What are you Writing?

[Tiki Tom]

My murder mystery continues to be rejected by agents and publishers. Actually, it is not really Being rejected, per se, because no one even wants to look at the full manuscript. Shrugs. I’ve had (very) modest success in the past with self publishing. I could go that route again. On the other hand…

“vanity of vanities. All is vanity.” —- Ecclesiastes.

 

[AmateisGal]

My murder mystery continues to be rejected by agents and publishers. Actually, it is not really Being rejected, per se, because no one even wants to look at the full manuscript. Shrugs. I’ve had (very) modest success in the past with self publishing. I could go that route again. On the other hand…

“vanity of vanities. All is vanity.” —- Ecclesiastes.

Sorry to hear this! Traditional publishing is a tough business.

 

[AmateisGal]

I have to write a 9-12k paper for grad class (for those not in the know, I'm in my second year of my PhD in history program) and I also need to write my next novel. Trying to keep both separate in my brain is really hard.

 

[MikeKardec]

My murder mystery continues to be rejected by agents and publishers. Actually, it is not really Being rejected, per se, because no one even wants to look at the full manuscript. Shrugs. I’ve had (very) modest success in the past with self publishing. I could go that route again. On the other hand…

“vanity of vanities. All is vanity.” —- Ecclesiastes.

I'm not surprised. Not that I have any idea of it's content or quality but the publishing world is no longer what we grew up with, and most people here tend to have aesthetics that lean in that direction. I certainly do.

Though mysteries do better than other genres I've seen a powerful trend away from "genre fiction." The publishing companies are run by a certain type of person, with a certain type of background, and those privileged few they choose to share their club with. In one direction, the gap between the powers that be and the audience is greater and greater. In the other the gap between the powers that be and financial responsibility is greater and greater.

Though the world of the Kindle is not the wild west it once was, much of the sort of publishing, those wonderful paperbacks published between 1950 and 2000, that we loved has moved to Kindle Direct. It's just that, with no real company support (like editors etc.) every is kind of on heir own.

Mainstream publishers, more and more, want to cater a particular audience and to publish what they think passes as 'literature.' Not that they don't do other stuff, but the trend is fairly clear. They tell themselves 'this is what sells' but, if they are neglecting so much other stuff, how do they know?

It's also a price point thing. Below a certain price threshold the audience will be more willing to take a risk on material they know little about. It's always been this way but, these days, the only way to hit the right number, $2-3, you have to go electronic only. The issue with inventory and returns with a physical book means it can't perform at that level.

Everything was thrown into chaos by Covid. I don't know if any company has reorganized themselves to deal with a mostly remote workforce. There's no reason publishing can't function well with many people working from home, but their manner of working needs to be designed for that sort of solitary approach. It's a business that is hunkering down at home, hiring young people who know little and then there's no opportunity to really train them for the job ... they just wing it, and often they wing it poorly. I hear little talk about digging out, getting back to normal, evolving into a new structure, just a lot of cover your ass and try to get by.

Utterly my opinion, and based on little more than my finger in the wind ... but my finger's been in this wind for almost 40 years.

 

[MikeKardec]

Thanks!!!

I'm making painfully slow but fairly consistent progress with the new novel. It seems good, though the challenges I'm setting myself up for with the resolution are a bit staggering. Though I've spent all my life (especially my young life) in close proximity to people who do this with great speed and consistency I'm humbled every day thinking of them and how good the are/were.

Now I'm going to the sort of question I hate when people do it to me ... when are we going to see your Hollywood Novel? I've been looking forward to giving you a hand! Or whatever modest help I can actually offer.

 

[Edward]

Right now, I'm in the fourth painful week of writing a chapter on legal standards and responses to cyberthreats and security issues in the fintech sector. I was cajoled into it last year by a colleague, and really regret that now!

 

[Tiki Tom]

I'm not surprised. Not that I have any idea of it's content or quality but the publishing world is no longer what we grew up with, and most people here tend to have aesthetics that lean in that direction. I certainly do.

