All Posts

The Best Home For Your Words /  by J.C. Hutchins

To my hyper-connected New Media writer colleagues: Watch this wise video from the always-awesome Chris Brogan. In it, he talks about spending gobs of time on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, and how that investment may pull folks away from other, more important endeavors.

My takeaway from Chris' video is a brass-knuckled buzzkill for Twitter-enamored wordherders, but it's one worth considering: Every sentence you post in the fleeting ether of Twitter and Facebook is one less sentence you're dedicating to your creative work. If you're serious about writing, completing, selling and publishing stories, the best home for your words and creative energy is always your work in progress.

Your creative project will have a permanence, meaning and impact that those tweets and status updates never will. Tweeting about writing isn't writing. Tweeting critiques about others' fiction doesn't put more words on your own pages.

Social media networking sites do indeed provide wonderful places to converse about creativity -- but don't let their cozy, comfortable confines become a lullaby for your own creative efforts.

If you're serious about completing your creative work, publishing it, and getting paid for it, now's a good time to recommit yourself to those goals and funnel your words into the best home for them: your work in progress. The most resonant writing doesn't have 140-character limits.

--J.C.

My Thoughts On The "Supernatural" Season 5 Finale /  by J.C. Hutchins

Here be spoilers. If you haven't seen the season finale of Supernatural, it's best not to read on. Check out these pictures of kittens instead.

Writers are slaves to the story. We work for it, it bends us to its will, we're its bitch -- never the other way around.

I think Supernatural is an incredible TV show. It's about two brothers who cruise the United States in a muscle car and slay monsters and demons. That immediately sold me on the concept, but it's an awfully good character-driven show too, which helps.

Like most genre shows, Supernatural's first few seasons were dominated by Monster Of The Week episodes (which are easy gateways to snag new viewers; essential when you're a new property), with vague allusions of greater machinations (hopefully to pay off in future seasons). However, things changed in Seasons Three and Four: all those niggling plot threads began to coalesce, propelling the Winchester brothers toward the endtimes itself -- Armageddon, in the here and now, with mission-critical roles for each of them. Very very cool.

I won't say this ultra-arc and buildup to Season Five's finale wasn't the most agonizing wait in TV history -- that goes to Lost; you poor Losties are masochists -- but Supernatural fans have patiently waited for more than two seasons, pining to see the prophesied Earth-rending devastation as viewed from Sam and Dean Winchester's ringside seats. We endured episode after episode of Big Talk About The Stakes and Terrible Hints Of The Battle To Come.

And finally, the finale arrived. I just watched it on Tivo.

Who farted?

There were some wonderful character moments (as manufactured at the last-possible-second as some of them were -- for instance: to my recollection, the key "kids in the Impala" flashbacks were never seen before this episode, making them smack of a deus ex machina catalyst in the context of the greater narrative), and when Satan snaps his fingers and makes an Angel of the Lord explode in a mist of blood and pulp ... well, that's unspeakably badass. Shattering longtime ally Bobby's neck was equally horrific and resonant.

But dude. When you yammer on for two seasons about the motherfucking Apocalypse, show me the motherfucking Apocalypse.

That didn't happen. Nor did a celestial smackdown between Satan and the archangel Michael -- again, something that had been meticulously manufactured and teased for two seasons. Which leads to a less-satisfying ... but still perfectly acceptable ... ending of Sam Winchester (possessed by Lucifer himself) and his half-brother So-And-So (I forget his name as he existed simply to be used in this poor endgame scenario, possessed by the archangel Michael) plummeting into Hell itself, where we can see Hell, and bear witness to the triumphant recapture of Lucifer's unholy essence.

But we didn't get to see any of that, either. We were treated to the sight of two dudes falling into a hole.

Perhaps I have snobbishly high standards, but when you rev me up for two seasons, you gotta deliver something more than two dudes pulling a Skywalker Noooooooo and leaping down a big-ass vortex. Gimme spectacle, man. That's what you've convinced me to expect.

Now I'm all for plot twists and upending expectations, but ending a stellar five-year run with a sigh makes me sigh. It makes me wonder what all that talky-talk gumflapping for the past two seasons was all about. If I can't go all the way with the prom queen, at least let me get to second base.

Going meta for a moment: I don't much follow entertainment news, but I caught wind that showrunner Eric Kripke always envisioned a "five-year plan" for Supernatural, and built a mythology and story arc to accommodate that. But CW, the network that airs the show, ordered a sixth season as this season -- the fifth and planned Final Season -- was underway. I reckon that network edict dropped a handful of sand into Kripke's creative Vaseline. I also reckon it messed with his (and the writing staff's) vision for Season Five. I wonder what the last half of this season -- and especially this episode -- would have been like, if the show were indeed to end here.

As a storyteller armed with this context, I can forgive most of Kripke's season finale script (and the direction of much of Season Five's second half) as I know he was probably compromising like crazy to deliver on Supernatural's promise of the Apocalypse, while building a launch pad for a previously-unplanned Season Six.

But as a fan, I'm underwhelmed and frustrated. I wanted more not because I'm a greedy fan (though I am a greedy fan), but because I was trained by the show to expect it. Two seasons of tension-building. Two seasons of angst about the roles Sam and Dean Winchester were to play during the endtimes. Big Talk Everywhere. And we get two dudes falling into a hole...

...and then the angel who was turned to pulp-mulch with a snap of Satan's finger is miraculously resurrected...

...and then the longtime ally whose neck had been shattered is miraculously resurrected...

...and, by episode's end, it appears the status quo has been reestablished in even more ways through even more miraculous resurrections. (Or some other mojo that'll be quickly explained next season.)

This represents a storytelling failure, because writers are slaves to the story. We work for it, it bends us to its will, we're its bitch -- never the other way around. Here's an instance of a story's climax that had all the foreshadowing of an epic confrontation, and was warped into a clearly well-intentioned, but ultimately unsatisfying, conclusion. I hate myself for bagging on this episode, and particularly hate bagging on Kripke's writing of it, as I think he's a frickin' genius worldbuilder and storyteller. I want to tell myself I'm not smart enough to get it, that I'm shallow for craving fireballs and not the family-driven ending I was presented ... an ending the story's creator clearly felt was worthy of the journey.

But dude. When you yammer on for two seasons about the motherfucking Apocalypse, show me the motherfucking Apocalypse.

--J.C.

In Your Words: The Value of Twitter and Facebook /  by J.C. Hutchins

My ladyfriend and I are Facebook users. Last night, we discussed the latest kerfuffle regarding Facebook's recent changes to its privacy policy. While we disagreed on a few items -- I suggested that Facebook should be a protective custodian of users' privacy; my lady was less concerned, as she rightly knows that anything posted on the web isn't truly "private" at all -- we did agree that Facebook is the telephone of the Internet ... the increasingly-ubiquitous platform through which most online folk communicate.

I haven't changed my Facebook privacy settings (and wouldn't know where to look if I wanted to), but the conversation got me thinking about what online users are willing to exchange for communication. In the instance of Facebook, they're willing to funnel tons of keyword-packed personal information into their profile, and onto the Walls of their friends, to efficiently share their lives online. In exchange, they're bombarded by targeted advertising ... and their profile data (and the data of their friends) may be slurped up by Facebook application developers.

Is that exchange an equitable one? 400 million monthly users seem to think so. These days, I'm uncertain. Does the enjoyment and value I receive from my Facebook experience outweigh the expense (measured in my time on the site, and the "personality" data points Facebook and others may be collecting about me)? I'm on the fence, mostly because I like online conversations as much as the next social media nerd.

This spun my mind toward Twitter. While Twitter doesn't yet have a robust ad-targeting engine in place, it most certainly will. Combine that with the disconnect I've felt on that social network for years now -- namely, that most of the news and tweets I read these days don't deliver a proportionate amount of value when compared to the time I spend there -- and I've found myself eking toward a fence-sitting position about Twitter, as well.

I've considered killing both accounts and moving on -- not to the Next Big Social Media WhatTheHellEver, but completely out of the online sharing space. Do people really care what I think, or what I'm eating? They shouldn't. There's nothing remarkable about my life, other than the fact that I share it -- which leads to remarks from others. Any Facebooker or Twitterer can tell you: when you stop posting on these networks -- when you stop contributing to the Conversation Engine -- people don't make an effort to engage you. Out of sight, out of mind ... and that's just fine.

I liken it to being at a groovy house party. You bumble in, partake of the festivities, and split. Are people going to gush about you after you left? Unlikely.

