Seventh Sanctum Update 12/5/2013

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Another update?  Actually, yes.

  • First, now that the redesign is done, I’ve actually gotten back to tweaking generators.  I actually wanted to expand the Mage Maker, because frankly the Spellslinger of Wildstar Online sounded really cool name-wise, so I wanted more names like that – the kind of “magic-manipulator” name like Spellslinger, Airbender, etc.  That led me down other paths . . . and you can see the results.  Frankly it also helps me get my mojo back after the redesign.
  • I removed the affiliate bar with my sites as it got pointed out . . . it’s a bit tacky let’s be honest here.
  • Ironically that affiliate bar WAS also part of a prototype for something else very cool that’s coming, so stay tuned . . .
  • Still getting real mixed feedback on the idea on the site AND off of the site.  So I wanted to know what you thought – because I actually have several options for what I can do.  So go and take this poll!

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

 

Seventh Sanctum Update 12/4/2013

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Hello everyone!  So let’s see how we’re doing at Seventh Sanctum!

  • I’ve got some rough plans for the next few months, we’ll see how they work out after a little polishing and planning.  I’m not planning anything as big as the rewrite for the next year because that took a lot out of me.
  • As you saw, Way With Worlds is back!  I plan to revisit the entire column line to rewrite, expand, or in a few cases just leave some old ones alone.  Think of it as Way With Worlds updated – as I have a lot to add from my experiences!
  • Didn’t see a lot of enthusiasm for a blog, but let me note that it will be basically running as part of the site but not take over the site – I don’t want to turn the site into a blog, so much as have one that belongs to the site if you get my drift.  The purpose is the tools first and foremost – but it’d be nice to have content and people commenting on it and interacting.  I’m still assuming adding a blog in Q1 or so – and a little feedback would help (even if it’s “really, don’t”).
  • Do have a few more formatting tweaks I may try, so stay tuned!

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

 

 

Way With Worlds: Why Worldbuild?

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ConstructionScene

 

Years ago at the end of the 20th century and the start of the 21st I began writing a column on worldbuilding and fiction – Way With Worlds. This was the age when people were suddenly able to get their works on the internet, via websites and journals and email. There was a slow simmer of amateur writers, should-be-pros, would-be-pros, fanficcers, and more. A column on worldbuilding seemed in order.

I’ve always had ambitions to write fiction, had worked on shared-universe newsletters, played RPGs, and more. Worlds were part of what I liked to do, and a good setting, a good living world/universe made things come alive. So I expressed my theories in hope of helping people, to use my knowledge gained over the years, and of course because I’m not overly good at shutting up.

The columns sat online for years when I decided not to continue them, and every now and then someone will read one or mention them to me. Over the years I do less fictional work directly, yet am still involved in worldbuilding when I help friends with games, edit books, and when I run the inspiration site Seventh Sanctum. Of course, I still have plenty of opinions.

Now even more people are writing, and making videos, and self-publishing. So I decided to revisit the columns and rewrite them, expand them, and use what I learned in over a decade.

And the first question is still as burningly relevant as ever? Why Worldbuild? Continue reading →

Steve’s Update 12/2/2013

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Steve Temporary Image

Hope everyone had a happy Thanksgiving.  Had a rather relaxing one, but sadly didn’t cook as much as I wanted because there was so much food already planned – got to plan ahead earlier.

So let’s get to what’s going on!

  • My next book is getting more editor feedback now – waiting for the main editor to get back to me with the full work-up and then I can dive on in.  So far it’s looking good, though I do have a few formatting and related issues – 100 new pages is a lot.  The cover art also is in progress!
  • As you saw, Seventh Sanctum is now back to the blue a lot of people liked.  I may continue to tweak it in the holidays, but anything major is going to wait.  As for what’s major, I’m going to look at installing a blog, the only reason I’m cautious is making sure it doesn’t interfere with the site proper.
  • Sorry there aren’t any cooking posts lately – been a bit busy as you may guess.  I plan to get back to them – and my backlog of recipes, though many of those are still experimental.
  • If you visit the Informotron you’ll see I’ve got a great new resource from the Convention Career Connection book, a guide to Geeky Professional Associations.  Give it a check!

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Randomizing and RPGs

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(This was originally posted at Ongoing Worlds.  And yes, it’s a Seventh Sanctum column that’s not an update.  A trend?  We’ll see!)

Look Back In Randomness . . .

In 1999 at a gathering of anime and Mystery Science Theater Fans, I commented how some anime attacks sounded randomly generated by computer.  Suddenly it struck me that it would be easy to write a program to do that, as I’d written code to do superhero names and names in the vein of Elfquest characters.  A few notes later I had enough ideas to try and I made an Anime Power Generator.

Then I began thinking of other options.  And more random generators emerged.  Then I put them on my web site.  Then they took over the website.

Then what is known today as Seventh Sanctum was born.  Eventually it encompassed over 150 generators.  I just kept making these things for 14 years.

