J.D. Moyer

sci-fi author, beatmaker

Category: Creative Work/Career Page 2 of 23

Communications from my Past Self (and other reasons to write)

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On May 20

In Creative Work/Career, Metablog, Personal Updates, Writing

East Cut neighborhood in San Francisco

I’m gearing up for some changes to this site. Probably a new theme, and hopefully a better system for signing up for my newsletter.

Considering these changes has led me to consider what this blog is for. Self-expression? Self-promotion? Is it a lifestyle blog? A health blog? A creativity blog?

Sure, all of the above. But here are the reasons that resonate with me the most right now:

1. To think more clearly. For me at least, there’s no substitute for writing about a topic in order to understand it, to formulate and articulate my views. I write, therefore I think.

2. To have a record of what I was thinking and feeling at a particular time. Just today I reread a post I’d written from when I’d overcommitted to work, and was feeling overwhelmed. At the moment I feel like I don’t have quite enough freelance work, which creates some financial stress. But reading my previous post reminded me that I said some no-thank-yous to give myself more time to work on writing and music. So that’s what I should do.

3. To grow my readership. I haven’t put much energy into this, but it is important to me. Having regular readers is great for so many reasons. But it’s a responsibility, a two-way street, and if I’m not writing interesting and helpful posts then I can’t expect an audience to stick around.

And here are a couple reasons that don’t, or no longer, resonate with me:

1. To write about health topics. Bottom line, I’m not a medical professional. I have a deep interest in nutrition and human health, but there are also huge gaps in my knowledge. In another life I might have become a nutritionist or naturopath, but that’s not the path I chose. And that’s not the kind of reader I want to attract or interact with.

2. To sell something. This blog will never become a sales funnel to buy my course or eBook. I just have no interest in that. If you happen to discover one of my novels that you think you’d enjoy, and buy it, fantastic! But the primary purpose of this blog never was and never will be to make a quick buck.

Personal Updates

  • I recently returned from the Nebulas Conference in Anaheim. It was my first in-person writing conference since the beginning of the pandemic, and being around other authors was incredibly energizing. I didn’t have any particular agenda beyond learning and socializing, but I ended the weekend with a slew of new ideas and a recharged writing battery. My friend Jane was nominated for a game-writing Nebula for her work on a recent D&D book, and though GRRM won the award for Elden Ring, I felt very happy for her and her team. I also met Steve Lerner, the writer of Stray (nominated in the same category)–I look forward to playing the cyber-cat game. As for novels, I’m currently reading and enjoying Daughters of Tith by J. Patricia Anderson.
  • The quiver of complete, unpublished fiction is getting pretty full, and in the coming months I’ll be shifting my efforts to submitting more work for publication, and possibly taking another crack at the agent querying process. At the moment I’m working on revisions of Green Dawn (previously titled The Savior Virus), a near-future medical thriller/sci-fi novel.
  • There are a few social issues I’m trying to think more clearly about, so I’ll probably write about them in the near future. A few of the questions I’m considering:
    • What Should the Left Do About Men? (high male unemployment, falling educational levels, social isolation, etc.)
    • How Can Labor Disrupt the False Promises of AI-Enhanced Productivity?
    • What are the Most Effective Ways Citizenry can Reclaim Power from Fascist/Authoritarian Leaders and Groups?
  • I have two new EDM releases out:

That’s all for today, hope you are enjoying your weekend!

#3 on Beatport, Work Update, Succeeding Like Water

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On December 14

In Creative Work/Career, Electronic Music, Fiction Writing

Music

The new Momu release “Music Gets Me By” is charting on Beatport, currently #3 in Breakbeat releases and #9 on both the Melodic House and Tech House releases charts, while the various mixes have all broken into the Top 100 track charts for their respective genres. A great “big room” remix from our friend Jonathan Ojeda (artist name alias_j) is leading the charge in terms of sales.

It’s a blast to have any musical project get some traction, and the fact that this one is a collaboration with my good friends makes it that much sweeter. We’re this old, and still making electronic dance music, and some people still like the sounds we’re making? Amazing…I feel nothing but gratitude.

