Hi Nick,
Any look back at history, whether from a nostalgic viewpoint (things we loved) or a critical viewpoint (things we hated) will always be a shadowy approximation of reality. I think a critical viewpoint propels us forward more than a nostalgic viewpoint because it’s about finding something better. But a nostaligic viewpoint acts more towards guiding us in the right direction.
So, on the one hand, the personal computer was born out of the desire for faster computation, easier manipulation of text, etc. The nostalgic viewpoint says “remember a time when life was slower and we connected with each other on a more personal level?” And so, now we see social networking sites like Facebook, and individual blogs, etc. where people are starting to connect on personal levels in new and exciting ways. It’s all a big cycle.
But, I take specific issue with the first line in your qoute that says technological change is a generational change. The pace of change has grown so much that the pace itself (not the technology) has become a generational thing. People my age (I’m 50) grew up with a lot of change, but the pace was still slow enough that it was comparatively easy to freeze a few years time in our minds and point to that time as the “the way things were.” There was time to get used to the look and feel of the latest gadgets and accept them as the standard. But today, my daughters are irritated if there cell phone is some ancient two year old device. “Change” is now the standard for them. They expect it, they want it, they get irritated if it doesn’t happen.
I had no idea you were an artist.
I haven’t been here for a while, so it was a suprise to see so many new posts. Cool.
4.
Keyan | July 23rd, 2009 at 9:07 am
I’m not sure about this, partly because it’s quite difficult to know how royalties work. It’s not unusual to find authors angsting about what their sales were and whether they actually got the royalties they were due. In that model, all the control is in the hands of the publisher – and the author has no way of vetting anything. With an advance, at least the author knows they’ve got that sum, and the royalties, if they come extra.
5.
nickwolv | July 23rd, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Yeah, I’ve heard that, too. Also about royalties being paid super, super late. And what happens if the publisher goes out of business? I don’t know, but it seems like that could cause problems.
One irony that comes to mind is that the “no-advance” publishers and imprints would seem categorically to be on shakier ground–which suggests there might be problems with royalties down the road. Whereas the sort of big, solid publisher capable of offering big advances might also be a more reliable source of royalties. But maybe that’s not the case.
One thing that impresses me, with my fringe view of the publishing industry, is that there’s never an obvious path. Some writers get an agent first, some get an offer first; some come up through the workshops, some submit anonymously; some make a name in short stories and move to novels, some start with novels right off the bat. It’s all very messy. Surely the same is true when you get in deeper. Fat advances must have some uses, or publishers wouldn’t offer them.
Still, I’d feel sort of weird if I didn’t earn back an advance. I suppose you never can tell–a book can seem like a failure, and then the author writes a hit and the old titles start selling.
One thing’s for sure–I don’t have to worry about ANY of these questions, just yet!
6.
Micah | November 6th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Cooool! Congrats!
7.
Ann VanderMeer | November 9th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Congrats! I was very excited when I saw the new issue at WFC last weekend.
Thanks for your kind words about my cover illustration. Oddly enough, creating such an illustration was a childhood dream for me as well (see my blog ).
But the synchronicity can be taken a bit further: My son’s name is Nick, and one of the first novels I ever wrote (unprinted, sadly enough) features some creatures that I called “Wolven.”
Of course one can always find such coincidences if enough digging is done. But it still is rather spooky when it happens.
At any rate, congratulations on a dream come true — and in helping me realize one of mine as well.
–Duncan
=====================
Freelance book and magazine illustrator for HarperCollins, PS Publishing, Pocket Books, Solomon Press, American Media, Fort Ross, Asimov’s Science Fiction, and many other publishers. See my magazine and book cover illustrations at: DuncanLong.com/art.html
Hey, great to see you here, Duncan! Sorry it took me so long to approve your comment. I’d like to blame it on the holidays, but the truth is I visit my own blog about once every two months.
I see you’re doing more Asimov’s covers. Maybe our world’s will intersect again …
No Comments yet
1. Keyan | July 10th, 2009 at 6:16 am
Looking forward to a more frequently updated Nickblog!
2. David Wesley | July 17th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Hi Nick,
Any look back at history, whether from a nostalgic viewpoint (things we loved) or a critical viewpoint (things we hated) will always be a shadowy approximation of reality. I think a critical viewpoint propels us forward more than a nostalgic viewpoint because it’s about finding something better. But a nostaligic viewpoint acts more towards guiding us in the right direction.
