So what’s the next generator planned?
Well, first a bit of a warning – I’m changing apartments so I might get a wee bit busy depending. Now I’m an old hand at moving, but this time I’ve got a roommate (first time in 4 years) so I don’t know if this means it’ll be easier (help) or harder (more stuff).
But the next generator at least is going to be a food one – a bit more silly than the Reality Show Generator (which at its core involved serious linguistic analysis). More something to create those ridiculous dishes that we see in experimental menus, or assorted Food Atrocities people whip up and post videos of. Cheeseburger Pizza and Fried Kimchi on a Stick and so on.
It’s strange I haven’t thought of this as I like to cook (I even post about it at my blog), so it should be fun to build a generator close to my heart. I might even try some others related, depending!
– Steve
This is it folks, the countdown to my first book on creativity, The Power Of Creative Paths!
The book is going to drop on Saturday the 30th. I’m lining up some reviewers right now (and there’s a chance to get in on it) to help give people an idea of what’s in it from a reader’s viewpoint. Only six more days!
So what’s in this book?
Basically, after years of working with Seventh Sanctum, I’d realized that creativity fit certain paths – ways we get to our “Big Ideas.” Most people had one or two default paths, and not everyone knew how to get along with people different than them. So I put all my findings into one book, a handy guide to help you get off of Creative Paths you’re a bit too stuck on and onto others, as well as how to work with people different than yourself creativity-wise.
A lot of this comes from my curious observation that the generators at Seventh Sanctum fit specific patterns, or certain little tweaks, trends, or sets of data seemed to inspire people surprisingly. In time I began to see that these general observations fit specific trends, and formed a useful theory around it.
I’m pretty pumped as this will be the first book based around my work here – to be followed this summer by the Way With Worlds books . . . and maybe a few more things over time. I figure after some 16 years of doing this, it’s time to put my ideas and findings and advice into a new format!
So hang in there, it’s almost arrived . . .
- Steve
What’s next up for me? Well working on all my OTHER books I am doing a book called “The Power Of Creative Paths” which I used to call “The Creativity Book.” It’s my first “Sanctum Branded” book – IE one about my creative theories. I gotta put a “book” section in here at some point.
It’s now at the editor AND we have a beta cover:
I’m actually sort of glad to get it out of my head – I’ve kicked these ideas around awhile, but I really wanted to write something on general creativity to help people out and leverage what I’ve seen. It’s a pretty good creative model, and I think you’ll like it.
Also if you want to be a reviewer . . .
– Steven Savage
OK great news, Way With Worlds is going to editor this week!
Yes, I put in all the pre-reader feedback, did a run through, and will ship it off shortly. I expect the editor to take about two months so it’ll be a welcome break.
I’ve also got the cover artist working on the draft of cover 1. Its looking interesting so far, though the holidays slowed things down a bit.
So hang tight, Sanctumeers, it’s coming . . . and there’s more to stay tuned for . . .
– Steve
After quite a lot of ups and downs (and a new contract, and a cold, and more), the Reality Show Generator is being worked on.
This is the one, I’d mentioned, involved me doing more in-depth data analysis before building it. In many cases (not all) I sort of dive into the generator and build as I analyze. In this case I stepped back and broke the data down – something I usually only do for generators with more obvious patterns like the Magical Power Generator.
The results were:
- The breakdown was revealing.
- The breakdown was really boring to do after awhile.
- The breakdown worked and let me build the generator very fast.
- Once I started building the generator, I could make it “richer” in data, patterns, etc. very quickly.
Short form – doing an early, organized analysis of data for a generator pays off, but it’s not as exciting as doing it by the seat of my pants. On the other hand, this was less frustrating than the Plot Twist Generator.