I agree with everything you said.
And as a friend told me the other day, “The game has changed in that, these days, everyone with a keyboard is working on a novel. It’s pretty hard to compete with the shear over-supply that’s out there.”
But —not to let this sound like a pitty party— another friend boasts of being a “romantic persecuted artist”. (When pressed, it is the market that is persecuting him!) Still. It Has a nice ring to it.

https://ideas.bkconnection.com/10-awful-truths-about-publishing

 

[AmateisGal]

I'm making painfully slow but fairly consistent progress with the new novel. It seems good, though the challenges I'm setting myself up for with the resolution are a bit staggering. Though I've spent all my life (especially my young life) in close proximity to people who do this with great speed and consistency I'm humbled every day thinking of them and how good the are/were.

Now I'm going to the sort of question I hate when people do it to me ... when are we going to see your Hollywood Novel? I've been looking forward to giving you a hand! Or whatever modest help I can actually offer.

I actually scrapped that particular Hollywood novel, and am embarking on a new one set in 1940 or 1941 (haven't figured out which yet) Hollywood. It's going to be unlike anything I've done before and I'm really excited. Unfortunately, the class I'm taking for my PhD is taking precedence over the novel right now since I have to write a 9K to 12K paper for it. Hoping I can squeeze in some writing sessions on the novel, though!

 

[MikeKardec]

“The game has changed in that, these days, everyone with a keyboard is working on a novel. It’s pretty hard to compete with the shear over-supply that’s out there.”

Just wait a year or two. There's hard times a-comin' and all the wealth and free time that allowed the over-supply to accumulate may dry up. Seriously, when generations are pursuing their dream of writing, acting, and studying stuff that will never make any money, it means there is serious prosperity. Get a good day job and keep that stack of manuscripts dry, there may be less competition all too soon! That will also be an audience that will be more into escapism than what they'd like to be seen reading by people they want to impress.

 

[MikeKardec]

I actually scrapped that particular Hollywood novel, and am embarking on a new one set in 1940 or 1941 (haven't figured out which yet) Hollywood. It's going to be unlike anything I've done before and I'm really excited. Unfortunately, the class I'm taking for my PhD is taking precedence over the novel right now since I have to write a 9K to 12K paper for it. Hoping I can squeeze in some writing sessions on the novel, though!

Of course. As it should, or you'd never have gone back to school. Still, I remain interested, perhaps more interested!

 

[MikeKardec]

The great writing challenge for this week: Come up with an evolved Nazi agenda for the post war world. As in, if you were a smart, well funded, organization that wanted to be National Socialism 2.0, what would you be doing? What would your goals be and how would you accomplish them. I've never seen this played out before. Most writers speculate about the continuation of traditional, 1930s Nazi BS, as if they were stuck in time. But they had evolved out of pre-Nazi German fascism, through more socialist-y Strasserism, and into the Third Reich regime that ran into the brick wall of history.

I need to imagine what it would be like if any had learned from their experiences (it's remarkable, and telling, that it seems few did!) and yet did not realize that they'd be better off if they stopped being evil. These are my bad guys, after all.

Now, I'm just talking about what I'm up to, not asking for help ... but realize if you DO help I might make the idea my own! So reply at your own risk ...

 

[MikeKardec]

Oh, yeah. Thank God for Google Earth. Greatest research tool ever! I hate it that no place is mysterious any longer, google as a company scares the merde out of me, but it's SO damn useful.

 

[LizzieMaine]

R

The great writing challenge for this week: Come up with an evolved Nazi agenda for the post war world. As in, if you were a smart, well funded, organization that wanted to be National Socialism 2.0, what would you be doing? What would your goals be and how would you accomplish them. I've never seen this played out before. Most writers speculate about the continuation of traditional, 1930s Nazi BS, as if they were stuck in time. But they had evolved out of pre-Nazi German fascism, through more socialist-y Strasserism, and into the Third Reich regime that ran into the brick wall of history.

