Quotes
Editorial processes are subjective, based on what's available at a given moment in time, and ultimately unfair.
During the many centuries that magic, here on this planet, was presumed to have worked, there were at least as many theories as to how magic worked as there were cultures and religions.
Contractual considerations are very important in shared-world or work-for-hire situations. I make sure I know exactly what's expected.
Continuity problems are fairly straightforward, with absolute conflicts being the easiest to resolve. If writer A and writer B both lay claim to the same piece of real estate or character, it's usually possible to come up with a chronology that allows both stories to exist.
Compatibility problems are touchier. Sometimes author A does something that sends author B right through the roof and the editor has to scramble to play peacemaker.
Before I was a writer I was a computer programmer.
Because I'd been involved in the creation of a successful shared-world it was assumed that I'd know the rules in other shared worlds, so the invitations flowed my way.
As an author, you're usually responsible for both the creation and evolution of your characters, but in a shared world, the evolution of your character is at least partially determined by what your character does in response to situations you didn't create.
All authors are created equal, but, as the editor, I'm somewhat more equal than all the others.
A year or so ago, I considered writing a mainstream novel and, despite several time-consuming efforts, I just couldn't come up with a concept that made my ears wiggle and didn't involve fantasy-genre elements.
A good short-story writer has an instinct for sketching in just enough background to ground the specific story.
A good editor-and I don't claim to be one-can deduce the ideal elements of a writer's style and story and administer the necessary guidance to trick the writer into revealing it.
A dozen years is a long time in the world of publishing. The market is more fragmented and competitive than ever, and overall readership is down. Finding a niche is the first challenge; inserting a book into that niche is the second.
When it comes to helping out, I don't believe in doing it for the media attention. My goal is to support the organizations that need help.
What should exist? To me, that's the most exciting question imaginable. What do we need that we don't have? How can we realize our potential?
We've had some tough times, but we've hung in there.
The possible is constantly being redefined, and I care deeply about helping humanity move forward.
The best museums and museum exhibits about science or technology give you the feeling that, hey, this is interesting, but maybe I could do something here, too.
In my own work, I've tried to anticipate what's coming over the horizon, to hasten its arrival, and to apply it to people's lives in a meaningful way.
I still have the original tapes that had the BASIC that we brought from Boston to Albuquerque that had the first versions of BASIC on them.