So, anyway, if you want a preview of what this generator will do, here’s some results:
- Best Women Of Vancouver
- Bizarre Stories of the South American Navy
- Brazilian Cop
- Brazilian Teacher
- British Film
- Confirmed Records of London
- Confirmed Women Of New York
- Fish Killer
- France’s Next Top Boy
- Husband Grandparents of France
- I married a Millionaire: Britain
- I married a Star
- Japanese Computer Man
- Miami Scalpers
- North American Sister Change
- Rescue Person
- Sibling Academy
- The Next Best Grandfather
- The Queen of Lawyers
- True Hunters Of France
– Steve
OK the Webinar on geeky careers with Lauren is done. Check out the replay – https://laurenorsini.leadpages.co/live-webinar/
Plus you can get a serious bargain on e-copies of ALL our books – for a limited time – https://gumroad.com/l/oRRM
This was also a big experiment for me. See, I’ve thought of doing webinars on a various subjects including creativity. Think you Sanctum folks would like to have webinars with me and other creators talking on creativity? Let me know what you’d like to see!
- Steve
OK gang, yes, I know people have asked me to do more than just speak at cons. Well Lauren Orsini asked me to be part of a webinar and I accepted! It’s a chance for you to join us and talk . . . careers! We’re doing a discussion about how people build geek careers realistically, covering seven major steps that you’ll want to follow. I figure that fits a lot of you folks here at the sanctum. So, you can read more at Lauren’s blog (which is well worth following), or just go and . . .
Sign up now!
It’s free, but seats are limited. So go on, sign up, and we’ll get a chance to talk careers Sunday, November 8th at 9am Pacific, (12pm Eastern).
Now the big thing with this? This is an experiment for me. If it works, I want to try other Webinars, including ones on creativity, writing, and more. So hopefully this’ll work out and I’ll try some Sanctum-themed Webinars on creativity, worldbuilding, etc. I’ve been a bit iffy on Webinars, but Lauren sold me on trying it out – and now I can’t wait!
- Steve
So Way With Worlds is off to the pre-readers! I’ll be back to editing it in December, after a well-needed break.
Now one big change? It’s definitely going to be two books. When I realized the final book would be some 500 pages long, it just wasn’t going to work unless I made it bigger, or broke it up. So now it’ll be two books, a basic/essential and a detailed one. It breaks up pretty well.
Still editing it as one block though so it stays consistent. You’ll see them both this summer!
– Steve
Well, after a “final run” the Plot Twist generator is done. Well, “done.”
I made a big push to flesh out data, and improve and enhance some of the existing data patterns and basic plot types. I’m going to consider it “done” for now because I really can’t think of much else to do. I’m sure there’s plenty more, but I won’t be doing it for now.
Now that I’ve done both this and the Writing Prompt Generator, I’ve had a pretty useful insight about these kinds of generators.
The short form? These seemingly inspirational generators would work better if done a bit more “scientifically.”
At first, I figured both Writing Prompts and Plot Twist Generators would be best created in a kind of free-form, inspired way. Surf examples, try ideas, play around, integrate feedback, get creative. That seemed to make sense at the time.
But when I look back to it, it actually made things more complicated. I might “go down the rabbit hole” and get lost in one kind of plot twist. I’d try some data structures that turned out to not be quite right. I’d revise data, which gets a bit complex once you’ve already set so much information up.
The end result is that, if I’d taken time to break the data down more carefully, analyze deep structure, and look for common patterns this would have gone easier. I wouldn’t have been able to jump right into it, but it would have been faster, easier, and probably better.
Also I could have written it up for people’s reference.
So, lesson learned. Now onward to some other generators after a bit of a break . . .
- Steve
First of all I’m pleased to say the Plot Twist Generator is clearly in Beta. In fact, after a few more additions, it’s farther along than I expected. I can’t say it’s the best, but it’s pretty decent. I’ll probably give it one more stab, check the feedback, expand some of the data, then call it done for now.
Then a break before I do something damned silly. And yes, I have a generator in mind, with a few extras . . .
Next, the Way With Worlds book should go to pre-readers next week. I got a bit behind due to work, so I’m making a serious, insane effort to finish editing round 2. I really want to get this right for all of my readers. I’m also letting the pre-readers sit on it for two months so they can take their time.
That’s it here. Be sure to check Scott’s latest as he’s delving deep into great stuff on remakes, and let us know how you’re doing in the comments!
– Steve
