Today marks the day that I spotlight one of my favorite authors for the first time. I hope to have a few more Author Spotlights in the future to give you an idea of where I’m coming from as both a consumer and an aspiring author.
I find that while I love literature, I don’t have a whole lot of time to read. That means that when I actually do sit down and read, I have to really like the author of the novel/novella/article that I’m reading. As it turns out, Robin Sloan and his unrefined prose captivates me. It’s not so much the way he writes, but what he writes about. Read on and hopefully you will see what makes him so special.
Robin Sloan, in few words, has what I want. He works for one of the greatest (in my opinion) social media websites of the day (twitter.com). He writes on a regular basis about some of the coolest ideas. His blog heralds him as a Writer and Media Inventor, which basically means that he finds new technologies and formats to distribute his creations. It is so cool to see how he can generate hype for a simple project such as a short story/novella. He has a loyal following in which people make their own creations based on his works. He is also currently looking at the iPad as his next format/technology to revolutionize and I am really excited about that.
robinsloan.com
Sloan’s favorite way to grab his reader’s interest is by writing a unique blend of sci-fi/fantasy, using the world we already live in as a springboard. For instance, he likes to project Google into the future as a superpower, their crystal tower glistening like a beacon to the world. He extends what we already know into his own twisted world. Some people may not agree with his projections (if you can call them that), but it sure is entertaining.
One of the unique things about Robin Sloan is that you don’t have to go out and plunk down hard-earned cash to get a sample of his writing. He is notorious for finding new ways to get people excited about his latest project, and he tends to release his work under the creative commons license so that anyone can get it and enjoy it. Recently, he wrote a short story from start to finish on a plane ride from SFO to JFK. He also put on a stunt where he wrote a mini-novella and used Kickstarter to gather a “posse of supporters.” These stunts step way outside of the bounds of traditional publishing, which brings Sloan’s ideas closer to my heart.
Robin’s style isn’t that of a New York Times Best Seller (yet), but he entertains me with both his imaginative ideas and his creative marketing style. Here are a few of my favorite works by Robin Sloan:
Mr. Penumbra’s Twenty-Four-Hour Book Store
I hope you enjoy him as much as I do.
Comment (1)
i just started ‘little brother’ from doctorow, but i will have to check out those works as well.
i have ALL the time to read thanks to you!