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Writers of the Future

Received a communique from an anonymous friend (not an Anonymous Friend :coolwink: ) who has been practicing the old "OT" drill: Being a Point on a Wall.

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On Friday night, the The Writers of the Future (http://www.writersofthefuture.com/ http://www.writersofthefuture.com/ ) and The Illustrators of the Future awards ceremony was held. This is where they get all the people who won $500, $750, and $1000 (writers) or $500 (illustrators), and then they all get to find out who the grand prize winners are ($5000 for the winning writer, and $4000 for the winning illustrator).

Unlike many other Scn-affiliated groups, there's a hands-off policy for Writers of the Future and Illustrators of the Future -- Scn isn't discussed unless the person specifically inquires. In that sense, it's not as much of a front group as some of the "feeder" organizations, and it's likely that the cost of the contest is a net loss to Author Services.

Previous events have not been held on the Author Services premises, though.

For a number of years, the awards were a formal banquet affair ( http://www.billkatz.com/node/34 ), and rotated between cities. Last year, they were held at CalTech's Athenaeum. While there was no banquet, there was a lovely outdoor area set up with food , and there was a convenient area for people to get their books signed in the middle. Just for going, you get a free copy of the book, and of course get to meet a number of authors and illustrators you probably haven't heard of yet, as well as some you probably have.

In prior years, there's usually been a signing at a bookstore the day after the awards. This year, there wasn't, and that was a little sad, but there probably wasn't much point to staying that much later for an extra day.

The winners were gracious and radiant, and the presenters were as professional as one would expect. Unsurprisingly, the winning writers were more articulate than the winning illustrators. The grand prize winning illustrator was a woman from Detroit, who wondered if she even belonged

The staff for the event were gracious and all of them seemed happy, whether they were filming, serving drinks, handing out books, answering questions, or finding one more pen for a writer to sign with.

After the ceremony this year, everyone headed upstairs to the Galaxy Press reception rooms, which was quite the trip. The walls were lined with LRH's fiction translated into a number of languages, each book with different artwork. Every single surface of the building was covered in wood, with a beautifully coffered ceiling and beautiful casework. Had one read Jeff Hawkins's report about being in the RPF and making furniture for various orgs, one might think differently about how pretty it was. ( http://counterfeitdreams.blogspot.com/2008/04/chapter-one-going-home.html )

Aside from that one thing that stuck out as a difference with prior years, the event was a lot of fun, and offered a chance to spend some time with some really awesome writers and illustrators.

--------------------------------------


Mark A. Baker
 

Veda

Sponsor
Received a communique from an anonymous friend (not an Anonymous Friend :coolwink: ) who has been practicing the old "OT" drill: Being a Point on a Wall.

----------------------------------------------------------

On Friday night, the The Writers of the Future (http://www.writersofthefuture.com/ http://www.writersofthefuture.com/ ) and The Illustrators of the Future awards ceremony was held. This is where they get all the people who won $500, $750, and $1000 (writers) or $500 (illustrators), and then they all get to find out who the grand prize winners are ($5000 for the winning writer, and $4000 for the winning illustrator).

Unlike many other Scn-affiliated groups, there's a hands-off policy for Writers of the Future and Illustrators of the Future -- Scn isn't discussed unless the person specifically inquires. In that sense, it's not as much of a front group as some of the "feeder" organizations, and it's likely that the cost of the contest is a net loss to Author Services.

Previous events have not been held on the Author Services premises, though.

For a number of years, the awards were a formal banquet affair ( http://www.billkatz.com/node/34 ), and rotated between cities. Last year, they were held at CalTech's Athenaeum. While there was no banquet, there was a lovely outdoor area set up with food , and there was a convenient area for people to get their books signed in the middle. Just for going, you get a free copy of the book, and of course get to meet a number of authors and illustrators you probably haven't heard of yet, as well as some you probably have.

In prior years, there's usually been a signing at a bookstore the day after the awards. This year, there wasn't, and that was a little sad, but there probably wasn't much point to staying that much later for an extra day.

