30 things I've learnt in 2014

My traditional end of year blog, well its the second time anyway: http://wp.me/p3ycbY-1a3

2014 - My blogging year

I am amazed at where my blogging has taken me this year.  It's been a real roller-coaster.  Here is my review of 2014.  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-19T

Orion- we're off again

  Much as I was fascinated by Rosetta the start of the Orion program offers the dream of a manned mission to Mars. My blog:  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-19G

Stephen Hawking and artificial intelligence

In his recent articles Stephen Hawking thinks the development of artificial intelligence could spell doom for the human race. Others disagree and I'm with them.  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-19t

Where are we going people?

Where are going as a society?  I worry that we are we overburdening our young people.

http://wp.me/p3ycbY-19d

Rosetta, Mars and all that

You can't have watched the news, read a paper, or been on social media without seeing the remarkable achievement of the Rosetta mission.  I'm a great believer that space exploration is good for mankind, but what next?  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-193

Science fiction - dare to imagine

If we can imagine something I believe there is every chance that it can be made to happen at some point in the future.  So come on science fiction writers and readers, dare to imagine

  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-18W

Writers - enjoy those revisions

I know, I know, it has taken you months to finish, you're proud of it and now you are faced with making revision after revision.  But you can enjoy it - read this:
http://wp.me/p3ycbY-18M

25 things I've learnt from science fantasy

A few weeks ago I looked at what science fiction has taught me.  This time its science fantasy:  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-18F

Blogs for bloggers and writers - part 2)

 Part 1) was some weeks ago, but I got a little sidetracked by lawnmowing and advice we writers are often given.  Anyway some websites I've found useful and why:
  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-18u

Writers and all that advice - part 2)

This is my second blog looking at all the advice writers are given.  This  time I'm looking at those things I believe should be viewed with caution.http://wp.me/p3ycbY-18k

Writers and all that advice - part 1)

Last week I wrote about 'writers why do we do it' because while I was pushing the lawn mower and that's where my mind wandered.  Well it also wandered over all the advice I've been given or found, pondering on what was good and what needed to be treated with caution  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-18d 

Writers - why do we do it?

Mowing the grass always gets me thinking. This time it got me asking the question of 'why do I write'. Perhaps, a bit of a crisis of belief? http://wp.me/s3ycbY-writers

Blogs for Bloggers and Writers - part 1)

As a writer and blogger it has come to my notice that recently I have been ignoring other people's blogs.  In the next few weeks I aim to put that right and to share the results with you.  

http://wp.me/p3ycbY-17T

Science fiction - 25 things it has taught me.

This week's blog:  A light hearted look at what science fiction has taught me.

 http://wp.me/p3ycbY-17D

Do we have a future to look forward to?

Anyone who reads science fiction may have noticed a crop of post apocalypse novels.  Perhaps this reflects the state of the world at this time.

  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-17s

My advice to writers - take a walk

As writers we naturally spend a lot of time indoors tied to our desks.  When I can I like to get out and walk, to me it has a number of benefits.

http://wp.me/p3ycbY-17g 

Dr Who, its lasting appeal - from a fan

I watched the first episode when I was six and I have been a fan ever since.  As we look forward to the new series and the new Dr, I look at its lasting appeal.     http://wp.me/p3ycbY-175

A World Government - a sci-fi myth?

When science fiction involves mutiple worlds we tend to assume those worlds are governed by a single entity.  I think this might be more convenience for the writer than what will actually occur.

My blog: http://wp.me/p3ycbY-16W

Intelligent machines, what will they do with us?

I have written a number of blogs about robots and intelligent machines.  I just wonder what they will do with us humans:
 http://wp.me/p3ycbY-16O

Things I think should be invented in the future

The second holiday blog. A few little things that would make life a little easier  http://t.co/m0nYFCjdwR

Some things I would ban in the future

On my hols so just a bit of fun while i'm away.  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-15M

Do we need to be a bit more Victorian?

The Victorians had very much a 'can do' attitude.  I think we have lost some of that in modern society.  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-15H

Where to go for inspiration - a few ideas

I don't think I have ever suffered from writer's block, but we all need inspiration from time to time.  So here's a few of the places I get mine.

http://wp.me/p3ycbY-15D

The Trouble with Aliens

Aliens can be a problem for science fiction writers.  We have to make them different, 'alien', yet
readers must be able to identify with them and understand their motives.  Perhaps that's why so many are humanoid looking.   http://wp.me/p3ycbY-15w

Future homes - what we really need?

We are happy to spend large sums of money on the latest gadgets, but are there other more important things that we need for our homes if we are to safeguard the future? http://wp.me/p3ycbY-15l

Why you should join a writing group

As a would be writer one early bit of advice I was given was, join a writing group. I did eventually, I should of done it sooner.  Here's why:   http://wp.me/p3ycbY-15e

The human race needs to leave earth – part 2.

My second rant on the  'what are we doing to our planet'.  Perhaps if we leave earth we will realise just how wonderful it really is.  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-157

The human race needs to leave earth

http://wp.me/p3ycbY-150

If we keep cutting down the Amazon rainforest at the current rate it will all be gone in two hundred years.  I would like to think my children's children's children will live in the knowledge that it still exists, rather than just being able to view it on old video footage.  Perhaps, if the human race were to turn it's attention away from the earth, to the other planets and the stars, we might appreciate what we have a little more.

