The Science Fiction Professional: Seven Years of "Ask Bwana" Columns [Paperback]

Mike Resnick (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Farthest Star (September 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570901996
• ISBN-13: 978-1570901997
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #9,970,810 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Level-headed, blunt advice aimed where it matters, February 3, 2003

By 

Susan R. Matthews (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Science Fiction Professional: Seven Years of "Ask Bwana" Columns (Paperback)

When I sold my debut science fiction novel (An Exchange of Hostages) in late 1995 I was pretty much confused about what was going to happen next and what I had gotten myself in to. At the World Science Fiction convention the next year I bought a subscription to a little zine called "Speculations," and found in it an advice column called "Ask Bwana."

I didn't know who Bwana was or why people would be asking him questions. What I found out immediately was that he had informed, thoughtful answers to questions that were uppermost in my mind. What does it mean when. Do you think that I should. Is it a good idea to. Why do you advise against. This was good grounding, centering advice that made a real difference to me as I struggled to figure out where I was and what I was supposed to be doing next.

This book, The Science Fiction Professional: Seven Years of "Ask Bwana" Columns, is a collection of that material from the zine "Speculations." I bought it this year at the World Science Fiction Convention in San Jose, took it home, sat down to read it, and remembered how nourishing and informative Bwana's columns can be.

Bwana covers all sorts of topics of interest from response times, appropriate markets, reprint rights, and workshopping. His advice is always cogent and easy to understand. He doesn't talk around subjects; some people find him too blunt, on some topics.

This is ultimately a very useful, supportive, positive book for the use of beginning and intermediate writers as they sort out the requirements of their situation and make that all-important decision on what to do next. As a beginning writer on the road to intermediate, I recommend "The Science Fiction Professional" without reservation!