So in 2013 I realized that perhaps I had to update the years old design, and go modern.  Fortunately Bootstrap provided me the framework I needed, and I proudly updated it in a mobile, adaptable, and honestly easier to read and simpler design.

This is when Dave contacted me.  He and I knew each other from when I interviewed him at MuseHack.  He noted that I had many random generators for people to use in writing, art, and of course RPGs.  But what is the role of randomizers in RPGs anyway?

I’d never thought of it.  I just sort of assumed it was obvious or instinctive.

Dave had challenged me, in short, to put into words what was rarely expressed.  I was up for the challenge – frankly I wanted to see my own thoughts in more solid form.

So, you run an RPG or play one, or are starting one.  How can randomness help you in something that’s so often the result of planning, phrasing, and writing?  Many, many ways . . . Continue reading →

Seventh Sanctum Update 11/22/2013

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Thanks for the continuous feedback folks.  So a few updates

  • First, you may notice a color change at Seventh Sanctum – the Blue Is Back.  Frankly, a lot of people sort of missed it.  So hey, if it’s part of the brand, there you go.
  • Several people would like options to choose results back.  I’m considering a few possibilities and debating if it’s worth restoring.  But the feedback is appreciated.
  • I’m considering a slight layout change with the comments to leave less blank space – but it actually makes the layouts trickier in some cases.  Live and learn.
  • Finally – and I really would like feedback on this – I’m considering how to add more content and interactive features.  A message board seems a bit excessive and basic, the Disqus comments are nice, a mailing list may be fun, but I’ve wondered what about some direct content with a blog/posting element?  It doesn’t even have to be me writing for it but could give a place for a lot of us to post ideas, creativity, theories, advice, and more.  I’ve got a rough idea of how I can embed a blog into the site without overstraining it, but it’s pretty basic right now.

Let me know!

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Reporting, Roundup, And the Eighth Stage Of Seven

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Steve Temporary Image

So we’re at the end of my discussion on the seven stages of reporting. Which, in a way leads us to Stage 8.

Stage 8? Well that’s really Stage 1 – Reporting. because you do it all again.

No matter how much work you do, how well the reports run, you’ll be fixing, updating, and revising them again and again as long as you handle them. That’s just the way it is.

This is fine. A Reporting system should be a living system because things change, new data comes in, new mistakes are found, features are added. That always happens.

In fact if things don’t change, worry. You’re missing something.

So, go back and run the reports again. Keep on sending out that data. Keep making sure people are informed.

And when something appears to be wrong . . . get ready to do this all again.

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Steve’s Update 11/18/2013

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Hey gang.  Not a lot of an update as so much is done and I’m heading into the holidays.  Also I just did a run tonight, I’m tired, and eating salad.  With my Italian dressing but using Balsamic vinegar.  Mmm.

So the next book is finishing up editing and the cover artist has the next stages of drafts.  She’s quick kickass, and I’ve seen her do a number of works.  One in fact will be quite familiar when you find out who she is . . .

I think the book also represents a shift in some of my writing tone, so I’m curious what you’ll all think about it.  I’m also debating if I should use the Kindle promotional program.

Seventh Sanctum feedback keeps coming in, and most oddly the one thing that stands out is people miss the blue.  I guess I’ll have to reconsider that!

I might not have a lot of updates in December as I’ll be in a lot of planning/plotting phase.  But you will see a revival of some old work, I’ll probably do more depth in my cooking writing (and I’ve got to publish more recipes), and a few new things from me.  So stay tuned, 2014 is gonna get active . . .

Finally, with MuseHack you’ve noticed some changes to my columns in a more organized manner.  We’re definitely heading for a more “themed” approach – and I want more writers!  Let’s hear what you have going on!

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Seventh Sanctum Update: 11/15/2013

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OK so the site launch looks successful.  Only two things have come up:

  • Some people want to see the blue return.  So I’d like to know what you think.
  • Depending on the scale the view can get a bit crowded.  I can tweak this over time, but my goal was to optimize use of space and device scaling.  So if anyone has specific suggestions (make this better padded, etc.) I can prototype them to see if they work.

But we appear to be good!  Thanks everyone!

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.

Seventh Sanctum: 2013 Version Is Out

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If Seventh Sanctum looks a bit different that’s because it is.  After months of waiting, it’s out!  The updated, Bootstrap-driven version!

So, hopefully you’ve seen it, but if by some rare happenstance you saw this entry on my home site, go check it out!

Now, I’ve tested it, I’ve integrated feedback, but there still could be errors and issues.  So be sure to send me feedback!

So some features you should see:

  • First of all, you’ve got a more modern, streamlined look.  The old site was a bit retro and frankly the text was just a bit too small.
  • Secondly, this should scale on mobile and smaller devices.  So try it out on phone, tablet, and so on.
  • Third, I streamlined the generators.  The choice-of-amount really didn’t bring much to the site because people would just have to click again to generate more – and that’s usually what a visitor would want.  The new layout should be a bit tighter.

So try it out and let me know if you have any questions or find any problems!

- Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach.  He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at http://www.stevensavage.com/.