If You Build It, Will They Come?

Free content - particularly in the audio fiction space - suddenly seems a lot less of a perpetual free lunch than it did six months ago, and it’s got a lot of folks freaking out in my corner of the Internet. Providers are dropping like flies this year! Matthew Wayne Selznick and J.C. [...]

Blood, Guts, Breasts, and Insanity

Demographic disclosure: I am an American who likes good adult (note the lack of euphemistic quotation marks) entertainment, and I am disgusted and ashamed at what thirty years of cultural conservatism has done to my country. Perhaps I’d better back up and explain…

7 Comments »Filed under: Censorship, Creativity, Idle Musings, Language, Public PolicyPosted on February 24th, 2010

Super Sneaky Victoriana Research Tips

by Gail Carriger
[In honor of her new book Soulless, which impressed me with its groundedness in the Victorian world, I asked author Gail Carriger to blog about the art of finding good research sources for Steampunk writing. This is her contribution - thank you very much, Ms. Carriger! -JDS]
I’ve said it before and I’ll [...]

No Comments »Filed under: Creativity, Idle Musings, LanguagePosted on October 10th, 2009

Warning: Dead Robots Ahead

I was interviewed this week on The Dead Robots Society, where we discussed Predestination, producing full cast audiobooks, and the glorious delirium of writing. Hear it all here

What Book Publishers Could Learn from Drug Dealers

by J. Daniel Sawyer
Thanks to Amy Gahran for sparking the idea
Literacy is like heroin - it’s habit-forming. The more people try out the habit, the more likely they are to retain it. Exposure to books breeds consumption of books, which is good, because the act of reading requires deliberate commitment. This is important to keep [...]

4 Comments »Filed under: Creativity, Idle Musings, PublishingPosted on March 10th, 2009

TED of the Day: Creativity and Play

As we grow and learn about responsibility and darkness in the world, we often lose the ability to play at life, at love, and to take the kinds of risks that children take for fun every day. It’s an interesting paradox, because as our world gets freer and more prosperous, more of the jobs [...]

No Comments »Filed under: Autodidact, Creativity, Idle MusingsPosted on November 26th, 2008

Steampunk Education, Part 3

On the Indamixx once again - this week I’m attempting to mix and edit Antithesis on it.  Recording on it worked well already, though I am encountering issues with the thing’s root authentication - but more on that in my LinuxJournal article.
For this weekend’s foray into steampunkiness, I ordered my outfit for Steamcon.  It should [...]

No Comments »Filed under: Creativity, Film Reviews, Idle MusingsPosted on October 19th, 2008

Steampunk Education, part 2

Continuing my prep for Steamcon, It’s time for round two in the furthering my steampunk education.  I’m still blogging on the Indamixx - going to try recording an Antithesis episode later today to really put it through its paces — once I figure out how to get NFS working on it, that is.
As for the [...]

No Comments »Filed under: Conventions, Creativity, Events, Film Reviews, Idle MusingsPosted on October 14th, 2008

Book Review: Playing For Keeps

I have to say, up front, that I’m not a big fan of superheroes. Occasionally, a stand-out will come along, like the new Batman Movies or the first X-men film, that will stop me in my tracks and make me cheer, but generally speaking, the whole notion just doesn’t appeal to me all that [...]

No Comments »Filed under: Creativity, Podcasting, Podcasts, Unsavory ExcursionsPosted on August 25th, 2008

Aging and death: Desirable , necessary evils, or preventable dysfunctions?

As part of the research for one of the new books I’m working on, I’m coming up to speed on the state of the art in biotech, nanotech, gerontology, and bioethics. As such, I’ll be posting periodically links to speeches, lectures, and articles I find germane to the topic so that I can find [...]

No Comments »Filed under: CreativityPosted on June 15th, 2008

The Future of Education is…?

No bullshit - if you have children - or if you suffered through school as a child - you should watch this video.

No Comments »Filed under: CreativityPosted on May 20th, 2008
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  • Inside Information

    J. Daniel Sawyer is a science fiction author seeking to further destabilize the universe by building a cult in his own honor.
    Although not as crazy as Philip K. Dick or as bloody-minded as Robert A. Heinlein, he does share certain delusional qualities with both, including a prominent middle initial and the fantasy that the universe would be a better place if reality conformed to the strange visions protected by his fragile skull.
    Lest the fragility of his skull give you any ideas, be advised that he has a killer fedora hat and isn't afraid to use it. He also saw one too many Bond movies as a child. If you haven't yet been frightened away, click here to learn more.