Nostalgia is always something that appears better than we thought it was
01/12/2008 . Source: Geoff Willmetts 
Something I give some thought to occasionally is how the past can seem better than the present. Granted there is a habit of remembering only the good things not the bad from our childhood. As youngsters, when we're experiencing things the first time around we have nothing to compare it to so its no wonder we feel golden-eyed about it. Buy Ace of Wands in the USA - or Buy Ace of Wands in the UK  Hello everyone
Something I give some thought to occasionally is how the past can seem better than the present. Granted there is a habit of remembering only the good things not the bad from our childhood. As youngsters, when we're experiencing things the first time around we have nothing to compare it to so its no wonder we feel golden-eyed about it. Over the years this obviously changes as we learn about the world yet the hankering for the first experience seems to be there for each generation.
Is it any wonder that we consider nostalgia under the same lines as loss of innocence when we get a better grasp on reality? Then again, things do look so much better and there's often the thought that the good aspects of the past could be blended with that of the present for a better blend. Ah! If life could be so simple.
One of the best examples is the resurrection of 'Doctor Who' and yet nothing has been done to follow so effectively on the ITV channels over here. Reviewing last year's release of the ITV 1970s series 'Ace Of Wands' this month made me realise just how varied and exciting the junior shows were back in the early 70s. They might not have been perfect, especially from memory, but they stirred the imagination to think better than what was presented. 'Course that wouldn't happen now as nostalgia was better before tea-time soaps reduced the material available and got swamped by the Australian soaps and shrunk the junior shows to so much piffle these days.
If it had happened earlier, we wouldn't have had the likes week day series of 'Ace Of Wands', 'Timeslip' or even 'The Tomorrow People', let alone the marvellous classical book adaptations or the Anderson puppet shows. As kids, for those who watched, we were brought up to get into the hang of enjoying Science Fiction irrespective of special effects but more for storytelling that got us thinking and using our imaginations rather than being spoon-fed as its become today.
Nostalgia has its uses. Used correctly, it can be a foundation to be built upon or at least something to share with the next generation. To emulate what works far more than what doesn't. Sometimes this is successful. Sometimes not. Modernisation by bringing up to date with current sensibilities or putting a darker slant on what made the original 'formula' work has had more failures than successes. To ignore the past means not learning anything from it. With the abundance of DVDs out there these days, even people who were not born when many series were released can have an opportunity to examine most material and can be judgmental on any re-makes. The can also be judgmental on the originals even if at the time no one considered that they could be shown time after time in the years to come. If anything, it often shows you can't really go home again.
What you make of it such changes below, say, the ages of 40-50, is debatable. Different values need to be observed. Shows worked at a different pace. Some times for the better. Dialogue and acting was seen as a means to get something across when budgets weren't there. It made for stronger creativity. TV special effects are often not that far removed from its film counterparts these days, especially as the expertise cross-pollinates so much now. There's still a need for some balance between story and effects, let alone fresh ideas.
Something that is obviously apparent from my childhood is the reason so many of the shows were groundbreaking was simply cos they had never been done before so didn't have to worry about any comparisons. If anything, the re-makes could be considered as an unconscious desire by its production teams to emulate their past only better when forgetting the cardinal rule if you want to go really learn from the past then it makes more sense to become innovative and original than to repeat yourself. After all, for the generations coming up, if all their earlier memories are of re-makes, what are they going to do when they get handed the budgets?!! It would prevent original ideas. Now that would be a shame.
It is better to understand the nature and desire of nostalgia than think repeating it will make it better. Savour what you had but use as a means to progress and live up to or avoid its ideals.
Thank you, take care, good night, be safe and the future beckons so let me be the first to wish you a happy but budget-conscious new year.
Geoff Willmetts
editor: SFCrowsnest.co.uk
Oberservation: Considering how vulnerable humans are without an air supply, why is it that all SF film & TV spacesuits haven't come up with a better way than having an exposed airline which can be ripped out by the simplest action?
A Zen thought: We loose years like trees shedding leaves but at least we can look back and remember what went past. To a tree, it's just another leaf. To us, a memory of experience.
Another real Zen thought but this time for potential writers: If you can express an opinion independently of others and aren't likely to bend to the masses then you might show potential as a writer.
Zen for those who are scared by all the instructions below:
Many of the instructions are things you should be doing automatically if you're developing your writing skills. If you do them already then focus on the ones that you don't get right. They are there to help you as much as me to get the best writing from you. If you think you're 80% there then I'll help you get the final 20%. Trust me, I'm an editor and I can get things right.
BOOK REVIEWS
Do you love books?
Do you like curling up and reading a book?
Do you have a preference for fantasy, SF or horror? We really could do with some fantasy readers!!!
Do you find it the greatest pastime you have next to being on your computer?
Are you very vocal about what you like and don't like in what you read?
Would you like to share your thoughts with others about books?
Would you like an endless supply of books to do this with?
Do you live in the UK?
Can you spare an hour every day?
Are you finding the recession is hitting your book buying habit?