I need to imagine what it would be like if any had learned from their experiences (it's remarkable, and telling, that it seems few did!) and yet did not realize that they'd be better off if they stopped being evil. These are my bad guys, after all.

Now, I'm just talking about what I'm up to, not asking for help ... but realize if you DO help I might make the idea my own! So reply at your own risk ...

"Folkish" nationalism crossed with pseudo-populism, added to a strong emphasis on reactionary "back to basics" religion and the enforcement of strict gender roles. These ideas are the primary forces in neo-Nazi circles today, and are also very much trending in certain former Eastern Bloc countries. Promote those basic philosophies with modern advanced social media technology, marketing, and surveillance methods, and there you go. They'd also have to ditch the swastikas and the brown shirts in favor of more localized "patriotic" imagery to appeal to their target market. Internet memes repeating simple themes would play a very heavy role in promoting such beliefs.

 

[AmateisGal]

The great writing challenge for this week: Come up with an evolved Nazi agenda for the post war world. As in, if you were a smart, well funded, organization that wanted to be National Socialism 2.0, what would you be doing? What would your goals be and how would you accomplish them. I've never seen this played out before. Most writers speculate about the continuation of traditional, 1930s Nazi BS, as if they were stuck in time. But they had evolved out of pre-Nazi German fascism, through more socialist-y Strasserism, and into the Third Reich regime that ran into the brick wall of history.

I need to imagine what it would be like if any had learned from their experiences (it's remarkable, and telling, that it seems few did!) and yet did not realize that they'd be better off if they stopped being evil. These are my bad guys, after all.

Now, I'm just talking about what I'm up to, not asking for help ... but realize if you DO help I might make the idea my own! So reply at your own risk ...

Wow. Now that's something I'd have to think about...and I am definitely intrigued!

 

[AmateisGal]

Of course. As it should, or you'd never have gone back to school. Still, I remain interested, perhaps more interested!

I'll send you an email!

 

[Tiki Tom]

The great writing challenge for this week: Come up with an evolved Nazi agenda for the post war world. As in, if you were a smart, well funded, organization that wanted to be National Socialism 2.0, what would you be doing? What would your goals be and how would you accomplish them. I've never seen this played out before. Most writers speculate about the continuation of traditional, 1930s Nazi BS, as if they were stuck in time. But they had evolved out of pre-Nazi German fascism, through more socialist-y Strasserism, and into the Third Reich regime that ran into the brick wall of history.

I need to imagine what it would be like if any had learned from their experiences (it's remarkable, and telling, that it seems few did!) and yet did not realize that they'd be better off if they stopped being evil. These are my bad guys, after all.

Now, I'm just talking about what I'm up to, not asking for help ... but realize if you DO help I might make the idea my own! So reply at your own risk ...

Of course, everything that Lizzie said, above. I’d also add opposition to anything that even vaguely smells of “communism”.

But to make it a true dysfunctional 21st century Nazism 3.0, I’d probably add the following: They thoroughly infiltrate the high tech world and make every computer message, every surveillance camera, every face recognition system, and every microphone a tool of their regime. (Google “ECHELON Surveillance system” for the fun of it.) On top of that, I’d add a social credit system (ala China) in which you get demerits for seemingly small infractions, but they add up to the individual not being able to buy a plane ticket, for example. I might also leverage control of scarce resources (water) and heavy handedly try to control who can reproduce, and who can’t. All this would imply a large, entrenched bureaucracy. The system would be justified in dulcet tones by an extremely likable and attractive spokesmodel: “We are doing this to combat crime, ensure social order and prosperity, fight extremism, and support traditional Family values. To deliver on this, —and due to foreign threats— we regret that democracy will have to be temporarily suspended.” The people happily go along with it because a crazy level of “bread and circuses “ is built into the act. Not to mention that you have little choice, due to a robust Secret Police presence. The goal, of course, is simply to stay in power, to direct financial rewards to your supporters, and to suppress radical ideas and undesirable elements.
Just add water and you have a readymade “Rebellion vs The Empire” plot. The trick would be to sufficiently avoid politics. ha ha.
Your project sounds interesting!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Every television and internet personality mouthpiecing for the regime would be a woman with long straight blonde hair, wearing a sleeveless dress.