Anyways. That's the intellectual climate my brain's been in lately regarding social media super-sharing sites. The core question I'm asking myself is: Does this stuff add value to my life?

Only I can answer that question for myself ... and to be clear, my Facebook and Twitter experience is probably very different from yours. (For instance: I've been on both networks for years, used them as promotional platforms, and have thousands of followers/friends in both. This makes things fairly noisy.) But this morning, I was interested to see what you had to say. And so I posed this question on both networks:

Can you describe the true value that Twitter and Facebook add to your lives? I'm curious to know what you think.

Here's what you said. I provide these without judgment (or editing). My personal thoughts follow.

What You Said On Twitter

  • Absolutely zero.
  • It allows me to share the small nuggests of wit and wisdom I have with others, along with what I'm having for lunch.
  • FB has led to keeping in better contact with my family in the UK.
  • Facebook provides connections to time-lost friends; Twitter provides me realtime contact and sense of community.
  • Facebook is a way for me to keep track of what's going on with friends and family in a big picture way.
  • Twitter is more of an extended chat room and news/information source.
  • Facebook adds zero value. Twitter helps keep me informed, instantly, like a well-balanced news ticker.
  • With Twitter, I get to know when others are taking a dump, or stuck in traffic, or bored, or have a 1/2 price sale on.
  • Until my bros and I got FB we'd talk maybe every other month. Now we're up to date on each other daily.
  • Being able to be connected much more often to people I'd otherwise surely have fallen out of touch with by now.
  • Community. Real friendships even in virtual space. My social networking is more social, and less networking but tangible.
  • FB and TW intro'd people that I would have never come across and built friendships while seeing what work they were doing.
  • FB also reminds me of what high school was like and why I don't miss it...
  • I'd have to say community and conversation with real friends I wouldn't have the chance to know any other way.
  • When I worked a day job, there was a water cooler. Now that I work at home, Twitter is my water cooler.
  • T: points things out that I would probably have missed (e.g., 7th son podcast). F: Allows me to keep in touch without snail mail
  • I've learned so much just by reading ppl's blogs & news feeds, & I'm more entertained than ever before.
  • Twitter is useful & entertaining. Facebook is difficult to use & seriously un-fun.
  • FB/Twitter allow me to delude myself that I have some friends
  • I use Facebook to share pictures (mostly of my 2 year old) w/ all my friends, and stay connected w/ ones I don't see often
  • Twitter allows me to communicate without the draining quagmire of a blog which demands more than I'm willing to give.
  • Twitter has been great for getting to know and interact w/ all the podcast authors I've come to know and respect, and find more.
  • Twitter is the way I communicate with ppl & learn 'bout cool stuff. I only have Facebook because of friends & family.
  • It makes talking with my friends easier. It's very passive. Very easy to check when convenient.
  • I'd be heartbroken if all my Twitter folk moved to Facebook. I'd be overjoyed if all my Facebook ppl moved to Twitter.
  • Twitter helps me keep up with important people whom I can't see every day. It's easy and fast so we actually use it!
  • Facebook adds pointless frustration when I feel like I don't have enough od that. Twitter lets me keep up with cool people who are interested in the same stuff I am. I've never seen value in networking, but friendships are awesome.
  • No Value what so ever. Just purily for my amusment or at time aggrevation
  • Facebook is a fucking shit pickle! Twitter is great for news & such.
  • twitter keeps me in touch with you and other favorite writer/podcasters
  • keeps me updated on very direct information and news from people

What You Said On Facebook

  • twitter became too commercial so I quit it. Face book and Pogo.com give me lots of friends and games to play while I listen to your podiobooks.com
  • Twitter allows me to stay in contact with friends around the globe. That is the biggest win for me. Facebook....well that one is still being figured out from the personal side, but doing plenty of work for clients here.
  • Facebook allows me to keep in touch with some friends I don't get to see often, and a couple times I have used it to get groups of people together for a cause or coordinate something. Other than that, I believe I could be perfectly happy without it.
  • I don't NEED either of them really, My twitter account is so overloaded, I'm sorting through it trying to make sense of it, I think I'll stop following so many people dunno. Facebook is nice to have for me, because I've been able to reconnect with friends I haven't seen or heard from in years.
  • I agree, I'd probably be much happier without it. I spend far too much "idle" time on it, wasted creativity time. My own fault, I could just stop logging in... The few people from my past that I've reconnected with have been fun to e-reminisce with but I won't be disappointed when FB goes the way of MySpace and becomes unusable.
  • FB allows me not to do any thing else sit here sucking my time away but I can't to brake free from the force!
  • To add to what I said before Facebook also helps me stay connected with a friend, when both of us aren't the most comfortable as far as the phone goes, I just never have been, and you know who she is too J.C. :) On the other hand, I do waste time on Facebook and so many of the apps are stupid and annoying. I liked it better without apps.
  • it's great....i'm in contact with old friends and conversing with people i would not have had the opportunity before....people like J.C. HUTCHINS author of 7TH SON (GREAT FRIGGIN' STORY)
  • Another thing I forgot: Facebook allows me to learn things about friends I never knew or never wanted to know, to pry into other peoples' lives, and to make assumptions about friends by learning about only a small piece of the big picture.
  • Mainly access to people that I would never have otherwise been able to contact and befriend.
  • Facebook gave me what I've always wanted, the ability to read people's minds.
  • hey give me the opportunity to shoot random thoughts into space and actually get responses to them, they allow me to stay in daily contact with people I never get to see, and they help me to discover and be in contact with other great creatives who inspire me to keep writing.
  • I hate talking on the phone, but this way I can keep track of people's lives whether directly or indirectly.
  • Twitter is just a distraction. It's not so useful to me. Facebook, however, keeps me connected with my friends all over the country and here in town. I hate talking on the phone, but I could type back and forth all day long. It's also great for planning get-togethers and inviting people to my choral concerts.
  • I've moved a lot in my life and lost contact with many friends, in spite of all the promises to "keep in touch".
  • Facebook has reconnected me with them and it's been wonderful. I don't have to email everyone separately to keep up with day to day things that aren't really important enough to email, but are nice to know. My mom has stopped complaining about how I never call, since she can follow me on FB. Without FB, I would feel much more disconnected from my friends who live all over the country. Twitter, on the other hand, moves too fast for me to keep up and it's too hard to go back and see something you missed. I don't use it as much.
  • Twitter: even the mere concept strikes me as a total waste of time. Refuse to get account or visit the site. Facebook: More of a source of pain to me. It's good to hear from old friends, colleagues, and the like, and now I get to see about 95 percent of them are more accomplished than myself.
  • Facebook: last week, I reconnected with people I went to Kindergarten with and learned that a friend I haven't seen in 20 years now takes her daughters swimming at the house I grew up in (and introduced me to the family that lives there now and we've shared stories). That's pretty awesome. Twitter: Reminds me of Prodigy chat rooms in the early 90's, which fostered tight groups who chatted among themselves regularly. I made friends there, that I still have. I don't have time to "hang out" with people much, but I am never lonely with all the people I talk to on Twitter.
  • Facebook has allowed me to reconnect with people I grew up with and lost touch with over the years, I have found people that I havent seen since I was in greade school. Pretty exciting to be able to reconnect.

What I Think

In last night's conversation, I concluded that nearly all of the tweets and Wall posts people make are meaningless and valueless. I don't mean this critically -- I mean precisely what I say: these online "blips," as personal as they may be, often have no resonant meaning for me, and therefore have no value. I don't get the rant-tweets, could care less about what many people are shilling, and can often be stymied by messages folks personally send to me.

(I assume most folks have similar apathy about my own rant-tweets, shillfests and "@" messages.)

The most valuable commodity we have as communicators is context. Context anchors our minds, and the minds of the people with whom we speak. And yet Twitter and Facebook often represent a context-less medium -- tools that can be used by anyone to express anything they wish, in any way they wish. Users are not obligated to provide context for what they post online, nor should they be.

This ultimate freedom of expression often results in tweets or posts that have no meaningful context to anyone other than the person who posted it: a rogue rant (the source of which isn't identified) ... a gripe about someone's behavior (without identifying the offending party) ... a statement that they're having a great day (without explaining why) ... etc.

Because of this, I've lately leaned toward the conclusion that Twitter and Facebook do not reflect a meaningful, truly accurate representation of a person's life. Its limitations -- and the choices users make on what to share and when to share it (and their own limitations on how they can express it -- vocabulary, thoughtfulness, etc.) -- cannot possibly accurately present a person's state of mind. And yet, this is precisely what so many social media users assume. That's a road that leads to unreasonable emotional investments in the self-curated projection of a person -- what that person chooses to share with his/her public and global audience -- and not what could be described as a "true" real-life reflection.