Check out the release, and if you like it, a purchase on Beatport would help us keep moving up the charts. It will also be available on Spotify, Apple Music, and everywhere else next Friday.

Writing

After the recent acceptance of a novella to a magazine that I greatly admire (which I will announce as soon as the release date is set), I feel motivated to write more novellas. I’ve decided to write the sequel to my yet-to-be-published novel “Saint Arcology” (currently out for submission) as a set of three standalone novellas which can be read in any order, including either before or after the first book in the series.

How will this work in terms of eventually negotiating first publication rights? I have no idea, but I’m following my writing energy, and that’s where it’s leading me right now. I will probably need an agent at some point to advise me on such contractual issues, but I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it. Which leads into the point below…

Succeed Like Water

With each year of my life I become more aware of the reality that unknown, unexpected factors will always continue to surprise me and have an outsized influence on my life. Some will feel catastrophic (illnesses, market downturns, mental health issues) and others fabulous (new friendships, financial windfalls, lucky breaks). For me the best strategy is always to navigate life according to my core values (kindness, creativity, strong relationships, etc.) and try to achieve the things I want without getting too attached to outcomes which are unpredictable and often out of my control, partially or completely.

But even while taking a step back from the pursuit of goals at any cost, I like the idea of flowing towards my ideal outcomes. Water changes its shape and form to continue in a particular direction. Water rushes or seeps in, flows in tiny rivulets or great channels, changes its form to steam or ice depending on energetic conditions. So how can I emulate water, in terms of progressing towards my goals?

  • Follow my creative energy
  • Say yes to opportunities and collaborations where I feel a spark or connection (flow in the direction of gravity)
  • Show up to events (explore channels)
  • Don’t eliminate options because they don’t fit my preconceived plan

In summary, be willing to follow multiple convoluted paths, as long as they head in the general direction of where I want to be. Which is preferable to being stuck in a traffic jam on a straight road.

Two Small Pieces of Good News

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On November 4

In Creative Work/Career, Electronic Music, Fiction Writing, Personal Updates

The world is burning in a thousand ways, but making and appreciating art is what keeps me sane and sometimes even happy. I have two things to share in that area, one related to music, the other to fiction writing.

First, my new two-track release with Spesh is out today on Beatport, Organic Broccoli Florets and Your Ice. I’m so pleased with the way this release came out. With both tracks, we tried for a smooth, silky, hypnotic feel. Initial feedback from our promo pool has been excellent, and Beatport is featuring the release in its Hype Picks section. Hope you enjoy, if melodic house is your cup of tea.

Secondly, a novella I’ve been working on for months was just accepted for publication. Contract pending, so I’ll hold off on the details, but I’m elated with the home this story has found. So something on the release schedule for 2023.

Personally, life has been quiet, very little drama, which is just how I like it. Had a great time with Kia and a good friend at the Exploratorium After Dark last night, which was the biggest night out in awhile.

I hope that your own life is just how you like it, and that you’re doing what you can to put out one or more of the planet’s many fires.

New Music Release, Writing Update, Blogging Hiatus?

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On October 7

In Creative Work/Career, Fiction Writing

Art Update

Spesh and I have a new deep house/melodic house two-track release out, “MBRC”. You can listen to it on Beatport now, general release (Spotify, Apple, etc.) is next Friday. My favorite composition method at the moment is using Pigments to apply granular effects on vocals samples, then modulating the cutoff to create washy builds over various chord progressions, with tons of support on the low end.

In addition to MBRC, there are two more Jondi & Spesh tracks in the pipeline: “Organic Broccoli Florets” and “Your Ice” that should come out later this month or early November. And our previous release “Starfall” is now in general release, including Spotify. Starfall hit #27 on Beatport’s Melodic House chart, which I was quite happy about.

