Fontspotting: Bathroom Papyrus

Papyrus is a rather fancy font for a simple sign like this. Still, I suppose they had to use something.

The Science Fiction Reading Challenge

I write science fiction. Everyone who knows me knows that. It’s also very true that in order to write well, one must also read well. So I’m always really interested when I come across those “Top 100” lists around the web. Some of them seem a bit dodgy, like when they name a book at one position and then its entire series at another. But there are other lists. Some voted by tens of thousands of readers. Some listing the Hugo Award winners since itsinception. I think I should pay attention to those lists. I’m ashamed to admit I’ve only read about 20% of both the Hugo list and the Top 100 SF.  So I’m going to do something about that, and I’ll take you along for the ride if you stick around. I want to take note of my impressions, the things I notice as a writer, the things I can learn from them—and who knows, maybe I’ll come across common concept types, themes and qualities. Crack the Hugo Code. Yeah, sounds good.

Daily Doctor: Tardis XP

Your standard Windows XP background, the California vineyard, but with an important addition. Ahhh... it does the eyes good, doesn't it? I certainly think the blue box improves on any landscape.

Fontspotting: Comic Sans Sheriff

What an ignominious start to a series on fonts. But this never fails to cause a funny face.

Fontspotting

It’s a hobby of mine. Mostly it happens inside my head, because there isn’t anyone around to tell about a particularly egregious sighting. But my more geeky friends, or those who could become it or who don’t mind my showing it, may have heard me pointing out a typeface as we drive by it, or an outstanding design adaptation, or a horrendous mix-up. Once I saw seven different fonts used on one sign for one business. Seven! Can you believe it? Well, at least it wasn’t a book cover, though I’ve seen that too, and it was not pretty. That would be a curse of fatal death.

There are two main things that bother me in public font use. One is when people use really common fonts that are standard issue and way too overused. Put some effort in, people! I’m not talking about book or blog body text, those need to be clear and plain. But signs and titles are different. The other large problem is when I spot a type of lettering I’ve used myself in a design project—a book cover, a logo, a website. It was mine, dangit, and I probably spent days hunting down just the right one, only to see it grinning back at me from a car yard or restaurant sign. Well, at least those things have a limited local sphere of visibility. Mine are all over the internet, after all.

Daily Doctor: I hate pears

I love the Tenth Doctor and David Tennant about as much as he hates pears. Enjoy this hilarious demonstration of the gift of the gab!

Pens for Writers

They are the implements of our creativity, the wellspring of our words. I’m ever so slightly picky about pens: I far prefer blue ink. Ballpoint is fine, I’m not a fountain pen snob. Purple is even better than blue if I can get it, but it feels like an extra special occasion and sometimes the words jam up for fear of wasting it. I do like a nice grip to hang onto, but of course that’s not a must.

I suppose I’m less picky than I often think. Any tool will do in a pinch—I’m using black ink now, and it isn’t really slowing me down any.

I write large, filling the lines almost completely from bottom to top even with my lowercase letters. When I get properly inspired, I ignore the lines altogether and write even larger, in crazy malformed scribbles that others would likely have a hard time reading. Just as well they don’t have to: such pages are my pre-work, initial ideas and basic structures before actually launching into the writing of a scene for a novel.

And in this way, the blank page of pixels does not stymy my efforts.