Those who embrace these networks with True Believer abandon -- with a relish that makes these sites not tools but a lifestyle -- are at risk of perceiving people, events and communities through an inaccurate lens. Of course, this risk exists for zealotry in any form, for all politics, products and people.

I am increasingly realizing that meaningful conversations rarely occur in such preposterous spaces. These are context-less, flawed means of communication where knee-jerk reactions abound -- and in-depth exchanges are nigh-impossible. It appears, based on my personal experience, that the most resonant, relevant communications occur where it's always occurred: in the back-channel, via email and private messages. If that's true, why are we investing so much time and effort creating and consuming endless streams of 140-character personality "blips"?

The question is rhetorical, as I don't have the answer. And it does not mean that Facebook and Twitter are completely without value -- nearly all of your comments clearly illustrated that Twitter and Facebook resonate emotionally, and provide terrific opportunities to share, interact and make friends.

I'm suspect my feelings about Twitter's and Facebook's value -- and my thoughts regarding the billions of bits that are piped into those spaces -- contribute nothing new to the topic. But in light of my recent decisions to retire from the social media creator space, and the distance I've deliberately placed between myself and these online networks, I thought it might be illuminating to share them.

As with any communication tool, we get what we give. If we manage our expectations -- and pipe out positivity, meaning and value -- we'll most certainly receive it in kind. Or as one of my Facebook pals said in her reply to my question:

"These sites can be what you want them to be -- they don't have to be giant commercials (you can turn that off), or outlets for spam, or giant time sucks. Make the tools work for you -- not the other way around -- and you might find something to like about them. That said, you shouldn't feel societally required to engage in social networking just because 'everyone does it,' because plenty of people -- don't."

--J.C.

Interview: Seth Harwood, Author of "Young Junius" /  by J.C. Hutchins

Kick back and enjoy J.C.'s interview with crime fiction author Seth Harwood, whose latest and greatest novel-length work, Young Junius, will soon be on sale in a killer limited edition hardcover edition. Learn about the novel, Seth's innovative partnership with publisher Tyrus Books and the unique challenges Seth experienced while writing this terrific book. Most important, pick up YOUR limited edition hardcover copy of Young Junius starting tomorrow, May 5. It's "Cinco de Junius," and you're invited to party!

From Seth's site:

Tyrus Books and I are printing a limited run of numbered, signed special edition copies of YOUNG JUNIUS for you, the die-hard Palms Family fans. This edition will be covered by a special, embossed dust jacket featuring artwork by my boys Jerry Scullion and Bob Ostrom. Inside, there will be a b&w insert with photos of some of the book's locations. A cloth binding, a metallic spine stamp, and more fun features will round out this gorgeous edition. We're looking at a run of less than 1,000 copies total. Once we sell them out, they're gone!

Get your learn on about the book at Seth's website, and be sure to order your copy using the coupon code "HUTCH." This'll save you a few bucks!

And be sure to check out Seth's LIVE May 5 call-in show with the good folks at Podioracket. Visit Podioracket.com for more information!

Dig what you hear in this podcast? Tell a friend! Use the "Share This" feature found at the end of this post!

The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.

First Impressions: My iPad Wi-Fi + 3G /  by J.C. Hutchins

Thanks to my girlfriend's boundless generosity, I am now the proud owner of a 64GB iPad; one of the "Wi-Fi + 3G" models. I've had about a full day to play with the device. I'll share my initial thoughts about the iPad and its potential here, and may write another post down the road. Before diving in, permit me two paragraphs that are intended to proactively address community concerns and potential feedback. I know many of you are supporters of the DRM-free open software and hardware movement, and are philosophically opposed to proprietary, closed marketplaces and technologies. I also know there are consumers who crave more of "something" in the iPad -- USB ports, a camera, Flash support, etc.

As a new media creator, I have always appreciated the open culture philosophy ... and as a consumer, I appreciate the hunger in wanting more of "something" in the products I purchase. However, this "first impressions" review will not address those matters. As an intelligent adult who's fully capable of making informed decisions, I understand the landscape and idealogical arguments, and have clearly made my purchase. Advocates may respectfully beat the drum in the comments (for it is a worthy drum to beat), as long as they respect my right to purchase and support the products I wish.

With that out of the way, what do I think of the iPad? I'm smitten. For the past day, I've consistently marveled at the speed and slickness of the device's software, and the elegance of its hardware. I've experienced a sense of wonder at nearly every turn, and have hummed a childlike mantra while using it: I can do anything! In this respect, I submit that the device is as "magical" as Apple's marketing campaign suggests: it's an intuitive, dazzling experience.

I haven't used a product this personally transformative since I purchased my first computer, a Mac LC, fifteen years ago.

Wi-fi speeds scream. I've yet to use the device's 3G feature, as I haven't had the need to drop $20 or $30 for "internet anywhere" access. However, I imagine speeds will be comparable to my iPhone's 3G transfer speeds (which are adequate for anywhere-access).

While the iPad certainly won't be the only slate-like device to disrupt the saturated PC/laptop/netbook space, I'm betting it'll be one of the best. Performance is excellent in the apps I've used, as is the display and touchscreen interface. The external mono speaker is very good; headphone audio is excellent. I'm no screen expert (or a device critic for that matter), but I've been amazed by the picture quality. It's the perfect size for what it does.

Much like Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch products, the iPad's true brilliance is its flexibility and personalization. I've downloaded several apps that match my interests and needs. They include:

  • Evernote: Note application that syncs notes over multiple devices via the web. Killer app.
  • Pages: Word processing app. I haven't used it yet. More on this in a moment.
  • iBooks: Apple's electronic bookstore. More on this in a moment.
  • Kindle: Amazon's electronic bookstore. More on this in a moment.
  • Comics and Marvel Comics apps: Electronic comic book app. More on this in a moment.
  • NewsRack: RSS/blog reader app. Spiffy.
  • Twitterific: An adequate aggregator of your (and my) preposterous, ADD-addled tweets.
  • A/V network apps such as NPR, ABC Player, TWiTPad: Terrific presentation of streaming content from excellent media outlets.
  • Netflix: This is a frickin' game changer. Amazing streaming video experience.
  • Text-based media apps such as USA Today, NYT Editors' Choice, SCI FI Wire: More great content, smartly packaged.

No games yet, as I'm not much of a gamer. I might give one a spin.

On to the stuff that's been in my head since the iPad was announced months ago. After asking Twitter pals to submit topics for this review, it looks like many of you have been thinking the same things.

How's the overall touch-based experience? Excellent; even better than the iPhone and iPod Touch experience. This is mostly because there's now real-deal real estate for fingers to do cool and interesting things.

What about multi-tasking? Like the current iPhone, the iPad does not support multitasking. This feature will come to the device this Fall in a software update. I've found my iPad experience to be just fine without it. I've been aiming for fewer distractions in my life, and a lack of multi-tasking certainly focuses my full attention to the content in-hand.

Is the iPad a laptop or netbook replacement? That depends entirely on how you do your computing. Most folks use their PCs to check email, surf the web, browse photos, listen to tunes, watch videos. The iPad absolutely does these things, and does them excellently. The device excels as a portal to consume content, just like a computer. (More on this later.)

Is the iPad J.C.'s laptop replacement? No. While it's entirely possible to bang out a novel-length work or screenplay on the iPad, I don't think I'll be doing that. (Though I might try with shorter fiction.) I can't imagine creating a complex video, or recording and editing a podcast, or doing nearly all of the other creative stuff I do -- desktop publishing, website design, image creation/manipulation, etc. -- on the thing. I have no doubt that savvy developers will create apps to fill these gaps in the months and years ahead. I also have no doubt that the iPad's computing power will increase, making such content creation possible. But for the time being, I'll probably be rak-a-takking on my MacBook Pro's keyboard for robust content creation.

This shouldn't surprise people. If you're accustomed to writing long-form emails, fiction or essays on your mobile phone, you'll be fine. I'm not.

How's the on-screen keyboard? Really really good, actually. Typing is brisk, and -- as most reviewers have claimed -- most comfortable in landscape mode. The keyboard is accurate; blame your chubby digits for typos. I'm looking forward to connecting my Bluetooth wireless keyboard to the iPad. Typing will certainly become even easier then; writing long-form content will be more feasible.

