Karavansara

25 August 2014
by Davide Mana Leave a comment

Archive and scheduler

Yet another copybook.
Or, to be more precise, another ring binder.

Fact is, while my country sinks into terminal economic crisis and my CVs disappear in the black hole in which the CVs of the overeducated and underemployed end their life, I’m fulfilling my old dream of writing for a living.
Or die trying.

This means, among other things, keeping an eye out for open calls in the genres I normally write.

Which in turns means be organized, and write fast.
I already covered the write fast side of things in previous post, so I’ll talk about organization (or lack thereof) here. Continue reading →

24 August 2014
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Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones

Raiders of the Lost Ark with Tom Selleck as Indy and Sean Young as Marion?
Now that’s something I’d like to see – much as I love the first Indiana Jones movie as it is, the alternative is intriguing.
It would have been different.
Worse?
I can’t say.

Sure it’s good to play with what-might-have-beens…
And here’s a very very short snippet of Selleck and Young during their screen test.

and, considering that I can’t let you go with just 37 seconds of media, here’s Selleck telling his version of the famous “he turned down Indiana Jones” story…

23 August 2014
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Writing-relate insomnia – and remedies

Now, it was of course the Buddha who said expectations lead to suffering, and I just had a cold hard reminder of the truth of that statement.

Now, true to Lawrence Block‘s observation that writers write all the time, I’m often in the habit of reviewing my current story, and planning further developments, in the time before I fall asleep.

It’s not anything particularly esoteric – it is not that I’m priming my subconscious to set my ideas straight during sleep or whatever.
Simply, it beats counting sheep. Continue reading →

22 August 2014
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High Road to China

Nothing very complicated, just a great photograph from a fun movie.

22 August 2014
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Writing Prompt – We all Need a Little Rest

We just need the right place for it

What about writing something about the need for a break, in our constant running around?
A piece about taking a rest.

21 August 2014
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Selling Out (not!)

OK, as some of you might have noticed, a button appeared in the sidebar by clicking which, you’ll be able to purchase a copy of Scrivener for windows (or, with a minimum of fuss, for Mac, if that’s your game).

And yes – should you decide to shell out your money for the software, I’ll get a small commission.

I’m posting this, now, in the spirit of full disclosure – the fact that I get a commission if some of you decide to buy a software that I use and I am quite happy about does not mean I sold my soul.

After all, were money my chief concern, I’d try and sell you a much more expensive writing software – getting a larger commission.

So – new button in the sidebar, but no change in my blog policies.

21 August 2014
by Davide Mana 1 Comment

Gamers versus Game Designers

OK, short rant.
I’ll make it quick, I promise.

Two days back I witnessed a lengthy discussion between roleplayers comparing the merits and flaws of two popular gaming systems*.

The thing went on for a couple of hours as the involved parties compared narrativist and simulationist approaches to the rules, whether one system “outperformed” the other, the rate of fluff and crunch in the respective handbooks.
It was damn boring, and supremely futile. Continue reading →