Hello Jøran;
I can't say I've ever seen Seinfeld, so I can't comment on that reference.
Thank you for your welcome. I look forward to talking with you here.
Ill be the first to welcome you to the board. Live long and prosper!
Hello;
Live long and prosper!
I look forward to sharing thoughts with you here.
To us (Scandinavians that is) tornadoes are pretty much Spielberg special effects! :) The Scandinavian weather has indeed changed lately, as it has all over the world. It's more unstable and unpredictable. We do get powerful storms as well and had a big one in 2005 between 34 and 40 m/s, but they don't really get much bigger than that. There are no earthquakes to speak of, but smaller floods from time to time. The most destructive force is probably our avalanches and landslides.
Fire ants don't sound like much fun. Only thing I don't like living out in the countryside is bugs. But I guess the sharks in Florida would be a bigger problem for me. I love swimming, but would never do so in shark infested waters. Norway has Killer Whales and a few sharks getting lost in the Gulf Stream, but their cold and lazy and not very dangerous. Usually Blue Sharks. But the Great White was reported once in the Oslo Fjord. The Killer Whales are of course not dangerous unless you go scuba diving with seals and are mistaken for one. As for Polar Bears, they're found at Svalbard I guess. They do kill people without hesitation if you're too close. A brown bear will usually only strike you down and leave you with a few bites. There have been several attacks lately though. Usually a dog bringing the bear all the way to its master while trying to escape the bear.
Supreme Comander JAF
21-05-2008, 13:04
Polar bears are way up in the north so I havent seen any here in stockholm and I guess there arent any in oslo as well. But we do get a few regular bears stroling into the stockholm area from time to time. But I think that I prephere an hurricane or a tornado from time to time rather than the ice covered streets we have here during the winters. Theyre downright unpleasent if you ask me. Stockholm is sometime called buty on water or the baltic Venice for its waterways and islands and its archipelago is undescrible. J.
Polar Bears in Stockholm??? You do know that they were not real:
http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2008/02/ecofreaks_in_be.html
Hirr hirr
And believe me when I say you would not prefer a hurricane or a tornado rather than ice covered streets, Commander. ;) A twig would be able to kill you in such a weather. It's not the wind that's a problem. I hate winter myself though! ;)
Hi, Adams.
Peace and long life \\//
As for the weather right here in the little town I'm living in, there has come more rain than in the 60's when I was a kid. . . And less snow in winter. We often has gales from the southwest, with rain, but the last time we had a hurricane here was in 1991 (new Years Day, no less). Just now, I'm looking out the window, and see there are sunny and pretty warm for this part of the country 23.4 C or 74.12 F
Glad you are with us on this project. I really think this will be a good thing, not only for Trekkers Norge, but also for the other org's in Scandinavia. And, as I stood on the election to the TN board, on the basis of having a close co-operation with Gatekeeper, I and the rest of the board will do our best to see this come through. :-)
Again, Glad you're with us, and I look forward to meeting you someday.
Supreme Comander JAF
21-05-2008, 17:33
Polar Bears in Stockholm??? You do know that they were not real:
http://www.moonbattery.com/archives/2008/02/ecofreaks_in_be.html
Hirr hirr
And believe me when I say you would not prefer a hurricane or a tornado rather than ice covered streets, Commander. ;) A twig would be able to kill you in such a weather. It's not the wind that's a problem. I hate winter myself though! ;)
Read my quote again thomas. I say that we dont have em in stockholm. So there is no use to go to stockholm and watch for em, hirr hirr...
And bealive me, I would love the weather in Florida as long as I got a weather proof house to shield in. Id guess youd never tryed to force a step hill wearing my overweight and coordination, hirr hirr.. J.
Supreme Comander JAF
21-05-2008, 17:38
Hi, Adams.
Peace and long life \\//
Glad you are with us on this project. I really think this will be a good thing, not only for Trekkers Norge, but also for the other org's in Scandinavia. And, as I stood on the election to the TN board, on the basis of having a close co-operation with Gatekeeper, I and the rest of the board will do our best to see this come through. :-)
Again, Glad you're with us, and I look forward to meeting you someday.
Couldnt agree more! as long as it contained within reasonable budget and dont kill the trekkers kommunity finansially it have the prospect of giving the trekkers community up here a real warp boost ahead. And that along with the new movie coming along...