Is it just like a big iPod Touch? No. The speed of the device, and the amazing screen, take the touch experience (and content consumption experience) to the next level. It feels like you're holding the future. The iPad does indeed represent a sweet spot: we're accustomed to experiencing media in similarly-sized dimensions (books, magazines, etc.), and the iPad plays nice with that cultural programming. Blessedly, you'll no longer have to squint at the screen while watching video, or reading a book.

But it's really just a big iPod Touch. Right? Whatever you say.

How does it feel in your hands? Too heavy? Nope. It has a reassuring heft. In contrast, my Kindle e-reader always felt toylike in my paws. This is probably a throwback to my analog childhood, in which I always mentally equated quality with weight. If it's heavy, it's expensive. Don't touch it.

How does it work as an ebook reader? Excellently. Much fuss has been made about the iPad's screen (and backlit screens in general), and the accompanying eyestrain from reading material on it. I haven't experienced this, but I did find myself widening my eyes as I read books and comics -- not from the content; more likely from the backlit presentation. I had enough sense to consciously relax my eyes, and reduce the screen's brightness if needed. With these mental and physical adjustments, the device works perfectly well as an ebook reader.

It's brilliant as an e-comic reader too. Comics publishers truly, madly, deeply need to get their shit together in this emerging space. Selection of new stories is currently anemic. Not offering "digital trade paperback" editions of old storylines is a blown opportunity. DC Comics would have easily made $100 off of me in the past day, had they offered Grant Morrison's JLA or Warren Ellis' Transmetropolitan collections in e-format. But as far as I can tell, DC isn't in the e-comic space at all. A shame.

Regardless, the writing was on the wall years ago, but it's in day-glow green now: Paper is now absolutely unnecessary to enjoy traditionally paper-based content.

Will the Apple, iPad and iBookstore marketplace save publishing? No. Only publishing can save publishing. The industry is thoroughly fucked on so many levels by insulated, tech-intimidated decision makers who are (probably) well-intentioned, yet desperate to protect an imploding content creation, promotion and distribution model. But, as they did with the Kindle marketplace, publishers are dutifully porting their text-based books to Apple's iBookstore -- a good thing, as it's another revenue stream money-grab. That's good news for authors.

Will consumers cough up $13 for iBooks that they can purchase in traditional format for $10 at Amazon? As with all things, the marketplace will decide ... and the industry will likely be slow to respond.

How can new media authors benefit from this new platform? The secret to differentiation and success isn't getting your stuff in the iBookstore. It's in apps. And I'll leave it at that.

How has the iPad impacted your life? I'm consuming more media than I was before, for one thing. I'm reading more, and reading content I typically wouldn't via apps. Unlike folks who love bebopping to bookmarked websites or cramming their RSS readers with countless feeds, I enjoy the packaged experience of consuming content through the iPad applications.

Pundits claim this practice is antithetical to the philosophy fueling the web -- that information need not be packaged and placed behind a branded "walled garden" (such as the NYT Editors' Choice app, or the SCI FI Wire app) to be enjoyed. I absolutely understand that, but I also dig the curated, convenient experience of tapping an icon, skimming headlines, and diving in deeper if I wish. Different strokes for different folks. The iPad has a great web browser, which permits users to go anywhere on the web they wish for more information.

I'm also spending more money in the iTunes marketplace than I ever did while using my iPhone. There's a few reasons for this:

  • Obtaining some iPad apps, such as Pages, costs cash.
  • Some free apps brilliantly sell content within the app (such as the comiXology Comics and Marvel Comics apps). I never would have read Ellis' 2004 Iron Man: Extremis storyline, had it not been for the iPad. It's excellent stuff.
  • I wanted to see how purchasing video content from the iTunes app worked. Snagged two Lady Gaga music videos. As with the other video content I've loaded on the device, these videos looked and sounded terrific. She's so pretty.

These recent purchases bring me to my suspicion about the iPad since its announcement, which is now confirmed by my ownership:

The iPad is built from the circuitboards up to get you to buy shit. Lots of shit. Music, books, videos, apps (and content within those apps), all via iTunes. Unlike the iPhone -- which has at least one true real-world "purpose," to make calls -- the iPad is savvily designed to be an impulse purchase portal. This is neither a good thing nor a bad thing; it simply is, and folks who ignore Apple's brilliant business model do so at the peril of their bank account. Keep an eye on those purchases, peeps. Spending money doesn't hurt when you can't see it pass from your hand to the clerk's.

Parting thoughts? The iPad is wicked cool -- and for my lifestyle, wicked useful. Any quibbles I have with the device are so minor, they're not worth mentioning. The thing is very expensive, probably too expensive for most folks to purchase in good conscience. However, if you're interested in this fascinating and disruptive "middle ground" between a smartphone and laptop, have no qualms with embracing the iPad and iTunes marketplace as they are, and have the money to spend, I recommend it without reservation.

I'm holding the future in my hands, man. I can do anything.

--J.C.

Scott Sigler's THE STARTER Now Available For Pre-Order /  by J.C. Hutchins

Podiobooks pioneer Scott Sigler asks: "What's 7-feet even, 360 pounds, and will run your bitch ass right over? None other than Quentin Barnes, starting quarterback of the Ionath Krakens."

The Krakens are the spacefaring football team seen is Scott's novel The Rookie (you can read an excerpt in this PDF), which debuted in print last year. And now The Starter, sequel to The Rookie, is available for pre-order. The book is a limited-edition hardcover, and -- if you pre-order via his site -- it'll be personally signed and numbered by Scott.

What's so special about The Starter? Scott sez:

  • It's crazy fun, combines crime/football/science fiction
  • It's Star Wars meets Any Given Sunday meets The Godfather
  • It's suitable for ages 12 and up
  • It's a great gift for football or scifi fans

The book will cost you $35.00 US, but if you use the code hutch at checkout, you'll save $3. Click here to pre-order The Starter.

--J.C.

The Three Albatrosses Of Podcast Fiction /  by J.C. Hutchins

You're probably aware that I've retired from podcasting, and may have read my cautionary thoughts to New Media creators regarding the dangers of relentlessly providing Free content without considering its long-term effects. Here's another post for New Media creators -- podcast novelists, specifically. I'm blessed to say that I have observed the ascent of the podcast fiction movement for the past five years, and directly contributed to it for the past four. I do not know how much influence and impact I've had on this model and community, though I have greatly benefited from it in creative, emotional and monetary ways. Contrary to the misinterpretations of a few pundits, I have a deep love for, and belief in, the Free and podiobook models, and insist they have personal, professional and creative worth. It is because of this love and belief -- and the great admiration for you creators, many of whom are personal friends -- that I write this post. To love a thing requires to love it for its beauty, and promise … and potential pitfalls.

Based on my longtime observations, I see three great albatrosses affecting the podcast fiction author space, which most creators do not wish to acknowledge. Ignoring these issues will compromise the long-term viability of the model and community so many have worked so hard to create.

The First Albatross is the deification of influential and successful podiobook First Movers such as Scott Sigler, Seth Harwood, Mur Lafferty, myself and others.  Based on the blogo- and podosphere reactions of my recent retirement announcement alone, it became clear that -- to creators -- my role in this movement represented more than what I personally perceived it to be. There was hand-wringing about the Free model, meticulous dissections of my announcement, respectful acknowledgment of my (and our) accomplishments, surly rhetoric, and indifference. I kinda dug the indifference, as it illustrated how small and isolated the podcast fiction community isn't merely perceived to be, but is.

This idealization of First Movers -- who are, in the end, humans who happen to be great writers (with the exception of myself; I've always called myself a no-good hack) -- is dangerous territory, particularly when it hails from other creators. First Movers deserve this title because they blazed the trail, and greatly benefited by sensing and catering to an emerging need. Podcast fiction's First Movers helped create the models, methods and precedents that the present-day thriving podcast author community (more than 300 strong, by my reckoning) now enjoy.

The problem I've observed is that despite the explosive growth in the number of creators, there is little innovation in the model or method by newcomers. New creative or promotional precedents are not being set. Many of today's podiobooks authors precisely follow First Mover steps and innovations, outright ignoring the reality that once these innovations occur, they are less likely to be seen as "new and fresh" in the eyes of audiences when they are repeated. This means nearly all creators are following well-tred paths ... and in the process, contribute nothing new to the experience or our community.

With few exceptions (horror novelist James Melzer being one), there is much First Mover mimicry occurring in this space.

