More from @scalzi

John Scalzi

@scalzi

2 Nov

https://twitter.com/sigfusok/status/1455538287075069965

*Have* to vote? Never, voting isn't compulsory in the US.

*Should* vote? Every chance possible, as basic democratic practice.

*Do* vote? Varies from person. Some never vote, some only vote in national-level elections. I personally vote in 'em all. Usually one or two a year.

https://twitter.com/sigfusok/status/1455538287075069965

(NB: In the US, it's easier for some people to vote than others. As a white dude in a small rural community, for example, I've never experienced any difficulty voting, either in person or absentee. This is not the same experience for others not of my demographic.)

Also, for the record, I support election days being a national holiday in the US, a universal option for mailing in one's ballot, massively increasing the size of the House of Representatives (one rep for every 250k people is a start), ranked-ballot voting and no gerrymandering.

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John Scalzi

@scalzi

1 Nov

I'm not going to argue with any of this, especially the "extremely online" bit (I helped run a BBS at my high school in 1986), but I'm pretty sure I just code-named the character "Karen" as an in-joke for a neighbor and then the world used the name otherwise. So, uh, coincidence?

I mean, I *may* be engaging in revisionist history here? But I don't think the "Karen" phenomenon was in full fettle when I wrote Emperox, and my neighbor's name *is* Karen (and for the record she's great), and I do name characters for friends. So I'm sticking with my story.

@MaryRobinette

(Also for the record there are a huge number of name inserts ("Tuckerizations") in the Interdependency series, including other authors, high school friends and even my copy editor on one of the books. @MaryRobinette shows up twice! It's fun to give these sorts of salutes.)

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John Scalzi

@scalzi

15 Oct

https://twitter.com/GailSimone/status/1449029200514404352

Those I first followed (in a non-Twittery sense) for craft as a kid/teen were journalists/essayists: HL Mencken, Molly Ivins, Dorothy Parker, Dave Barry, Nora Ephron, PJ O'Rourke. I loved Asimov's non-fiction books. And William Goldman's books about movies. #1stWritersIFollowed

https://twitter.com/GailSimone/status/1449029200514404352

(I couldn't tell which authors I first followed on Twitter; I think I just followed a bunch of my friends who are writers all at once.)

@PaulRudnickNY

I don't think I follow any writers on Twitter I don't know/interact with personally (there are some I've not met in real life but we're friendly here) EXCEPT for @PaulRudnickNY, who doesn't know me from Adam but whose wit I've prized for so long that I'm happy to just fanboy him.

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John Scalzi

@scalzi

13 Oct

https://twitter.com/RudyLopes5/status/1448376642716454919

It's kind of a chicken or egg thing. Part of my job is to give Tor highly readable books with big, easily marketable hooks, and the Tor's very talented marketing/PR people then spin up ways to get the word out that I couldn't, and we talk to each other about stuff all the while.

https://twitter.com/RudyLopes5/status/1448376642716454919

Bear in mind I'm a bit of a franchise writer for Tor (I have that big damn book contract with them) and the house is contractually obliged to make a big deal about the books I deliver. I don't have the same exposure and attention concerns that many writers do. But in return...

... I am also *very* available to Tor for just about every publicity/marketing thing they ask of me, both for myself and for other authors (note all the "in conversation" events I do) and for Tor in general. I get a lot from them, I give a lot to them. It works.

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