If you've been nodding your head up to this point then link in below and see if you have what it takes to be a reviewer at SFCrowsnest. If you have that special knack to read and write or want to develop said skill then the only way you're going to find out is to take the plunge yourself rather than wait for others to do it first. Reading a lot of books is a requisite for any writer. Being able to say what makes them good or bad hones your own skills. Even if you're just happy with reading with a little writing on the side then this might be for you. It's got to be better than waiting for the sun to come out in this weird summer. It's also amazing how much you can read in an hour a day.
If you've survived this far in the editorial, let me reiterate something from the website newsletter and the above editorial. As you can see from the main page, we have one of the biggest SF/fantasy/horror monthly reviews columns on the Net. Our success has increased the number of books that comes in and our policy is to read everything and give it a roadtest before giving a review so you have some idea of what you're letting yourself in for. You want the bottom line about what you're going to choose to read. That means we need people actually willing to read the book and tell others they're opinion in reviews. For that, we're always on the outlook for more reviewers.
Do you think you have what it takes to review a book? It's a skill that can be easily mastered and we need a few more. If you love fantasy, we have more than enough to keep you busy for instance.
Apart from the ability to put words into sentences, you also need to know how to précis, do a little research on associated subjects and can express opinions constructively about the good and bad points about the books you read. We even let you choose from our pile of received books rather than foster something on you that you wouldn't normally read. You'll even get a little editorial help in how to write good copy and that can always lead to other things. I'm not as scary as I sound editorially and its better to do the test review and see how you fare than not attempt to see how well you did. I did say you have to love books and willing to read beyond your favourite authors, didn't I?
If you like reading books in the genre and can average two or three a month, can really think and show you can write a decent review and, most importantly, live in the British Isles (sorry, expense, time and distance travelled mostly prohibits elsewhere), then use the link below and see our requirements. We can't pay you but a review for the price and regular supply of new books, this has to be a good incentive to see if you have what it takes.
Do you think you're up to writing a review? If you think you can, then you're really going to think you've landed your hands in the biscuit tin. It won't hurt to try and see if you have the right stuff by sending me a sample review to show me you can write. If you want an added incentive, it can also be good for your CV.
Look up the Review Guidelines by linking here: with a press of a mouse button.
SHORT STORY SLUSH PILE
We always have an interest in short stories which can be anything from one to thirty or so pages long. We're always willing to give short story writers a chance to be seen if they can withstand my scrutiny even if we can't pay for their efforts, your material will be seen by a lot of people. If you can get a short story written well then it'll make it easier to move up to novel-length.
Look up the Short Stories Link by linking here with your mouse.
FLASH OR ONE-PAGE FICTION
We've also a teaching ground of one page stories, so check out the rules elsewhere on the website. It's far too easy to just write and write and hope something good comes out of it. What writing a one page story does is test your ability to control your word count and still tell a story in a concise way. This doesn't mean we don't accept stories of different lengths - a short story can be anything up to 30-40 pages long after all - but opens up the means for really short stories from ideas that don't need as much space.
Flash fiction stories by linking here: with your mouse.
NOVEL-LENGTH SAMPLES IN THE FIRST INSTANCE
For those keeping track, I'm actually now caught up but don't tell everyone as I'm undecided as to whether to keep looking at novel-length story samples, move over specifically to short stories - which we do anyway for the website - or get a couple of my own book projects completed. The latter, I still intend to do anyway.
They are there to help you do some of the right things and reduce the number of times I'm repeating myself over silly grammatical errors and spelling mistakes that you shouldn't be making if you're serious about becoming a writer. It makes editing a lot easier if any editor has less work pointing out poor English which you should have been sorted out in the first place and more focused on other areas of your work that deal with plot and the other serious elements of storywriting. As a writer, it is your command of the English language and its grammar that will show how serious you are about writing.
There might not be much of a wait unless I get a deluge, however those sending in ebook samples, please read the Guidelines by linking here with your mouse here or through the bottom line menu on the opening page of the SFC website.
EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT WRITING BUT AFRAID TO ASK
General advice for those who want to become writers of any sort: There's an old editorial adage, if you can't aim for perfection why should an editor nurse-maid you to that state? Nominally, my job is to catch minor glitches not total mishaps. If you're a writer, then you should understand the words, sentences and grammar of the job you're supposed to be writing or are you considering it as mundane and boring as any other job to get right? Fall in love with making every sentence the best you're ever written, read up and understand the rules of grammar. Put the time in researching any subject you're using in the story. Be prepared to put a story away for a few weeks and go back to it for a self-edit. Even I do that. You look good. I make you look better but you have to start off with good.
A lot of the time, errors will just stare you in the face when you didn't see them the first time round. Once you know where your weaknesses are, they can be sorted out and allow you to move a little higher up the ladder towards making your material look its best and more importantly, getting your material seen by readers.
The link here will show you the Common Problems Link page and what I see mostly with your mouse. It's the smart writer who doesn't get caught out with these.
Good luck. Geoff |
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