In terms of writing, I don’t have any huge announcements, but I’ve been quietly working away. My most recent yet-to-be-submitted novels The Savior Virus and Saint Arcology are both getting close to publishable status. Right now I’m in the midst of writing a synopsis for Saint Arcology, a challenge considering the complexity of the plot and large number of characters. I also have some short and medium length fiction out for submission.

Blogging Hiatus?

Regular readers may have noticed a reduced posting frequency. I’ve had less to say recently, and I’ve felt less inclined to share details of my personal life. I’ve had very few bad experiences writing about my life, but at the moment I’m feeling very protective of my own privacy and my family’s privacy. Which is probably how most people feel most of the time, and thus don’t start a personal blog! I don’t feel ready to swear off blogging entirely, but over the course of many years, writing fiction has slowly subsumed my blogging activities. I know some authors manage to do both very effectively (John Scalzi is a good example), but that’s not where my head is at the moment.

I’ll return to regular blogging if and when I have a good reason and a good strategy. I might do few months worth of short daily posts when my next novel is released in order to “aggro the algo” and increase my public visibility, thus giving the new book it’s best chance of getting noticed and read. But until then, the reduced posting frequency will probably continue.

Feel free to check in on Twitter if you want to privately say hi, DMs are always open!

Life Update August 2022

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On August 1

In Creative Work/Career, Personal Updates

I don’t currently have any big ideas I need to share, but I thought I would post a quick update anyway.

Entertainment

I’m playing Elden Ring on the PS5, and loving it. This game is truly a masterpiece by Hidetaka Miyazaki, and George RR Martin’s influence shines through as well. I’m well over a hundred hours in, and not even halfway through the game. Honestly my sleep and productivity are suffering a little, but this game is a once-in-a-generation art experience*, and you’re a fool to miss it.

*Credit for the “art experience” framing goes to my friend Abi.

I flew up to Seattle for the weekend to play at GoFest. I used free miles and got a good rate at the Hotel Crocodile (a great place to stay if you don’t mind the noise, and I’m a night owl so it didn’t bother me). I do realize traveling to participate in a Pokemon GO event is full-nerd, but I’ve never claimed otherwise.

I’m reading Arkady Martine’s A Memory Called Empire and enjoying it very much, as well as Neal Stephenson’s Termination Shock. The latter is slow going, but I’m curious enough to finish it after I’m done with the former.

Writing

I’m working on a new short story What Does the Mushroom Want, a mystery-horror-sci-fi piece that takes place in the Pacific Northwest. My far-future cuttlefolk novella The Discovery at Alexandria is out for submission. My science fiction novel Saint Arcology is currently being read by my mother (my regular 2nd draft reader, she always has great feedback, thanks Mom!).

Road Trip

We got in the car (including the dog) and drove to Oregon. Short hops, no more than four hours in the car per day, and lots of visits with friends along the way. We all got along pretty well considering the tight quarters and stresses of traveling. One highlight for me was visiting friends in Portland I hadn’t seen for many years. And there were more friends in Portland I would have looked up if we’d had more time. I can definitely see the appeal of Portland life, and moving there has crossed my mind from time to time. But ultimately I have too many roots in the Bay Area, and I’m loving the San Francisco high-rise life.

Another highlight was visiting Bandon, Oregon, where my family spent many summers when I was a kid. I drove out to Bill Creek Road and took a peek at the lot where we built our cabin. The cabin is gone, replaced by a two-story house, but the surrounding woods are the same. I thought about my childhood friend Pat Lasswell, whose family had built a house on the neighboring property. Pat passed away in 2015, and we never knew each other as adults (just as well maybe — I think we probably leaned in different directions politically), but in the 80’s he was the older kid who introduced me to to D&D and other RPGs, as well as Lord of the Rings. In his obituary I read that he was a huge science fiction fan and regular attendee of Orycon.

Miss you Pat–you had an outsized influence on my life direction, and never knew. I wish I had reached out and told you that when I had the chance.

Well, didn’t mean to end on a sad note, but I never know where these posts are going. I’ll think I’ll leave this one here and write another one soon to cover some other life categories.

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