As for meeting, I (and I bealive thomas also) would be glad to show you around stockholm some day if you would like to get here... J.
Commander: Ahhhh you were talking about "regular bears"! ;P Yeah that's right! We got'em in Botkyrka and I'm not happy about it. They get less and less affraid of humans.
*sings*: "Jeg er bjørnen Colargol, som kan synge dur og moll. . . ."
To us (Scandinavians that is) tornadoes are pretty much Spielberg special effects! :) The Scandinavian weather has indeed changed lately, as it has all over the world. It's more unstable and unpredictable. We do get powerful storms as well and had a big one in 2005 between 34 and 40 m/s, but they don't really get much bigger than that. There are no earthquakes to speak of, but smaller floods from time to time. The most destructive force is probably our avalanches and landslides.
Fire ants don't sound like much fun. Only thing I don't like living out in the countryside is bugs. But I guess the sharks in Florida would be a bigger problem for me. I love swimming, but would never do so in shark infested waters. Norway has Killer Whales and a few sharks getting lost in the Gulf Stream, but their cold and lazy and not very dangerous. Usually Blue Sharks. But the Great White was reported once in the Oslo Fjord. The Killer Whales are of course not dangerous unless you go scuba diving with seals and are mistaken for one. As for Polar Bears, they're found at Svalbard I guess. They do kill people without hesitation if you're too close. A brown bear will usually only strike you down and leave you with a few bites. There have been several attacks lately though. Usually a dog bringing the bear all the way to its master while trying to escape the bear.
Tornadoes are very much an all too real effect here. We've had a particularly active season so far this year and it lasts through September. They can accompany almost any severe thunderstorm and the lightning is lethal.
There is a faultline that comes near Arkansas and could cause earthquakes, but so far we've only had minor tremors too small to feel. We have bears in Arkansas, but more in the northern part of the state. All of the state has a number of poisonous snakes, mosquitoes, fire ants and many bees, hornets and wasps along with a couple of poisonous spiders. Arkansas is thick with insects.
Fire Ants are very nasty. They attack in large numbers and are known to kill livestock, cows, sheep, etc. if they step on their mounds. They leave blisters on your skin that itch for several days. As for the Florida sharks, they are off the southern and east coast (from the Atlantic ocean) mostly. Rarely will the "maneaters" enter the Gulf of Mexico on the west coast. You're more likely to be biten by an alligator in the southern part of the state. Florida's biggest natural danger is hurricanes.
Polar bears are way up in the north so I havent seen any here in stockholm and I guess there arent any in oslo as well. But we do get a few regular bears stroling into the stockholm area from time to time. But I think that I prephere an hurricane or a tornado from time to time rather than the ice covered streets we have here during the winters. Theyre downright unpleasent if you ask me. Stockholm is sometime called buty on water or the baltic Venice for its waterways and islands and its archipelago is undescrible. J.
I know the polar bears are coming further south into Canada and Nova Scotia now that the ice is not forming as early as it should on my side of the Atlantic. There's nothing to prefer about tornadoes, and we still have ice in the winter in Arkansas. It just doesn't stay throughout the winter, but we have had as much as fifteen days at a time. In December 2000, the first winter I had Nerys (my cat), we had a terrible ice storm that knocked out the electricity for two weeks in some parts of the city. I was without power for four days.
I've seen pictures of Stockholm, and heard of it's comparison to Venice and I hope one day to be able to visit there as I have Norway.
Hi, Adams.
Peace and long life \\//
As for the weather right here in the little town I'm living in, there has come more rain than in the 60's when I was a kid. . .
Glad you are with us on this project. I really think this will be a good thing, not only for Trekkers Norge, but also for the other org's in Scandinavia. And, as I stood on the election to the TN board, on the basis of having a close co-operation with Gatekeeper, I and the rest of the board will do our best to see this come through. :-)
Again, Glad you're with us, and I look forward to meeting you someday.
Hello Jos;
Peace and long life. \\//_
The weather this spring has been pretty bad so far, with many storms coming through making it cooler than usual for Arkansas. We've had more tornano activity so far than we had all last year, possibly including half of the year before that. The world climate is clearly not "normal" this year.
