The future: not as it was promised to be?

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 25 Jun 2012, 23:28

Hector

You sound like an absolute natural for PowerSwitch.

But seriously, tell us more about your situation. You're 'in the middle'. You see the bullshite that's in the way.

Hector88 · Post by **Hector88** » 25 Jun 2012, 23:39

What can I say, I'm an eager cynic! Situation is thus: 24 years old, postgrad degree in English (I read and write a lot, fiction and non-fiction, something I believe strongly in), no responsibilities to speak of, living back with the folks, signing on for the past month (hating it), seeing no opportunities in the conventional sense where I live other than selling fried chicken, but not particularly keen on a move to London or elsewhere, at least not for an extended period. My family and roots are in the North East but my girlfriend does live in Shropshire, which adds a level of complexity to the situation which we'd do better to avoid. I go through good and bad days: times when I laugh at the immensity of it all, times when I cry and go for long walks at night. I'm fascinated by it all, but I'm also in the position now where I want my life to begin taking some sort of meanigful course, just not quite in the way that my peers expect. Only problem is, I'm buggered if I know where to begin!

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 25 Jun 2012, 23:43

And a fast typer, going by the timings of your post.

I don't think there's a massive amount you can do except watch what's happening.

Hey, Hector, when the internet goes down, go and raid a supermarket.

Hector88 · Post by **Hector88** » 25 Jun 2012, 23:48

My entrenched stance as a writer is to observe 80% of the time, think about how to document or satirise what I see 10% of the time, and actually write about it the other 10% The plus side is that I don't believe a novel has been written yet which encapsulates the absurdities of this age. The downside is if I do write one, and it happens to be a success, by the time it's released no one will be able to afford it. Sigh. We carry on. I'll check back here from time to time, so thanks for all the suggestions!

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 25 Jun 2012, 23:50

Hector88 wrote:My entrenched stance as a writer is to observe 80% of the time, think about how to document or satirise what I see 10% of the time, and actually write about it the other 10% The plus side is that I don't believe a novel has been written yet which encapsulates the absurdities of this age. The downside is if I do write one, and it happens to be a success, by the time it's released no one will be able to afford it. Sigh. We carry on. I'll check back here from time to time, so thanks for all the suggestions!

Hey, write it.

Little John · Post by **Little John** » 25 Jun 2012, 23:53

Hector88 wrote:What can I say, I'm an eager cynic! Situation is thus: 24 years old, postgrad degree in English (I read and write a lot, fiction and non-fiction, something I believe strongly in), no responsibilities to speak of, living back with the folks, signing on for the past month (hating it), seeing no opportunities in the conventional sense where I live other than selling fried chicken, but not particularly keen on a move to London or elsewhere, at least not for an extended period. My family and roots are in the North East but my girlfriend does live in Shropshire, which adds a level of complexity to the situation which we'd do better to avoid. I go through good and bad days: times when I laugh at the immensity of it all, times when I cry and go for long walks at night. I'm fascinated by it all, but I'm also in the position now where I want my life to begin taking some sort of meanigful course, just not quite in the way that my peers expect. Only problem is, I'm buggered if I know where to begin!

North East! That's sound as a pound mate! I'm from the north East. I was born in the Esk vally in a place called Danby Dale (Inland form Redcar). Most of my family live in Redcar. It's a shit-hole. but, it's my shit-hole, if you know what I mean.....

Hector88 · Post by **Hector88** » 25 Jun 2012, 23:58

I know precisely what you mean. I'm from South Shields. It's like a dying dog that keeps following you round, but you know you could never put it down.

snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 26 Jun 2012, 10:59

emordnilap wrote:
Hector88 wrote:My entrenched stance as a writer is to observe 80% of the time, think about how to document or satirise what I see 10% of the time, and actually write about it the other 10% The plus side is that I don't believe a novel has been written yet which encapsulates the absurdities of this age. The downside is if I do write one, and it happens to be a success, by the time it's released no one will be able to afford it. Sigh. We carry on. I'll check back here from time to time, so thanks for all the suggestions!
Hey, write it.

+1

nexus · Post by **nexus** » 26 Jun 2012, 11:18

Yep, write it now and you may just be able to get it published before everything goes TU!

Seriously though a writer friend of mine who has been published many times says that to get a book published it needs to be good and also be zeitgeisty and yours would definitely fit, there has been a massive upswing in sales of dystopian near-future fiction.

Go on write it.

ujoni08 · Post by **ujoni08** » 26 Jun 2012, 12:20

Yes, write it! Alex Scarrow did, and was very successful

Tarrel · Post by **Tarrel** » 26 Jun 2012, 18:51

Agree with all the above; go for it! You have the ability and you have the passion.

So much of the non-fiction stuff written about collapse is US-centred. There is a gap in the market for a UK-focused book, IMO. Maybe there's room for a kind of literary "docu-drama"?

If nothing else, it gives a strong purpose to the day-to-day. You're a writer. You've invested in a good education to allow you to be a writer, and now you have a powerful message that needs to be shared.

nexus · Post by **nexus** » 26 Jun 2012, 19:19

So much of the non-fiction stuff written about collapse is US-centred. There is a gap in the market for a UK-focused book, IMO.

I agree Tarrel. Why do you think this is- are the Americans more PO/collapse aware, or is it to do with their frontier history and the fact that they have a significant number of survivalists over there- or is it to do with religion?

I've wondered whether an Orlov/Astyk/Kunstler type book would have a UK market and also whether most of the info in a UK book of that type could be found amongst the Transition literature?

Mean Mr Mustard · Post by **Mean Mr Mustard** » 26 Jun 2012, 19:29

Yeah. I've been to South Shields a few times. Right den of iniquity eh, surely plenty of zombie collapse inspiration immediately on hand.

Also went to North Shields in Nov 2010 to go on board HMS Ark Royal, while it still had Harriers on board, shortly after the scrapping had been announced. The local connection being the heavy industry which built her there, some 30 years ago.

Tarrel · Post by **Tarrel** » 26 Jun 2012, 22:46

nexus wrote:
So much of the non-fiction stuff written about collapse is US-centred. There is a gap in the market for a UK-focused book, IMO.
I agree Tarrel. Why do you think this is- are the Americans more PO/collapse aware, or is it to do with their frontier history and the fact that they have a significant number of survivalists over there- or is it to do with religion?

I've wondered whether an Orlov/Astyk/Kunstler type book would have a UK market and also whether most of the info in a UK book of that type could be found amongst the Transition literature?

I really don't know. If I reflect on the "big four" writers that have shaped my understanding of the "peak oil / debt" perfect storm, they are Kunstler, Greer, Orlov and Chris Martenson. These are four very different individuals, coming at the subject from different backgrounds. Any one of these individuals could have arisen from within a UK culture. I can't think of any common factor in the US that could have facilitated their writing, apart from, maybe, easier access to the publishing world.

So, why hasn't the UK produced such works? Who knows. interestingly, as I understand it, some of the technical peak oil authors are actually Brits.

emordnilap · Post by **emordnilap** » 27 Jun 2012, 10:31

David Lean and Richard Douthwaite.

RIP.