The Second Albatross feeds off the first: The podcast fiction space is in danger of becoming irrelevant. The fishbowl teems with Johnny-Come-Latelies who simply preach to the converted (if they preach at all) -- i.e., to the audience First Movers and a few savvy newcomers slaved to create. No meaningful attempt is made to engage fresh blood beyond this audience ... an audience that has likely stagnated in size, and may be shrinking.

Ultimately, this means the responsibility to continually evangelize the podiobooks model to new audiences -- and present author-powered innovations to the existing community -- often falls upon the shoulders of First Movers (who are decreasing in number). We're five years into the podiobooks model; all podnovelists should have audiences far larger than they presently have. I've wondered if there's been a meaningful, resonant increase in brand-new listeners since 2007.

This is the failing of creators who do not evangelize the cause. Read this, and then breathe it: You are ethically obligated to promote the living shit out of your work, and reach beyond the community's self-created comfortable confines to do so. From my hard-line perspective, anything less than an absolute commitment to your own success undermines the very reasons you got into this game.

The Third Albatross is The Publication Anomaly. Based on a half-decade of observation, it appears that podcasting one's novel doesn't much impress Big Publishing. A publishing insider I know has told me that the Glory Days of publishers eying the podspace for new talent are over. This may or may not be true, but the goal of publication -- and bestseller success -- has been mythologized by podcast novelists to such a myopic degree that it runs the risk of blinding new creators to the very reasons why a blessed Less-Than-10 Podnovelists have been picked up by Big Publishing in the first place: Hard Fucking Work.

No, I really mean it. Hard. Fucking. Work. It's a level of commitment that would downright intimidate you, were you to walk a mile in these authors' shoes. Which is probably why so few creators put forth Hard Fucking Work.

The Hard Fucking Work ethic is perfectly (and proudly) represented by my actions, and particularly by those of my friend Scott Sigler. He is our community's Alpha Dog, our brilliant trailblazer, a living gold standard to which we all aspire ... and he deserves that praise, and much more. I'd take a bullet for the man, I admire him so. His great success breeds hope for creators -- he has certainly inspired, and continues to inspire, me -- but this success (and to a lesser degree, the successes of other mainstream published podionovelists) also creates unreasonable expectations, particularly among newcomers:

"All I have to do is X, and I'll be a published New York Times bestseller."

I know this mindset truly exists, for I have seen and heard it in the emails and comments of podcast novelist newcomers. Click the Record button, and you're on your way to fame and riches.

This is fantastical masturbatory bullshit, and yet the relative mainstream success of a blessed Less-Than-10 Podnovelists is a siren's song for the lazy creator. "Record, post, tweet" is their sole road map to success, and by doing this and nothing more, they saturate the space with content that has no clear, messaged differentiation than all the other content.

I fear the fate of podiobook authors achieving mainstream success is sealed, and -- with a few blessed exceptions -- has been sealed since 2007. You've met the players; they were the ones in the game long before you. Unless there is genuine, concerted effort from newcomers and veterans to not simply emulate the successful tactics of First Movers, but absolutely outclass and dethrone them with killer stories and trailblazing beyond-the-fishbowl promotion, there will be no more Big Publishing deals happening in our space. And yet, this can absolutely happen, should creators be talented and savvy.

Does this mean the podcast fiction movement is dead? Get your head checked if that's your takeaway. In my eyes, the podcast fiction movement (much like podcasting itself) has matured, and this maturation begets a host of new challenges -- a primary one being that this model isn't "new" anymore, which must force creators to make meaningful and innovative contributions to evangelism, content and business models. It also presents incredible opportunities for newcomers and seasoned vets who are hungry to bust ass, shake the tree, and outperform the established conventions and emblematic authors who best represent this model.

This is not the time for you as a creator to say, "Me too." That is the path to mediocrity and obscurity. This is time for you to say, "What's next?"...

...and then do something about it.

--J.C.

Giving Your All, And Still Coming Up Short /  by J.C. Hutchins

This turd plopped into my inbox today:

I read the first 10 chapters of 7th Son online and ordered the book. I was under the impression that the online release was not the complete novel. When the book arrived from Amazon, I dug in, disappointed to find that the print novel was the same content as released online. Probably my oversight, but it seems a wasted purchase.

If we're defining "wasted purchase" as participating in the centuries-old practice of monetarily supporting the artists who create the content we consume, then yes -- the dude wasted every penny.

Free-flinging New Media creators, it's time we had a talk. Get your head around this. Nothing you do -- no matter how much time, effort and money you spend on creating pitch-perfect, delicious Free content -- will ever fully please your audience. They shall never be sated, mostly because people like us created precedents years ago that trained Free-fed audiences to be ravenous. They will consume until there is nothing left to consume, and they'll demand More.

(Even when you clearly explain that there will be no More, and why, they'll grouse about the inequity of your decision. I do not understand how, after receiving hundreds of hours of content for Free, a person can legitimately characterize my recent decision to leave podcasting as unreasonable or unfair.)

In today's case, my emailer wanted More content than what he could get for Free -- and he had Free access to the entire novel. There was no compelling reason for him to support my work simply for the sake of supporting it. There had to be More. Even when you give away the cow, people still bitch about the milk.

At least the dude bought a copy of my book. When you're in this Free racket, there's no accountability or obligation for fans to monetarily support your work. Of course, creators fully know these risks when they got into the Free game. There's no creative rape happening here, no victimization. Everyone involved is a consenting adult.

But back to More, and people wanting it. At first glance, this is an embarrassment of riches. What's wrong with people expecting more from creators -- especially creators who give away their content? It's Free, right? It's a weekly bite-sized confection for the ears, munch-munch-disposable, an easy delete from the hard drive. Yet ravenous fans fundamentally underestimate the time and effort that is required to create the content they consume. They can't help this. They undervalue creative work because they do not create; they consume. They're not initiated.

Time for a schooling. Did you know that a 30-minute episode of my podcast fiction requires more than 20 hours to write, edit, record, produce and post? Did you know even more hours are spent promoting that content? Presented in these terms, spending 20 hours busting ass for zero pay is crazy talk. New Media creators have only themselves to blame for this; we often bet the farm on ephemeral goals such as audience size, eventual mainstream publication, and bestseller lists -- and completely ignore the risks and tangible real-world costs of time, effort and money required to meaningfully play in this space.

Make no mistake: If you want to become a meaningful leader in this space -- and indeed, any space -- it ain't a hobby. It's a fucking lifestyle. (Which is why there are hundreds of podcast novelists, yet less than 10 who've actually secured those coveted New York publication deals.)

More, More, More. Audiences demand it -- and creators do too. There is a great misconception in the podcast creator community -- particularly in the podcast fiction space -- that creators must produce and release more content, and must do so consistently and immediately. The rationale: If they quit sprinting on this Free-fueled treadmill, they'll vanish into obscurity. Or in the less business-oriented vernacular so many New Media creators use: People won't like you anymore.

This is crazy-making bullshit.

Many of the novelists who consistently produce Free content often do so because they release "trunked" content -- meaning, content that's served time in a dusty drawer -- or because their financial circumstances permit them to be full-time content creators. (Or both.) These creators are rare. The rest of us heap those creative responsibilities upon the commitments of a 40-plus-hour work week and family obligations.  Unchecked, this can lead to a disconnect between being faithful to yourself as a creator, and running the risk of becoming a cafeteria slop-slinger. It is very difficult to effectively scale when you're a one-person show.

Further, life on this treadmill can confuse short-term creative validation with long-term career goals. It also nearly always prioritizes praise over profits. Grinning at the emails from happy Free-fed fans is delightful ... until the rent's due. If your ambition is to merrily swim in the overcrowded Free fishbowl and nothing more, keep producing More for Free. If you aim to make a living wage with your words, you must be far more strategic in how you spend your creative time, and how you distribute your creative content -- and for fuck's sake, do something about getting published, or getting paid. Anything less is crowdsourced masturbation.

Also understand that unless you are a truly great writer, running the Free rat-race in an effort to desperately feed your audience will eventually compromise the quality of your work. Sure, you're entertaining your peeps, but you're cranking out shit. Don't crank out shit.

And don't give away any more than you wish to give. You are not a hostage to your audience. The only thing you owe your audience is quality Free content released on a schedule that is dictated by your terms. If those terms transform into hanging up your Free hat and moving on to other important aspects of your career, you can do that. I did, and I assure you, life goes on.

With few exceptions, creators cannot sustainably dedicate their creative lives to performing heroic tasks for Free to please strangers. This can quickly lead to consensual enslavement, not artistic empowerment. That's no way to live.

And sometimes, as in the case of the email I received today, you cannot give any more than you already have. This is because you've freely provided everything there is. There is no More.