I think it's important for organizations like Trekkers Norge, the Federation Alliance and Gatekeeper to exist, to help keep the true vision of Star Trek alive as Paramount's productions seem to steer off course. I'm still witholding judgment before the next movie comes out, but I don't understand why they keep trying to reach back into the 23rd and even the 22nd century when it just exposes them to making mistakes "rewriting" history that exists. It's so much more logical to go forward which is the essence of Trek. Looking forward.
I know it will be a pleasure working with this project as I've had the honor to meet some who are working on this project. And I look forward to be able to meet all of you one day.
Rachel Krystad
22-05-2008, 09:06
To us (Scandinavians that is) tornadoes are pretty much Spielberg special effects! :) The Scandinavian weather has indeed changed lately, as it has all over the world. It's more unstable and unpredictable. We do get powerful storms as well and had a big one in 2005 between 34 and 40 m/s, but they don't really get much bigger than that. There are no earthquakes to speak of, but smaller floods from time to time. The most destructive force is probably our avalanches and landslides.
Thomas, I may have to correct you on something; We do get tornadoes in Norway as well, they are just rare and seldom powerful. But I remember that in 2006 it was a notice in the newspaper giving a tornado warning for the entire South-Eastern side of Norway (there I happen to live) for an entire week since the July had been extremely hot that year.
In fact, the only place in the world that tornadoes don't strike, is Antarctica. ;)
And the northern part of Norway once went through a hurricane stated to be of the same strength as hurricane Andrew that struck Florida in 1992.
To speak of something else: I'm looking forward to the next Star Trek movie. Even though it would have been better if it were post-Nemesis I think I should give it a chance.
I know the polar bears are coming further south into Canada and Nova Scotia now that the ice is not forming as early as it should on my side of the Atlantic. There's nothing to prefer about tornadoes, and we still have ice in the winter in Arkansas. It just doesn't stay throughout the winter, but we have had as much as fifteen days at a time. In December 2000, the first winter I had Nerys (my cat), we had a terrible ice storm that knocked out the electricity for two weeks in some parts of the city. I was without power for four days.
I've seen pictures of Stockholm, and heard of it's comparison to Venice and I hope one day to be able to visit there as I have Norway.
You will! ;) The set of Gatekeeper will be built in Stockholm. The outdoors scenes will be shot in Oslo, as well as a few indoors scenes with green screen.
I'm still witholding judgment before the next movie comes out, but I don't understand why they keep trying to reach back into the 23rd and even the 22nd century when it just exposes them to making mistakes "rewriting" history that exists. It's so much more logical to go forward which is the essence of Trek. Looking forward.
I totally agree! We chose the 29th Century for a reason! So far Richard Arnold sais the new movie looks good (he has a small cameo). Guess the one good thing about making another TOS movie is to use Leonard Nimoy one more time, before we loose him. Too bad the present time og the movie is in an era when Kirk was dead, which means NO Shatner (Spock is looking back in time which is why his younger self is the only one that had to look like the original actor - they'll fade the two faces over in each other I guess).
PS! Is it only me, or does this movie seem like the idea Shatner had for a new movie when he instead was forced to make the terrible one (with not enough time and money).
Thomas, I may have to correct you on something; We do get tornadoes in Norway as well, they are just rare and seldom powerful. But I remember that in 2006 it was a notice in the newspaper giving a tornado warning for the entire South-Eastern side of Norway (there I happen to live) for an entire week since the July had been extremely hot that year.
Really? I've never heard of this! :) But was this a warning or an actual tornado?
Remember that the twirling winds we sometime see is not tornadoes.
We might not have tornadoes. . .But there are a lot of "skypumper" (don't know the english word) that only occurs over the sea. . . .It's the same as a tornado, but weaker and smaller. . . (often no more than a couple of meters high.)
Supreme Comander JAF
22-05-2008, 15:10
I am one of few that has no quarrel with nemesis and enterprise so I have no fear in the next movie even thou I see some risks involved. And I do got mixed feeling about making romulans without hairs. Ofc theyre should look a loot like vulcans! Its their sister breathern so to say. Have no one told mister Adams that? but I wouldnt judge anything unseen. And I keep my finger crossed for a new tv series after this movie. J.
