The Word Of Jeff

When I’m reading a writing or photography magazine, I typically highlight passages or “star” pages and articles and then write the page number on the front cover so that later when I need to go back over the information, I can turn directly to the page without having to scan through the entire magazine. I also write myself notes on the pages to remind me of certain things that I want to remember, either about the article itself or thoughts I had when reading.

A couple of weeks ago I was reading the April issue of The Writer magazine while I was eating lunch. There was a good article entitled, “How To Get Past Writer’s Block” that I enjoyed reading. At some point while reading the article I took out my pen and wrote two words on the first page, “Hogan” and “Walker.”

And now, even though I always write these notes to remind me of something, I have no idea what those two words were supposed to remind me of in the article. I’ve read through it several times, trying to recapture what my thoughts were the first time I read it and jog my memory of what those words meant in the context of the article, but I keep coming up blank.

I can’t worry about writer’s block until I overcome my memory block.

Although I love writing, I have never really thought that I have a book in me waiting to come out (sorry babe, I know you were looking forward to that bestseller and the hefty advance), but IF I ever did write a book or short story, I think it would most likely be a science fiction story (either that or a fantasy story or a mystery involving computers) as that has always been one of my favorite genres to read.

So, I thought I’d list my Top Ten Science Fiction Authors and, if you have an interest in such writings, you can see how it compares to your own list of favorites. Remember, my list is purely subjective.

10. Ben Bova – The first work of his I stumbled across as a child was “The Star Conquerors” and the last one I read was “Orion Among The Stars.”

9. Isaac Asimov – One just has to mention “The Foundation Trilogy” or “I, Robot” or his Three Laws of Robotics to know we’re talking about one of the most well-known science fiction authors.

8. Arthur C. Clarke – Just listing his name is enough for anyone to understand the place of this recently deceased writer. He was also one of my favorite Humanists.

7. Poul Anderson – As a kid, I loved “Time Patrol” and “Tomorrow’s Children”, which led me to all the other great stories by this prolific author.

6. Frederik Pohl – Among my favorites by this author; “The Starchild Trilogy” and “Beyond the Blue Event Horizon.”

5. Ray Bradbury – “The Martian Chronicles” and “Fahrenheit 451” would be more than enough, but we also get “Something Wicked This Way Comes” and a plethora of other novels, short stories, screenplays and poetry from this gifted writer.

4. Piers Anthony – While mostly known for his “Xanth” series, it was his “Bio of a Space Tyrant” and “Incarnations of Immortality” series which enthralled me.

3. Robert A. Heinlein – Generally acknowledged as “The Dean of Science Fiction Writers.” From the mid-60’s to late 70’s I read everything of Heinlein’s I could lay my hands on. Obviously, his seminal work, “Stranger In a Strange Land” has always been a favorite and I recently re-read it just for fun. True fans will remember the “I Grok Spock” bumper stickers and signs in the late 60’s.

2. Jules Verne – Fondly referred to as “The Father of Science Fiction”, Verne was a man incredibly ahead of his time. Though probably best known for “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”, it was his “From the Earth to the Moon” that has always been my favorite of his writings.

1. H. G. Wells – With apologies to Doc Brown and Clara Clayton (if you’ve seen Back to the Future III then you know what I’m referring to), the legendary H. G. Wells takes the top spot on my list, mostly because his immortal “The Time Machine” encompasses my favorite sub-genre of science fiction writing; time travel. (Which, considering the subject matter, SHOULD have been their favorite author…except that he was only 9 years old in 1875, the year in which BTTF III was set) I read this book in elementary school and later saw the 1960 movie based on the bestseller starring Rod Taylor. Other great works of Mr. Wells include “The War of the Worlds”, “The Invisible Man”, “The Island of Doctor Moreau” and another one of my all-time favorites, “The First Men in the Moon.” Like Verne, Wells was a man far ahead of his time in what his imagination could conjure up.

So, there’s my totally subjective list of my favorite Top Ten Science Fiction Authors. Now it’s your turn. Share yours in the comment section. Maybe you’ll name some I’m not familiar with and it will give me recommendations for new authors to read.

Such a simple question, really. Nothing nearly as earthshaking as, “Did you murder your wife, Mr. Wetherington?” or “Honey, why are you wearing my lingerie?” So, why did it seem to give me such pause that time felt as if it had slowed while I considered all the possible answers?

The occasion for the question arose during a visit to a local bookstore this past Saturday afternoon. I had a coupon and it was burning a hole on my pocket. I already had three possible books in mind when I entered the store and two, it turned out, were not available. The third, Stephen King’s “On Writing” was not where I expected it to be under Writer’s Resources so I asked the clerk if he could check his inventory computer. He did and the last copy in the store was located in the fiction section, of all places. As I was presenting my coupon and payment for the book, he asked me that simple, almost sublime question…

“Are you a writer?”

I felt as if I were a deer, caught in the headlights of that probing, surgically incising question.

Indeed, am I a writer?

Other than a few software reviews I wrote 6 or 7 years back for a local Computer Club publication, none of my work has been in the realm of print and while I fully embrace the new technologies which make it possible for all of us to be “writers” on the Internet, part of me is still “old school” in defining a writer as someone who has written work that has been published in print. A book, magazine, or newsletter even.

And that’s not me…yet.

On the other hand, over the last few years I have written for several personal blogs, two hyperlocal blogs (one where my ability was sought out by a huge newspaper publishing conglomerate), a couple of personal travel blogs and I write articles and reviews about one of my childhood (ok, and adulthood) hobbies for another media site.

And all of that is writing.

Yet I still imagine that if I answer “Yes” to the question of “Are you a writer?” the next question will be, “What have you written?” and for most people that question really means, “Show me your book or magazine article” and, alas, I have none. Yet.

So I finally answered, “Yes, but all of my work is online, nothing in print” and he proceeded to tell me about a local writer’s group, if I was interested, that met at the store each month. I might have been if I weren’t just visiting his fair city.

It occurred to me later that, more and more lately, I HAVE been thinking of myself as a writer. A neophyte, without doubt and with a great deal to learn about this craft, but still, a writer in thought and deed.

I have a long way to go and not much time to get there, but yes, I AM a writer!