So, on the one hand, the personal computer was born out of the desire for faster computation, easier manipulation of text, etc. The nostalgic viewpoint says “remember a time when life was slower and we connected with each other on a more personal level?” And so, now we see social networking sites like Facebook, and individual blogs, etc. where people are starting to connect on personal levels in new and exciting ways. It’s all a big cycle.
But, I take specific issue with the first line in your qoute that says technological change is a generational change. The pace of change has grown so much that the pace itself (not the technology) has become a generational thing. People my age (I’m 50) grew up with a lot of change, but the pace was still slow enough that it was comparatively easy to freeze a few years time in our minds and point to that time as the “the way things were.” There was time to get used to the look and feel of the latest gadgets and accept them as the standard. But today, my daughters are irritated if there cell phone is some ancient two year old device. “Change” is now the standard for them. They expect it, they want it, they get irritated if it doesn’t happen.
3. Kater | July 17th, 2009 at 12:47 pm
I had no idea you were an artist.
I haven’t been here for a while, so it was a suprise to see so many new posts. Cool.
4. Keyan | July 23rd, 2009 at 9:07 am
I’m not sure about this, partly because it’s quite difficult to know how royalties work. It’s not unusual to find authors angsting about what their sales were and whether they actually got the royalties they were due. In that model, all the control is in the hands of the publisher – and the author has no way of vetting anything. With an advance, at least the author knows they’ve got that sum, and the royalties, if they come extra.
5. nickwolv | July 23rd, 2009 at 12:18 pm
Yeah, I’ve heard that, too. Also about royalties being paid super, super late. And what happens if the publisher goes out of business? I don’t know, but it seems like that could cause problems.
One irony that comes to mind is that the “no-advance” publishers and imprints would seem categorically to be on shakier ground–which suggests there might be problems with royalties down the road. Whereas the sort of big, solid publisher capable of offering big advances might also be a more reliable source of royalties. But maybe that’s not the case.
One thing that impresses me, with my fringe view of the publishing industry, is that there’s never an obvious path. Some writers get an agent first, some get an offer first; some come up through the workshops, some submit anonymously; some make a name in short stories and move to novels, some start with novels right off the bat. It’s all very messy. Surely the same is true when you get in deeper. Fat advances must have some uses, or publishers wouldn’t offer them.
Still, I’d feel sort of weird if I didn’t earn back an advance. I suppose you never can tell–a book can seem like a failure, and then the author writes a hit and the old titles start selling.
One thing’s for sure–I don’t have to worry about ANY of these questions, just yet!
6. Micah | November 6th, 2009 at 12:46 am
Cooool! Congrats!
7. Ann VanderMeer | November 9th, 2009 at 4:53 pm
Congrats! I was very excited when I saw the new issue at WFC last weekend.
8. Kater | December 1st, 2009 at 7:33 pm
I’m totally name dropping, you know. “Yeah, Nick Wolven? I know him. Uh huh.”
Good for you!
9. Keyan | December 12th, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Wow, Nick! I missed this. Terrific!
10. Duncan Long | December 13th, 2009 at 10:17 am
Thanks for your kind words about my cover illustration. Oddly enough, creating such an illustration was a childhood dream for me as well (see my blog ).
But the synchronicity can be taken a bit further: My son’s name is Nick, and one of the first novels I ever wrote (unprinted, sadly enough) features some creatures that I called “Wolven.”
Of course one can always find such coincidences if enough digging is done. But it still is rather spooky when it happens.
At any rate, congratulations on a dream come true — and in helping me realize one of mine as well.
–Duncan
=====================
Freelance book and magazine illustrator for HarperCollins, PS Publishing, Pocket Books, Solomon Press, American Media, Fort Ross, Asimov’s Science Fiction, and many other publishers. See my magazine and book cover illustrations at: DuncanLong.com/art.html
11. Keyan | December 15th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Congrats!
Don’t know how I missed seeing it earlier on. Blogged about it here:
http://keyan-bowes.livejournal.com/26662.html
12. nickwolv | December 29th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Hey, great to see you here, Duncan! Sorry it took me so long to approve your comment. I’d like to blame it on the holidays, but the truth is I visit my own blog about once every two months.
I see you’re doing more Asimov’s covers. Maybe our world’s will intersect again …