--J.C.

Edit my fiction, win prizes! /  by J.C. Hutchins

Have you heard of Bite-Size Edits? It's a brilliant site that my friend Hugh McGuire (a founder of LibriVox.org, an all-volunteer project that makes free, public domain audiobooks; they were Podiobooks before Podiobooks was cool) and other talented folk recently debuted. Bite-Size Edits is such a spiffy idea, I kick myself every day for not thinking of it first. From the Bite-Size Edits site:

Bite-Size Edits connects readers and fans with writers, right in the engine room, where sentences are honed and improved. Bite-Size Edits takes a text, chops it into pieces, and serves those pieces randomly to editors. Players get points for editing text, for providing useful comments, and for helping to get a text completely edited.

Crowdsourced editing. This is stupefyingly cool. You can help edit the works of popular writers and earn points for your participation. Even cooler, now you can edit MY work too!

My novella Personal Effects: Sword of Blood is now available at the Bite-Sized Edits site, chopped into itty-bitty segments, for your editing pleasure. You'll recall that Sword of Blood is about Brinkvale Psychiatric Hospital art therapist Zach Taylor, and his descent into a world filled with mystery and ruthless subcultures.

Bite-Size players -- that's YOU -- get points for editing Sword of Blood's manuscript. Even better, folks receive many many more points for edits that I personally approve. Top editors will win copies my novel, 7th Son: Descent, from St. Martin’s Press.

So whip out your red pen and start editing for points here at Bite-Size Edits -- and be sure to sign up (or log in, if you're already a member). That way, your edits will be tallied by Bite-Size's database, and you'll earn those muchly deserved points!

Get your learn on about Bite-Size Edits here. I'll publish another post with the winners' names soon. In the meantime, get editing Personal Effects: Sword of Blood!

--J.C.

When I Grow Up, I Want To Be... C.C. Chapman /  by J.C. Hutchins

This is the first of several When I Grow Up… posts I plan to write in upcoming weeks. It's my small way of thanking the people who've influenced and inspired me. It's also my way of introducing you to creative people whom you may not know. I have the great fortune to call C.C. Chapman my friend.

I've personally known him since 2006, though I feel like I've known him for at least a year longer than that. His Accident Hash show was one of the first podcasts I ever heard, back in those wild Early Adopter days. He regularly appeared on Adam Curry's influential Daily Source Code, and -- in a groundbreaking turn that I believe fundamentally changed (and improved) the way musicians promote their work -- helped spearhead the Podsafe Music movement. That alone is huge, but for a cat like C.C., it represented merely the beginning of his career in the social/new media space.

In person, C.C. is a big man with a boisterous, infectious laugh, and a personality that could fill a ballroom. The wit on this dude is katana-sharp; the brain behind those eyes moves a mile a minute. I've quietly watched C.C. in public settings, and folks just gravitate to the man. This may sound peculiar, but I say it with absolute respect and awe: C.C. Chapman is the Sanka coffee of social settings.  Shit happens instantly with C.C.  Boom, instant friendships, instant hugs and handshakes -- he's conversation caffeination. Just add water, and you’re off to the races with this guy.

Here's a guy who, six years ago, was working at a Boston college and -- within mere months -- became a progressive personality in the podspace, spotted online trends long before others, and helped found Crayon, one of the world's first social media-friendly marketing companies. He moved on to co-found The Advance Guard, another successful social media-centric marketing company. The Advance Guard was recently acquired by Campfire, a company that has concocted some of the most creative and resonant online campaigns I've ever seen. (It's no wonder: one of Campfire's founders is Mike Monello, one of the brilliant brains behind the creation and viral promotion of The Blair Witch Project.)

C.C. is future-friendly, baby. Plug and play. While most folks in this space are shilling for Twitter followers, or writing the most un-fucking-helpful Top 10-style blog posts about the social media douchebaggery du jour, C.C. remains ever-able to see things more clearly, spot trends more easily, comment more insightfully, and -- most important -- cut through the masturbatory fishbowl bullshit better than nearly anyone I know. He leads by example.

The dude probably knows he's a player, but he always downplays it. That's cool. I can brag about him all I want.

I can count on one hand the people I've met whose optimism burns as brightly as C.C.'s. I read this in his blog posts, I especially hear it in his enthusiastic Managing the Gray podcasts, and have seen it in person. This boundless optimism has personally inspired me throughout the years -- I might have unwittingly channeled a sliver of C.C. in my own exuberant Hey, everybody!-powered podcast persona -- and I know I'm not the only one.

Funny thing about C.C.: In his posts and tweets (and in emails to me), he'll often capitalize the word Friend. It took me a few times seeing this to grok that this was not, in fact, a typo. I reckon that for C.C. (whose generosity is legendary, if you know him), the word Friend is indeed a proper noun, a thing that is worthy of capitalization, nigh-sacred. If you're a Friend, the dude will go to bat for you again and again and again, and will never ask for anything in return. If that doesn't warrant a respectful capitalized Friend in your book, then I got nothin' for ya.

I'll cite a recent example of C.C.'s generosity and Friendship. Within the tiny subculture of podcasting, there's an even tinier subculture of folks (like me) who create and listen to podcast fiction. One of our own -- Tee Morris -- recently experienced a death in the family, and was confronted with the terrifying reality of raising his daughter as a single dad. An online auction was created to raise funds for Tee's daughter.

C.C. was there. He promoted the auction, and participated in it. He purchased at least two items. (I'm humbled that both were items that I either created, or helped create.) Out of respect to C.C., I won't share how much he contributed to this cause, but will say that it was enough to move me to tears. That is the act of someone who truly values community, and the people within that community.

More significant, it is the act of someone who Gets It. All of these tweets, these blog comments, these one-and-zero-soaked lives so many of us live, they mean nothing if we give nothing. C.C. gives spectacularly.

I dare not deify the man; that's not my intent. I simply wish to illustrate what kind of impact one person can make through friendliness, intelligence, talent and generosity. I think C.C. loves to love -- something he and I have in common. He falls head-over-heels for people and projects and products, and enjoys sharing that passion with others. I admire him for that.

I used to be a newspaper and magazine features reporter. I often view things, and people, in terms of stories. C.C.'s story has been an incredible one so far: the communities he's help build … the artistic works of others that he's shared ... the creativity he's helped facilitate in his day gigs and beyond ... the endless enthusiasm for this world and the people around him. Big man, big heart.

But the best part about C.C.'s story is that it's nowhere near over. From the sidelines, I'm watching him grow. C.C.'s still in Act One, in that part of the movie where the hero's just hitting his stride on that mythologized Call To Adventure.

Peculiarly, I'm reminded of Dr. Seuss right now. Today is the author's birthday. But I know C.C. well enough to know Seuss's story Oh, the Places You Will Go! has made a big impact on him. With C.C. still in the early days of his success, it seems fitting to walk off with a snippet of that story:

Oh! The Places You’ll Go! You’ll be on your way up! You’ll be seeing great sights! You’ll join the high fliers who soar to high heights. You won’t lag behind, because you’ll have the speed. You’ll pass the whole gang and you’ll soon take the lead. Wherever you fly, you’ll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest.

Hey. If you know C.C. -- or if you don't -- send him an appreciative tweet. Remind him of the positive impact he makes.

Thank you for all you do, C.C.

Your Friend,

--J.C.

Interview: Keith and the Girl, authors of What Do We Do Now? /  by J.C. Hutchins

Sweet. This week, J.C. chats with Keith Malley and Chemda -- the brilliant and funny minds behind the awesome and ultra-popular Keith and The Girl podcast -- about their new book, What Do We Do Now? -- Keith and The Girl's Smart Answers to Your Stupid Relationship Questions.

The book is an intelligent, practical look at dating and beyond ... and it's very very very funny. And so are Keith and Chemda, in this interview. You'll learn about their podcast, the book and a little about their own relationship.

What Do We Do Now? is a terrific read: It's an R-rated, utterly honest Q&A book culled from the best and funniest questions posed by Keith and The Girl devotees -- perfect for everyone tired of boring and tried-and-not-so-true relationship advice.

Dig what you hear in this podcast? Tell a friend! Use the "Share This" feature found at the end of this post!

The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.

An update on the 7th Son sequels, 2010, and my creative plans /  by J.C. Hutchins

It is not without a sense of irony that I write this on the four-year anniversary of 7th Son: Descent's Podiobooks.com debut. I've been sitting on this news for a few days, pondering how to best present it to you -- you very cool, very gracious people. I realized that my breed of pondering is often an excuse for procrastination, so I'll get on with it and articulate this as clearly and constructively as I can.