The winners were gracious and radiant, and the presenters were as professional as one would expect. Unsurprisingly, the winning writers were more articulate than the winning illustrators. The grand prize winning illustrator was a woman from Detroit, who wondered if she even belonged

The staff for the event were gracious and all of them seemed happy, whether they were filming, serving drinks, handing out books, answering questions, or finding one more pen for a writer to sign with.

After the ceremony this year, everyone headed upstairs to the Galaxy Press reception rooms, which was quite the trip. The walls were lined with LRH's fiction translated into a number of languages, each book with different artwork. Every single surface of the building was covered in wood, with a beautifully coffered ceiling and beautiful casework. Had one read Jeff Hawkins's report about being in the RPF and making furniture for various orgs, one might think differently about how pretty it was. ( http://counterfeitdreams.blogspot.com/2008/04/chapter-one-going-home.html )

Aside from that one thing that stuck out as a difference with prior years, the event was a lot of fun, and offered a chance to spend some time with some really awesome writers and illustrators.

--------------------------------------


Mark A. Baker

Excerpt from 'Brainwashing Manual Parallels', 'Layer Zero' (front groups):

"Perhaps the strangest form of front group is the kind that overtly promotes the name and 'image' of L. Ron Hubbard. One of these, consisting of people who never knew him, is called 'Friends of L. Ron Hubbard'. This type of front exists in order to promote the idea of the popularity of the Hubbard with 'millions', including multitudes of grateful 'Wogs'. (On the topic of 'LRH image', there's even 'tech' for obtaining 'City Proclamations' and the like, honoring Hubbard. These are displayed as though they were offered by appreciative non-Scientologists, when, in truth, they were aggressively sought and obtained.)

"One area where Hubbard's name is publicized, with the pretense of being separate from Scientology, is in the world of Science Fiction literature. While there are non-Scientologists who enjoy some of Hubbard's early fiction works, they too often think of Scientology as a bizarre departure from an otherwise respectable writing career. Scientology cannot use these people. It becomes necessary, therefore, to produce people who 1)adore all of Hubbard's fiction writings, 2)claim to have no connection to Scientology, 3)and have not a single critical things to say about it, making such comments as, 'I know nothing about Scientology. I'm an Episcopalian.'

"Hubbard's fiction writings (available through the front group called 'Author Services') will be found to have a number of quietly catered to admirers; often these are aspiring authors hoping to receive sizable cash awards, and be included in the 'L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers of the Future' short story anthologies. One such admirer was invited to the premier of the movie 'Battlefield Earth' in Los Angeles in May 2000. As described in the Riverside, California 'Press Enterprise':

'He walked on the red carpet down the center of Hollywood Boulevard and even shook hands with John Travolta. And even though some movie critics had panned the film, [he] had no complaints'."
 

SchwimmelPuckel

Genuine Meatball
I consider Writers of the Future a 'front group'! - It's a pretty usual PR caper like explained in Vedas post above.

Allright.. Even being a PR caper to popularize Hubbard, Writers of the Future may perform a useful function for Science Fiction literature.. Like the movies Emmy's and such.

Still.. It -IS- the Sinister Cult of Scientology being 'safe pointed' and promoted.. And! - The 'happenings' in the movie industry needs to be considered. Scientology's 'influence' got so obnoxious that Tom Cruise got his ass fired. Hollywood is 'figthing' to clean up the mess and regain control.

In my opinion the connection needs to be exposed heavily!

People like Larry Niven, Jerry Pournelle, Gregory Benford.. They are really too intelligent for Scientologys PR shit.. Right?

Load up the rotten tomato catapults!!

:grouch:
 
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thetanic

Gold Meritorious Patron
Even being a PR caper to popularize Hubbard, Writers of the Future may perform a useful function for Science Fiction literature.

If you read between the lines, though, they're spending less on it each year.
Less this year than last, less last than the years before.

Doesn't this imply that either a) they're running out of $ to spend, or b) they don't think Hubbard's rep is very important?
 

sandygirl

Silver Meritorious Patron
I wonder if anyone turns down an invitation when they see the name L.Ron Hubbard?

If you're launching a career you and you google his name, you might not want to show your face at anything "sponsored" by "Author Services".
 
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