Email: ohn garabedian TO You relation between new computer programmers and new fantasy writers

I think the answer is in front of you, you just overlooked it.

 

You’ve talked about how when video games were becoming more popular among young boys, it inspired some of them to want to become video game artists/designers themselves.  Most of the book sales today, especially fantasy books, are made by girls.  Twilight is probably the biggest example, and a ton of fantasy soap operas involving “teenage” creatures like vampires and werewolves and witches have spun off of that.  So just like how boys wanted to become video game designers after playing games, all those girls who read fantasy books now want to become fantasy writers.It is true that these ‘geek culture’ computer science guys suffer from ‘I have a video game locked inside me’ where they are looking to ‘unleash their creativity’ upon the world so we can witness their genius. In the same way, these girls have a ‘novel inside them’ that they are convinced will be published and sold.

With the geeks, you know how I try to tell them to go get a real job. We really don’t need more game makers. The market is over saturated as it is. I’m talking about supply/demand here. If you feel you are going to die if you don’t make a video game, then you should do it. But the reason why we work is to make money. The money is no longer there in gaming as it used to be.

With the girl fantasy writers, I keep trying to tell them that if you have to become interesting in order to write anything interesting. Melville went on three tours on a whaling ship (very dangerous work) in order to write Moby Dick. You have to pursue adventure. The author of Gone with the Wind was noticed by a publisher because she was incredibly interesting and asked if she had written anything (she knew everything about the history of the local town and people).

Here is an exercise everyone should try doing. You should write your biography. Just keep it short to a paragraph. Now, write the biographies of your co-workers and other people you know. If you removed the names, would there be any difference between you?

Most people are closer alike than we care to admit. We all *think* we are unique and special, but we are not. You have to actively pursue adventure to become interesting. Then you should think about the novel or video game. Shigeru Miyamoto didn’t become interesting because he made video games. He was interesting before he made a video game.

The quality of your art will be determined by your life experiences. You’re not going to have life experiences staring at a computer screen your entire life. Go out and have adventures.

This is more reason why the hardcore must be destroyed.