We might not have tornadoes. . .But there are a lot of "skypumper" (don't know the english word) that only occurs over the sea. . . .It's the same as a tornado, but weaker and smaller. . . (often no more than a couple of meters high.)
They're called Waterspouts I believe. But if it's only a few meters it's probably just a dustdevil kind'a wind. It's not really a tornado but cross wind on the ground! :)
Rachel Krystad
22-05-2008, 19:53
Really? I've never heard of this! :) But was this a warning or an actual tornado?
Remember that the twirling winds we sometime see is not tornadoes.
This was not just one, but several actual tornadoes. ;) There had already been three tornado sightings (of real tornadoes, not twirling winds or waterspouts) the last two days then the warning came out. The warning was about that there was a big risk for many more tornadoes the first coming week then it was posted.
And they were correct, already the next day a tornado (again, a real one, not a waterspout or some twirling wind) struck not so far from there I was camping. I myself couldn't see the tornado then it struck as I was indoors, but I could see on the clouds that it was going to be a powerful thunderstorm as I saw a squall line and the clouds were kind of "greenish".
And in the newspapers, as well as on the news on TV, it was reported for the days that followed of several new tornado sightings.
Yes, some of the sightings was waterspouts, but most were over land far from the ocean and thus real tornadoes.
So you see we have real tornadoes, but they rarly gets above F2. ;)
WOW! How exciting! Are there any photos of this? :)
I heard you are working on a timeline for Captain Elisabeth Janeway - all the way back to the Voyager Captain! Can you tell us a bit about it? :)
Supreme Comander JAF
19-07-2008, 14:23
If my memory isnt wrong the captain Janeway timeline has already been published on the portal so its very done... J.
Correct! But that was a long time ago. It's far more detailed now! The home page will be up to date in not to long!
Seb:
Yes, I've been working on a family timeline for Capt. Elisabeth Janeway. It's still evolving at this point, but I'll send an update to Thomas tomorrow - mid week at the latest. We decided to add a wider scope, deeper, more information.
I have a history of doing this for my own projects as I firmly believe it's important to identify a character's past to understand their personality and behavior.
Supreme Comander JAF
20-07-2008, 11:06
You do? I rather prephere not to overwork my caracter description and leave preatty much to discover it self as the writing process goes on. I mean, how many of us know our timeline farther back than or great grandparents or so? But Ill guess we are all different... Did I say that I like to write myself? J.
Again - you are a bit too fast, Commander!
YOU will react to everything around you from your genetics and what you have experienced in the past. The CHARACTERS you write will NOT - unless YOU know what their background story is. And so you need to invent it or the characters personality will often be filled with conflicting behaviou - and not in a natural way. This is how almoust all writers work, Commander - and for a good reason.
Supreme Comander JAF
20-07-2008, 18:16
Well I dont have to know everything about my caracters, only whats important for the script. For most off my caracters I dont even know who theyre parents are or even what theyre eyecollors are. But I do "know" what kind of persons theyre are and how they will react in different situations. Its more that I hear them "talk" to in scene after scene rather than me making decisions based on their family history. I cant explain it more precisly but it works for me, I hope... J.
Supreme Comander JAF
20-07-2008, 18:18
By the way Ill send you the songs from distant earth script when its done as an example of my work... J.
You do? I rather prephere not to overwork my caracter description and leave preatty much to discover it self as the writing process goes on. I mean, how many of us know our timeline farther back than or great grandparents or so? But Ill guess we are all different... Did I say that I like to write myself? J.
I have to say up front, that I don't consider myself a writer, but I have done it as a means of entertaining myself. I had a very different up-bringing than most and writing stories was mental exercise for me that was an evolution from making up stories that my toys acted out. Now it is a means of private relaxation.
I agree most people don't personally know their history, but it is reflected onto the character from their parent, who was affected by their parent and so on. So I have to consider the character's history at least four generations back for me to feel comfortable getting indepth with a character. I feel my characters can only grow if I understand their past. I don't assume the character's future, but having a knowledge of how the character would have been influenced allows me to recognize how it should react.
The Janeway lineage is not typical - For my own satisfaction, I needed to answer the question of how to go from 24th Century, Kathryn Janeway to 29th Century, Elisabeth Janeway. Most would not consider it a vital part of our project.