St. Martin's Griffin, the publisher of 7th Son: Descent, has chosen to not publish the 7th Son sequels. As with every aspect of our relationship, St. Martin's was kind, clear and up-front with me about this. This honesty has been something I've treasured since I signed with the company in 2007. I consider the team with whom I worked at St. Martin's to be absolute professionals, genuinely interested in my talents, my ideas and my work.

Brass tacks: 7th Son: Descent's sales performance has not made a compelling business case for its sequels. Given the heroic outreach I and St. Martin's marketing/publicity teams put forth to effectively promote Descent, and the ultimate sales results of that outreach, the publisher believed releasing a sequel would not make good business sense. Despite my disappointment as 7th Son's creator, I am able to see the wisdom of St. Martin's decision.

I will not attempt to find another publisher for 7th Son's sequels.

I am not angry about these circumstances. Publishing is a business. Authors who earn a place at a publisher's table must justify the monetary resources required to feed them. St. Martin's took a chance with 7th Son: Descent, and that risk has not yet paid off. I fully understand this, and so should you. I remain head-over-heels for the folks at St. Martin's. We're all still friends. My editor there is very keen to see the next J.C. Hutchins project.

Typically, I'd present a cheerful, rousing plot twist at this point -- a cheeky Hey, everybody!-style rallying cry for which I'm so well known. This time, I cannot.

It became very clear to me very quickly that 7th Son: Descent was not performing as expected. I dare not assign responsibility to anyone but myself for this. Examining the lead up to, and release of, the novel, I cannot see how I could have promoted it any better than I did. I literally went broke promoting this book and Personal Effects: Dark Art (another novel that will not have a sequel; it also underperformed). I conceived numerous brand-new online marketing campaigns that dazzled you and others. I asked you to purchase the novel, and many of you did. I asked my professional allies and friends to assist me in spreading the word, and they did. Those fans and conspicuous colleagues who did not lend a hand undoubtedly had their reasons, which I accept.

7th Son: Descent made history in the way it was promoted: It was the first mainstream novel to be simultaneously released in free serialized audiobook, PDF and in text format (at BoingBoing.net). It was the first book to use serialized prequel audio short stories as part of its release promotion. It was the first novel to have an accompanying music album (the Anyman EP) sung by a character from the book, timed to its release. I am very proud of these groundbreaking accomplishments.

I am also very proud of the long hours I spent re-recording the 7th Son: Descent serialized audiobook to celebrate its print release, and the effort producer Shawn Bishop put forth in creating an excellent product. I also stand by the time investment required to participate in nearly 30 guest posts/interviews for blogs willing to promote the book (for which I am extremely grateful), and more than 40 podcast interviews (for which I'm equally grateful). I do not regret spending thousands of dollars to personally finance additional promotion for Personal Effects and 7th Son. When you're up at bat, you swing for the wall.

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to make a living wage telling stories. That day has not yet come, and I fear that it won't, unless some serious decisions are made. I've made these decisions, and I apologize for how this will affect you.

Creating podcast fiction does does not generate direct revenue for me. Based on anecdotal and statistical data, very few people are willing to pay for general podcast content, much less podcast fiction. Since my goal is to make a living wage with my words, the current monetization models -- including in-show advertisements -- will not deliver this. Dedicating time and effort to my non-fiction podcast projects will deliver equally underwhelming monetary results.

It is also apparent to me that using the Free model to promote a tangible product, such as I did with 7th Son: Descent and Personal Effects: Dark Art, does not deliver sustainable sales results. I have friends -- some of whom are my best friends, the most talented people I've had the privilege to know and work with --  who have absolute faith in this model. I treasure their trailblazing efforts and enthusiasm. My faith, however, has been fundamentally rattled.

Put simply: The new media model viably supports only the most blessed and talented of authors. The time, effort and money I invest in entertaining you for free pulls my attention and talent away from projects that can generate revenue. While podcasting, podcast fiction, and -- most importantly -- your support and evangelism has positively impacted my life and career in ways I'll never be able to fully express, I cannot continue to release free audiofiction if I wish to make a living wage with my words.

My plans to release a serialized audiobook of Personal Effects: Dark Art are now aborted. My plans to release The 33 as free audiofiction are on hold. I'm particularly heartbroken about The 33, as I'm very proud of the world and characters I've created so far. Unless I experience a financial windfall, or conceive a monetized podcast approach that provides equitable compensation for the effort I invest in writing, recording and editing those stories, I cannot dedicate the resources to freely release The 33.

While these decisions were not made in haste, you are well within your right to feel disappointed or betrayed. My soul aches, for I truly feel that I am letting you down. I do pray you'll look back at the four years of entertainment I've provided, and cherish those stories and memories. I certainly do. Rest well knowing that I owe you far more than you owe me. You made my dream come true. How many people can claim such a miraculous thing?

For the past two years, I've nigh-obsessively wondered about the viability of podcast fiction, and if this distribution method is as powerful and disruptive as it was during its scrappy, eye-opening 2005 and 2006 roots. It's far too early to say. Its days of newness are certainly gone ... but new creators are coming on the scene every day, with new stories to share. I wish them stratospheric success in on- and offline marketplaces.

It's also far too early to say if this model will deliver the kind of mainstream publisher attention it did for creators such as Scott Sigler, Seth Harwood, myself, and others. Blessedly, several additional podcast novelists have secured deals with mainstream publishers; their works will debut in bookstores in the upcoming months. I hope the Free promotional model continues to serve them well, and that the listener and creator communities enthusiastically support them.

I pray this model becomes a viable, sustainable business-driven movement -- and not the fleeting moment I fear it may be.

Regardless of its fate, I cannot currently contribute to it, if I wish to make a living wage with my words. Aside from the sporadic release of nonfiction audio interviews, my podcast feed is going dark. I've spent years "feeding the feed" -- my podcast feed, that is -- and the real-world results of that effort have put in me the red emotionally, creatively and financially.

Some of you amazing people -- you very cool, very gracious people -- are owed far more than an apology. I have made sincere obligations to you, and will deliver on these promises. Fans who are owed Personal Effects "swag bags" and 7th Son "Beta Clone Army Rewards" prizes will receive them. You monetarily supported my work in good faith -- faith in the novel, faith in me -- and I will absolutely honor these obligations. I beg for your patience as I right myself financially, so I can smartly dedicate the monetary resources to making these promises a reality.

For those who bought 7th Son: Descent and Personal Effects: Dark Art, know that I owe you my undying respect and thanks. For those who experienced the audio and text content for free and were not persuaded to monetarily support my work, I appreciate your time, and hope you were entertained.

For the hundreds of fans, friends, and colleagues who went the extra mile in generously sharing the news about 7th Son and Personal Effects with others: I treasure your support above all.

When folks ask me for writerly advice, I usually reply with two words: Writers write. What I rarely say, but absolutely believe, is that writers should be paid for what they write. It's time for me to write. To write my ass off, to tell stories that can be sold in many media, so I can continue to entertain you, and achieve my career goals. I am honored by your friendship, and hope I have clearly explained the circumstances that led me to these difficult decisions.

A final word regarding the 7th Son sequels: I may self-publish Deceit and Destruction later this year. If I do, I'll let you know. It seems like a shame to keep the series' "mad hacker" in a drawer for too long. Kilroy2.0 needs to be everywhere.

Thank you for your love and support in the past, the now, and the to-be.

With endless affection and appreciation,

--J.C.

Interview: Chris Hanel, creator of the meme-killing "Meta Hitler" video /  by J.C. Hutchins

Welcome up, listeners! J.C. Hutchins and Hey Everybody! returns with a fun interview with Chris Hanel, creator of what can be best described as the "Meta Hitler" video, the ultimate Downfall parody vid.

For years, geeks and creators have used a four-minute clip from the Hitler bioflick Downfall to skewer topics from Xbox to Twitter ... but Chris' video takes the meme out to the toolshed. The video recently went truly viral, appearing on BoingBoing.net, The Huffington Post, Kotaku, the Bad Astronomy blog, and other prominent online venues.

Bad Astronomer Phil Plait hailed the video as "the transformative end-of-the-meme bringer. Anyone making a Downfall parody after this is basically an SEO professional getting a Twitter account now."

Here's Chris' video:

In this interview, J.C. chats with Chris about the creative inspiration for his meme-slaying video, his years of experience creating "meta"-themed online content such as Star Wars fan films and his new online comic, The Daily Blink. It's a fun chat with a true UltraCreative. If you want a front-row seat to witness how a video can go viral, this interview is a must-listen.