7 key things I’ve learnt from a year of blogging

http://wp.me/p3ycbY-14T

It’s hard to believe it is a year since I set up my web site and started blogging.  One year on I’ve published two books for Kindle and over fifty blogs.  I’ve read a lot of blogs and a lot on blogging.  And I feel I’ve learnt something (I hope) on the art of blogging.  Below are seven of my key learnings.  If you’re an experienced blogger, new blogger, wondering about starting a blog, let me know what you think.  

Don’t condemn science fiction to a ‘genre’ box

 Why is science fiction condemned to that somewhat shabby heading of ‘genre fiction’? Good fiction is good fiction.  Good science fiction reflects the concerns of the day and can show us where they might be leading us.   http://wp.me/p3ycbY-14N 

UFOs a personal experience. But do I believe?

I have had my own UFO experience.  I'm not saying it was an alien space ship, I don't know what it was.  As to whether I believe - see my blog:  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-14C 

Science fiction and predicting the future

When trying to predict the future we should not dimiss the possibilities presented in science fiction.  See why in my latest blog:  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-14s 

A transport vision for those megacities of the future.

 If 75% of the population are going to be living in cities by the middle of this century our transport systems have to change - don't they?  My latest blog looks at a science fiction answer to the problem  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-14j
 

The magic of fantasy - or sometimes not

I'm a writer and reader of science fiction.  But I also read a lot of fantasy.  There are some great books out their by people like Raymond Feist, David Gemmel and George RR Martin.  However, it seems to me that the quality is very variable.  I think magic is both a strength and weakness of fantasy - see my blog
for why:
  
http://wp.me/p3ycbY-148

Eating, drinking and bars in science fiction

This weeks blog returns to 'life in the future' and this time the far distant future.  Surely we'll take our our delight for gathering in restaurants and bars with us? http://wp.me/p3ycbY-13X
  

The power of the short story - 5 reasons we should write them (and read them)

This week I return to a writing theme.  Too often I think we dismiss short stories as being somehow inferior.  I want to extole the virtues of writing and reading short stories.  As an author I believe they are a great way to improve our story telling.  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-13S

How far can we go in ‘greening’ our cities of the future?

In my last blog I started to speculate on what our future cities might look like.  In this blog I wonder how far we can go in greening those cities.  Perhaps that's a more palatable picture than the soulless concrete affairs often portrayed by science fiction.  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-13H

Do you want to live in the high rise cities of the future?

In my last blog I opened the topic of future cities for discussion.  I have read that by the middle of this century 75% of us will be living in those cities.  As a writer of science fiction I find this fascinating.  But, how will they and us cope?

Where is society going? What will the future look like?

In a number of prevoius blogs I've discussed where our relationships with intelligent machines may be taking us.  Now I would like to look in general at how society might develop in the future, first here on Earth and then later perhaps on other worlds.  In this first blog I start to ask why, despite modern communications, we continue to grow our cities?  Where is this going?  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-13l

My top 5 science fiction inventions

This weeks blog looks at some of my personal favourite science fiction inventions.  What would yours be?  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-13e

5 more reasons why writers should blog

A few months a go I wrote 5 good reason why writers should blog.  Well, after many more blogs I've written 5 more reasons why I think writers should blog: http://wp.me/p3ycbY-136  
:

Robots, androids and intelligent machines - what next?

In Sept 2013 I wrote a blog on this subject asking the question 'do we want them to look human?' I suggested the answer was 'no'. But, perhaps it's not that simple?  This weeks blog: http://wp.me/p3ycbY-12O

What happens when robots and machines are smarter than us?

Well I'm back on one of my favourite subjects,
our relationships with intelligent machines.  So what will happen when they become smarter than us - which the surely must?  This weeks blog:  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-12E

Is e-publishing changing the length of a book?

I think sometime in the 1970's it became the trend for science fiction stories to get longer and longer.  As if size equated to value. In a lot of cases this was not a good thing.  It seems that e-publishing may be reversing this to some extent.  My bog: http://wp.me/p3ycbY-12w

'If it doesn't move the story along, take it out,' - good advice or not?

This week I take a look at a piece of advice that's often given out to writers, especially new writers: 'If it doesn't move the story along, take it out.'

I say don't ignore it, but do treat it with caution.

http://wp.me/p3ycbY-12n

Space exploration and scifi - why we need them both.

Late this week due to technical issues.  I read an article suggesting we shouldn't be looking to leave the earth when we have so many problems, it made me think.  Space exploration and scifi - why we need them both.  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-12g

What makes a good Fantasy read (or not) - 3)

 My third in a series of blogs looking at why there are some books I just cannot finish, which annoys me, especially if I've paid good money for them.  This time it's Fantasy which I guess, like me, most sci-fi fans also read. 

My blog:  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-127

What makes a good science fiction read (or not) - 2)

Its not a common occurance, but sometimes I just can't finish a book.  It's annoying, especially when I've paid good money for it.  Part 2) of my blog looks at why:  http://wp.me/p3ycbY-11Z

What makes a good science fiction read? Part 1)

This is the first in a series of blogs looking at what makes a good read or perhaps what doesn't make a good read.  What are those things that annoy you when you read, or put you off, or even make you stop reading a book 
all together.  

http://wp.me/p3ycbY-11Q

8 Writers 'Resolutions'

Not so much resolutions, more 8 things that I know I need to work on in 2014.  I'm sure others out there will sympathise / empathise.  Perhaps you have key areas you want to improve on - let me know.   http://wp.me/p3ycbY-11x

All the best for the coming year

Ian Martyn