Rachel Krystad
20-07-2008, 18:41
Its more that I hear them "talk" to in scene after scene rather than me making decisions based on their family history. I cant explain it more precisly but it works for me, I hope... J.
Same here, then I wonder on how one of my characters react to this and that I in a way can both see them and hear then talk in my mind in those different situations, i.e. I visualize it all as a movie in my mind. The hard part is to get it worded down on paper.
Though I do need to at least know the background of those characters a bit, meaning what has happened to them in the past and so on, as it can affect them on how they react then a similar situation happen later. ;)
PS.: Welcome back, Adams. :)
PS.: Welcome back, Adams. :)
Hello Rachel;
I'm glad to be back.
Well I dont have to know everything about my caracters, only whats important for the script. For most off my caracters I dont even know who theyre parents are or even what theyre eyecollors are. But I do "know" what kind of persons theyre are and how they will react in different situations. Its more that I hear them "talk" to in scene after scene rather than me making decisions based on their family history. I cant explain it more precisly but it works for me, I hope... J.
This often creates rather flat and sterotypical characters that are only this and that. Most people often act a certain way, while being someone completely different. This is much easier to create when you know the characters background. There is a reason why all professional writers work this way! :) Then again you may not care much for the small details of social behavior in your characters, and focus more on the action.
Supreme Comander JAF
20-07-2008, 20:37
Some one said that even the least complex human being is far more advanced and complex than even the most complex caracter ever be. I dont want to overload my brain with useless info about my caracters - at least not when writing the initial script. I prephere to see them from what theyre do in the script. I mean, when the audience start to see a movie theyre dont know a thing about the caracters and that preatty much how I do to. I simply putes down a few notes, do an outline and cut out a few important caracters and then starts to write when the story is mature in my head. I usually gets a felling for them and a few catch scenes that jumps up in my head and then the hard work startes.
But if youre an direktor or producer its different. Then youre gonna know what kind of caracter this is in order to get the right actor for him or her or it. But as a writer I dont have to work with that. J.
But if youre an direktor or producer its different. Then youre gonna know what kind of caracter this is in order to get the right actor for him or her or it. But as a writer I dont have to work with that. J.
YOU are the director when writing a book, and while you feel comfortable with writing this way (which is fine) it's a bold claim that a writer doesn't have to reasearch his characters' backgrounds, as most writers do just that.
But let's not start a debate in Adam's thread. Start one in your own and we'll debate it there if you like. :)
Supreme Comander JAF
21-07-2008, 13:31
Maybe thats why I find it more enjoyeble to write scripts than books? :-) End of transmission... J.
Well, I see since this debate has settled. All is now quiet.
"Kill the whales!!!"
(just trying to open up a debate again) ;P
Supreme Comander JAF
24-07-2008, 12:47
I am just waiting to have a script to put into thomas mouth... Then well see about flat caracters... But it takes some time to write 100 to 180 pages. I am a writer not a miracleman... J. ps talking about scripts: is there such an agent (I suppose you go through agents with scripts to?) in hollywood that can judge scripts written in swedish? While I am good at english I dont want to write scripts in that laungage for some wery good reason... ds
No - there is not! They recieve a large number of scripts, so everything needs to go smoothly and quickly. Pay a translator to translate it in Sweden, and use someone that have experience with books or scripts. Search for "skönlitterära översättare" on google!
Supreme Comander JAF
24-07-2008, 20:00
My luck... Maybe a new nisch for four fathers? :-) J.
4Faters will most likely produce a Fantasy next time - to be SOLD! We haven't debated this yet!
"Kill the whales!!!"
(just trying to open up a debate again) ;P
I think we can find a less volatile subject to debate.
Let's try Warp theory and it's potential to warp the fabric of space.
From what I've heard, getting scripts or books read is not an easy process without an agent, and there are still no guarantees. Agents don't always work as hard as you think they should if they don't believe in your work. It's best to really know what your agent will do for you. And absolutely make sure you understand your contract above all else both with your agent as well as any offer for your work.
As far as books it is easy in Scandinavia, and many writers suggest you skip the agent part. You still need to write well naturally! ;) But you often earn more from a script. You usually get about 50 000 crowns for a book (before taxes), and then about 10 percent of the sales. Usually this will be 75 000 crowns all in all - UNLESS you get it translated (or sold to a book club) and thereby to a bigger market. Usually this is decided from how much you sell in your home country, but if they really believe in you book they might translate it right away. Well known writers often get it translated at once.
