Steven Savage – Page 477

Way With Worlds: Worldbuilding and Real Life Benefits

May 30, 2014 by Steven Savage

Cityscape Manhattan

Now and then in my writing I discuss the benefits of Worldbuilding in real life, such as improving record keeping and the like. Truth be told there are other benefits than the more technical and procedural skills, but I never really thought about it much or where to put them. Then I realized, I could write a column on it.

Yeah, I know. Should have thought of that early.

So, let’s take a break from good and evil, science and technology, politics and religion, and discuss just why all these elaborate setting-creations, timelines, and notes benefit you beyond your ability to create a good game or comic or story. This is how Worldbuilding improves you and your abilities in general ways, ways of insight and dare I say it, character.

This may sound a little weird. You may truly enjoy that giant mecha slam-bang universe you created, but you hardly think transforming robots really is going to make a difference in who you are or how you see things.

Actually, you’re wrong. Having done world building myself (in complete and far more unfinished projects), having analyzed it, having talked to writers and artists, I’ve been amazed how the act of world building actually improves people as people. They become, in a way, better and more insightful.

If you’re aware of it, of course, then you can appreciate it, use it, and enhance it. I’m not saying everyone should sit down and create an epic sci-fi universe or fantasy epic, but I’m noting that it does more than you may think.

If you know it, you can use it.

Here’s where it helps.

#YesAllWomen And Addressing Sexism

May 28, 2014 by Steven Savage

Watching reactions to #YesAllWomen continue to roll in is insightful. It’s informative, and I began to realize something that had been missing in a lot of people’s lives, and something #YesAllWomen is about. Something that is often missed.

So let’s talk about work.

At work someone was giving me advice, and helped me realize that many of us have multiple problem-solving modes. These modes aren’t always the right way to solve the problems, but boy can we get stuck in certain ones because they seem to work or work well enough.

Me, my two modes are the Problem Solver and The Listener, which I imagine are the modes many people have. The Problem Solver dives into things to tackle them, the Listener listens first then suggests or enables. Yours truly has jammed in Problem Solver mode more than once, and now and then people have to smack me out of it or I realize it’s time to be The Listener. I imagine you’ve been there yourself.

Now I can discuss this intellectually, but #YesAllWomen slapped me in the face with a hard truth.

It’s a call to listen.

Among the stories I saw people not engaging, but judging (it’s anti-male) or making jokes or riding in on their own agendas. But these people weren’t listening.

#YesAllWomen is about women telling their stories so people hear them.

That’s it. People need to listen so we can solve these things – but it takes listening first.

One of the reasons that I’ve posted on this a lot, I realize is that I slowed down and listened here – I wasn’t in Problem Solver mode. Thus it hit me deeply.

Listening impacts someone – it impacts the listener. It changes them. Listening changes us so we can help. Listening shows the respect people need so they can open up.

So it’s about listening.

A lot is, really.

We all need to listen more, I’d guess.

– Steven Savage

Geek As Citizen: David Goyer And Lessons Learned

May 28, 2014 by Steven Savage

So let’s go where this all started. The podcast called Scriptnotes included an interview with David S. Goyer – who is writer and producer on Sandman, writer on justice League, tapped for a Superman sequel.

Now having insulted a character that was popular, he then discussed the Martian Manhunter that led into a crude She-Hulk Joke, and insulted geeks by suggesting those who heard of the character were probably virgins.

As you may guess, people reacted to this mix of sexism, anti-geekery, and disrespect rather forcefully. Just a sample:

There was an open letter to Goyer that noted he’s obviously ill-suited to write Wonder Woman. And probably anything else. With a bit of profanity.
Aylssa Rosenberg weighed in on She-Hulk not being a male fantasy and covers the ground well.
The host of Scriptnotes spoke out and admitted he was wrong – but he also wouldn’t discuss it again.
Stan Lee clarified things – She-Hulk was meant to be smart, she wasn’t there as a sexual partner for the Hulk, and her build is really quite standard for super heroines.
Gail Simone laid the smack down noting that people in comics could screw up a dream audience and that people need to stop projecting their sexual content among other things.
Finally, the important note that this is a great time to make a She-Hulk movie

There’s a lot to learn here relating to geek citizenship ( as well as the general lesson of “don’t be an a-hole.”). Let’s break it down.