 

[AmateisGal]

Every television and internet personality mouthpiecing for the regime would be a woman with long straight blonde hair, wearing a sleeveless dress.

And with blue eyes.

 

[Tiki Tom]

This is the new and improved, relatable, evil Nazi empire. They will know enough to load their puppet media networks with a disproportionate number of minorities who are willing to spout the party line. The new Generation Swastikatm will be nothing, if not media savvy. They will realize that, at least in public, the blonde-haired blue eyed male is a bye gone relic of the 1930s. The puppet masters may be whoever, but the public image will be young and hip, sexy, diverse, and very very modern. This is not your grandfather’s Nazi Party. It’s now about economics, not race or gender. Everyone will deny the Nazi label, although deep down they will still be Nazis. Twitter and the number of “likes” will be how they mold public opinion and subservience. “Influencers” will “cancel” anything that doesn’t align with party goals. Billboard’s top 10 will be filled with new patriotic regime anthems. The youth will be energized.
Yikes! I’m scaring myself. May it never come to pass.
Good luck with your book, Mike.

 

[MikeKardec]

They'd also have to ditch the swastikas and the brown shirts

Yes, definitely! An updated version would step away from anything that put a target on their backs

I’d also add opposition to anything that even vaguely smells of “communism”.

I'd argue this part, or maybe not, they were bringing their odd corporate/governmental "socialism" to the world one country at a time. Not interested in communism's egalitarian sales pitch, that's for sure. I've always seen German fascism and Soviet communism as sibling rivals with fascism as the more neglected and therefore more petulant child.

They thoroughly infiltrate the high tech world and make every computer message, every surveillance camera, every face recognition system, and every microphone a tool of their regime. (Google “ECHELON Surveillance system” for the fun of it.) On top of that, I’d add a social credit system (ala China) in which you get demerits for seemingly small infractions, but they add up to the individual not being able to buy a plane ticket, for example. I might also leverage control of scarce resources (water) and heavy handedly try to control who can reproduce, and who can’t. All this would imply a large, entrenched bureaucracy.

My story takes place in the 1960s, so I don't come all the way up to our era but ... you nailed it. I have been trying to show hints that this is where things are going. To that end I've been rereading IBM and the Holocaust, and exploring how a good many Nazis, mostly technocrats, penetrated information/science/industry in the first, second, and third world.

This is not your grandfather’s Nazi Party. It’s now about economics, not race or gender. Everyone will deny the Nazi label, although deep down they will still be Nazis.

Yeah, I've been wondering if they'd look for ways to get away from the Aryan thing, at least in public. They'd still have a problem with Jews, if only because Israel would never let them off the hook. An Israeli operative is a B story character. There is something humorous about Nazis having to live with, and rely on the generosity of, those they consider "lesser." Especially when the never really found a way to do much more than survive in those cultures. They never really succeeded.

I've never really considered any of those "American Nazis" or "Neo Nazis" to be real serious National Socialists. They do seem to have a relationship to the early Brownshirt types, but their process seems to just sort of skim the surface and certainly not reach into a totalitarian fusion of industry and government. The old military-industrial complex and today's government-information industry complex aren't places I see many skinheads. Seems like two different things. If there was an actual continuation/evolution of the Nazi elites they would probably distance themselves, if only because they didn't want the poor relatives crashing the fancy ball.

At the end of the day it's a novel and this stuff is background, probably justifying 10 or 15 paragraphs scattered around many chapters. But I've got to make those few bits convincing so it's great to get some feedback. Anything else is welcome!