Supreme Comander JAF
25-07-2008, 15:09
From what I've heard, getting scripts or books read is not an easy process without an agent, and there are still no guarantees. Agents don't always work as hard as you think they should if they don't believe in your work. It's best to really know what your agent will do for you. And absolutely make sure you understand your contract above all else both with your agent as well as any offer for your work.
Thank god we do it without agents in sweden. We just sent our works to the bookmakers or the ones producing movies or whatewer. Its when youre aiming for hollywood thats stuff becames a little bit more involved. Especially given that I dont write in english...
And yes, hollywood agents must be reaciving redicious numbers of scrips every day. So the point is to find something that stand above the rest and sent it to the right agent at the right time. And I think it get easier if youre have written a script or two that have been blockbusters in scandinavia...
And I dont say that getting a foot inside hollywood will be easyly done. It just a dream of mine. And you got way more reasorces to do the kind of blockbuster movies that I would like to write to... J.
Books can be produced privately in the U.S. without an agent, but then the individual has to find a market place and (unless they get someone to contribute) must pay for the printing costs themselves. They will have to distribute the copies to the shop and look for new places to sell their book. If a critic finds your book and writes a review, you might get some help for expanding your market if people start asking for it.
The Manutius system, described by Umberto Eco in Foucault's Pendulum, describes one way of having your own stuff "published". Very very funny :-)
Supreme Comander JAF
26-07-2008, 10:45
Actually there is, in sweden at least, a self publishing company out named vulkan.se. There you can publish your book for free and have it printed on demand as you sell books. Actually I have my first novell published there.
I started with writing books but now I am more an scriptwriter. Working with pictures and dialoque fits me better than working with novels. J.
These companies are getting more and more popular - as is internet publishing! But I believe the dream for many is to get their novel published through a real publishing house - because these are not. They are printers - basically! They are an alternative though if you can't get it published, and it's not unusual for writers to visit the bookstores selling the books themselves. Sometime the bookstores WILL buy them.
My business partner and I had a short english story translated into Norwegian. It was impossible to get it to the book shops, so we're now considering alternatives. The difficult thing is really the distribution.
You make a presentation ad, and give the bookstore the ad and a copy to read - and then you get back to them a week later! :) AND you can also sell it in a number of Internet stores (even abroad).
Publishing your own work and getting published are two very different things. Many are bypassing the Publishing Houses "your book is not what we're looking for" letters, but it is very a different market if you choose to publish on the internet or on your own. I am acquainted with two published writers and many writers wanting to be published.
Supreme Comander JAF
28-07-2008, 09:37
Ive agree with that. Self publishing maybe a boost of your ego but unless you havent a lot off friends or some real good conection youll be likely to not earn any money from it. It would be fun to get a number of how many script (both books and othere) that are written every year. Far more than are published is my guess. J.
Self publishing maybe a boost of your ego but unless you havent a lot off friends or some real good conection youll be likely to not earn any money from it. It would be fun to get a number of how many script (both books and othere) that are written every year. Far more than are published is my guess. J.
I'm sure you're right about the ego boost. Putting your story on paper gives a writer a good feeling, seeing it as a book: WOW! And you might have enough friends to pay the printing costs, but it won't put you on a Best Sellers list. I'm sure dozens are turned away from every publishing house and production studio every day.
It's very hard to get your work out there in large numbers without going through a publishing house. It's just not done - IF you want money for it. To me that's the main reason I'll go this way with my first book. I want a large number of readers. I want it translated to earn a bit on it - and the money will give me more time to do the next one.
Supreme Comander JAF
30-07-2008, 12:07
And your first book was? J.
My first book is called "The Irritants".
Supreme Comander JAF
15-09-2008, 18:52
I heard on cnn that there was some flooding in houston. Its a little bit funny since first we heard that the storm Gustav would be the mother of all storms and then came Ike smashing in another area. Ill hope youre be fine and I hope (as a space exploration interested) that the space center at houston came out of this one in one piece. J.
Supreme Comander JAF
22-12-2008, 15:53
Can some one move my statement above to the majel baret discussion? I cant either delete it or move it surprisengly enogh. J.
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