Dig what you hear in this podcast? Tell a friend! Use the "Share This" feature found at the end of this post!

The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.

Interview: Ami Greko and Pablo Defendini from The New Sleekness /  by J.C. Hutchins

Welcome up, listeners! After weeks of radio silence, Hey Everybody! returns with a terrific interview with Ami Greko and Pablo Defendini from The New Sleekness, a blog that provides brilliant and progressive analysis on the mainstream publishing industry. Ami and Pablo are two (of several) talented contributors at the site.

Both Ami and Pablo hail from the publishing biz, and know their stuff. Their perspectives are influenced by their involvement in digital content creation, marketing and publicity ... as well as years of exposure to the traditional publishing model. If you're looking for a respectful and progressive exploration of the state of publishing and where it's going, this interview is a must-listen.

Dig what you hear in this podcast? Tell a friend! Use the "Share This" feature found at the end of this post!

The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.

A Call For YOUR Creativity: Crowdsourcing Kilroy! /  by J.C. Hutchins

Yo, 7th Son fans -- I've got a killer concept cooking over here, and I need YOUR help. With the help of some super-savvy iPhone app developers, I'll soon unleash a cool Kilroy-themed app for the iPhone and iPod touch. We're cramming lots of goodies inside, but the show-stopping main feature will be a sassy, talking Kilroy2.0!

The gist: When you give your phone a solid "shake," the mad hacker Kilroy2.0 himself will spout one of dozens of random quotes. He'll be a delightful, giggling mess, saying such things as "Shake, shake, shake your Kilroy" and "I just rooted your iPhone" ... and of course, "Kilroy2.0 is evvvvrywhere."

The twist: We've got an aggressive deadline for this project, so I need YOUR help to write dozens of funny Kilroy quotes for the app, which I'll record and port into the program. Are you up for "becoming" Kilroy and putting words in my most famous character's mouth? If so, keep reading!

Participating in this fun, creative crowdsource project is easy-peasy:

  • Simply think of as many fun (and funny!) one-liners that you think Kilroy would say, and post them in the comments.
  • You can include many quote ideas in a single comment.
  • The best user-created quotes will make it into the app!
  • Be sure to include your name in your blog comment ... we'll include your name in the app's credits!

And that's it! If you wanna participate, you gotta do so at Hutch-speed -- and I move fast. The deadline for your Kilroy2.0 one-liners is this Wednesday, Feb. 3. So channel your inner Kilroy, cook up some fun one-liners and post them in the comments!

--J.C.

Help A Friend In Need /  by J.C. Hutchins

Two days ago, the wife of podcaster and author Tee Morris died unexpectedly. In addition to the devastating loss, Tee now faces the challenge of raising his daughter as a single dad.

I spoke to Tee on the evening of his wife's death. Despite the incalculable loss, the eternal optimism Tee is known for was still there, in his voice. He was deeply moved by the support the community had shown for him, and appreciative.

We cannot change yesterday, but we can help ensure Tee and his daughter have a brighter tomorrow. Please help them by contributing to a fund that will help cover funeral costs, and create a trust for his daughter. Give generously, if you can.

--J.C.

Interview: Rebecca Keegan, Author of The Futurist /  by J.C. Hutchins

Happy 2010! In this episode of Hey, Everybody!, J.C. chats with Rebecca Keegan, author of The Futurist: The Life and Films of James Cameron. With cooperation from writer/director James Cameron himself, author Rebecca Keegan has written a truly terrific and insightful biography. Learn how Keegan connected with Cameron, and what she discovered about this amazing storyteller during the creation of the book.

Expertly reported and masterfully written -- and featuring an exclusive chapter about Cameron's new film Avatar -- The Futurist is a must-read for admirers of Cameron's work and beyond.

The anthem for Hey, Everybody! is "Chip Away" by Jane's Addition, distributed freely via BitTorrent and the Nine Inch Nails/Jane's Addiction tour site, Ninja2009.com.

What is The 33? (Part One) /  by J.C. Hutchins

I'm not ready to tell you about The 33's storyline yet, but I'll absolutely tell you the creative philosophy fueling it. I'm a geezer in the podcast fiction game. I've been a podfic creator for four years, and a podcast listener since February 2005. I was there for the debut episodes of Scott Sigler's Earthcore, Stephen Eley's Escape Pod and other fiction projects -- and I was dazzled by those scrappy creators' ingenuity and the quality of their work. Podcast fiction was a curious storytelling anomaly back then, but soon became legitimized as dozens -- and then hundreds -- of authors embraced the distribution model. These days, I receive an email a week from a determined creator who's hungry to launch her or his own podcast novel. That's pretty cool.

I've watched the space grow, and -- as I did in 2005, when I considered releasing 7th Son as a podcast novel -- still study the most successful storytellers to understand why they are successful, and what they do that impresses their audiences. They lead by example, and I feverishly take notes on what seems to work best. (Speaking selfishly for a moment, I'm honored that these storytellers and others now study what I'm doing in the space. Some of us even collude, scheme together, and shamelessly steal from each other. It's a hoot.)

I'm stating the obvious here, but the very best podcast fiction shows fall into two categories: Short Form and Long Form. Both are amazing ways to tell stories. Both have strengths...

  • Short Form: Most short form fiction appears in "magazine-style" programs such as Escape Pod and Variant Frequencies. Nearly all of these stories are one-shots -- they economically build universes, narratives and characters. They are easily digestible, short and resonant. They stand on their own; there are no "previously ons," no need to hear prior stories in the podcast feed. Low barrier of entry for newcomers.
  • Long Form: Novel-length stories dedicate far more time to building rich characters, plots and subplots. In addition to the richness creators can add to the universes and narratives, listening to a serialized audio novel week-to-week is an experience like no other. Cliffhangers abound, and opportunities exist for fans to converge and discuss where the story's going. If you've listened to my stuff, you've been there. I've been there too.

And both also have weaknesses...

  • Short Form: Audiences craving an in-depth look into a short story's universe and characters may come away wanting more.
  • Long Form: Latecomers to serialized Long Form fiction have to start wayyyyy back at Episode One. (Or in some cases, Book One.) That's a huge time investment, and a high barrier of entry for newcomers.

I've thought long and hard about that high barrier of entry. I suspect I've lost listener-to-be's simply because they realized they'd have to listen to hundreds of hours of content to catch up with my unfolding stories. Since 2006, I've quested to make my content easy to obtain from a technical perspective and a narrative one. My recent Personal Effects: Sword of Blood and 7th Son: 7 Days prequels were specifically designed for newcomers -- they're both low-impact ways to introduce new fans to the Personal Effects and 7th Son universes.

As I schemed on a new podcast fiction project in late 2008, I realized I wanted a model that both celebrated the low barrier of entry of Short Form fiction, and the rich creative opportunities Long Form presents. I pondered this long before I considered the project's storyline or characters. I looked at other media for inspiration. The answer came pretty quickly, once I stopped thinking like a podcaster.

The 33 is episodic TV for your ears.

Like the best episodic TV, episodes of The 33 will have consistent lengths (45 minutes). Most episodes will be one-shots -- "monster of the week" stories (ala Buffy, Supernatural, etc.) so newcomers can hop aboard with any episode, quickly grok the characters and setting, and have a blast. Also like the best episodic TV, there will be season-length story arcs -- think of the Cancer Man eps in The X-Files -- that will unfold in some episodes. It's the best of both worlds.

Like the best episodic TV, there will be core cast members. Three of them, to be exact: Napoleon Black John Swords, Bliss and Knack. They'll be accompanied by lots of guest characters called Shifters -- folks recruited for specific missions because of their unique skills. (Some Shifters slated to appear include Mad Anna, Arachnarcana, Bada Boom and Kill Screen. Expect nothing less from a dude who grew up watching The A-Team and playing with G.I. Joe dolls. Codenames rock.)

And like episodic TV, there will likely be commercials. And like episodic TV, it might even be recorded in front of a live audience. And there may be spinoffs.

The format is very familiar but, to my knowledge, has not yet been executed in podcast fiction form. I'm having a blast concocting The 33 universe, episode plots and characters ... and I can't wait to unleash it later this year. (That's as specific as I'm going to be about its release. Check this recent post to learn why.)

So that's the creative philosophy fueling The 33. I'll share more in a few weeks. In the meantime, I'm heading back to my brainstorming.

Because the world needs The 33.

--J.C.