Red Shirts

Well, I finally finished John Scalzi's Red Shirts, easily one of the best sci-fi novels I've ever read.

I like the way he used farcical humor and dark comedy. The story was good, combined with the three codas it was unforgettable.

Like his Old Man's War, Red Shirts is a classic.

A lot of Red Shirts was actually about writers and writing, which I found interesting, because, well, you know. Scalzi, it turns out worked on Star Gate Universe and swears he wasn't lampooning the show. Which I believe.

Star Trek TNG was clearly his target.

One of the sub-plots was writer's block. A script writer, after learning the truth of what he was writing, wasn't able to write anymore. This seems like the only plausible excuse for a pro to ever have writer's block.

Since I started writing seriously in 2001 I've never stopped. I must have churned out a quarter of a million words last year. Its all I do. All day, 7 days a week. Ok, I don't get much done after the 2-3 PM hour, but you get my point.

Not long ago Kathy Shaidle lambasted a 'feminist' 'writer' for saying she only gets 10 good ideas a year. Jesus Christ I get ten a day.

I'm wrapping up one novel, working on another, editing a history book, writing this, and still all I can think about is novels yet written.

Writers block?

Don't quit your day job, man.