Author John Scalzi at Google

Author John Scalzi is currently on a book tour and recently made an appearance at the Google offices. The folks at Google were kind enough to post it on youtube and I thought I’d share it here. I recommend this to anyone who is interested in writing, making money writing, or just enjoys entertaining conversations.

The video is around an hour long, but it really didn’t feel that long when I watched it. Scalzi talks about many writing related topics including how he got into the professional fiction writing business (he posted his novel online and a publisher bought it). A really funny part of the video is when he talks about the time he taped bacon to his cat and posted pictures on his blog. Anyhow, I had a good time watching this video and I thought you might as well.

Writing Contest at The Moon Topples

The writing contest at The Moon Topples is officially on! The writing prompt this time is “growth”. Here is a description from the site:

The topic for this contest is “growth,” which we are defining here as:

–noun

* 1. the act or process, or a manner of growing; development; gradual increase.
* 2. size or stage of development: It hasn’t yet reached its full growth.
* 3. completed development.
* 4. development from a simpler to a more complex stage: the growth of ritual forms.
* 5. development from another but related form or stage: the growth of the nation state.
* 6. something that has grown or developed by or as if by a natural process: a growth of stubborn weeds.
* 7. Pathology. an abnormal increase in a mass of tissue, as a tumor.
* 8. origin; source; production: onions of English growth.

–adjective

* 9. of or denoting a business, industry, or equity security that grows or is expected to grow in value over a long period of time: a growth industry; a growth stock.

Your story should include a character or an event which touches on one of those definitions for the word growth.

Entries will be accepted until 11 pm CST on May 7th, 2007. For a full list of the rules click here.

Here is a list of the prizes:

Writer’s Choice Prizes:
1st Place winner will receive a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate
2nd Place winner will receive a $20 Amazon.com gift certificate
3rd Place winner will receive a $15 Amazon.com gift certificate
4th Place winner will receive a $10 Amazon.com gift certificate
5th Place winner will receive a $5 Amazon.com gift certificate
All winners in this category will also have the warm glow of knowing they were chosen by their peers.

Last time there were 44 entries, so I say we beat that record. The more competition the better. What are you waiting for? Get writing!