Devon Eriksen always wanted to be a writer. As a child, he was persuaded to abandon his aspirations in favor of a career in software engineering. Two decades later, he retired to finally fulfil his ambition to write imaginative hard-science fiction in the vein of authors like Asimov, Heinlein and Niven. He self-published his first novel, Theft of Fire, last year to an excellent reception.
Devon joins the show to discuss why his book incorporates alien technology, the role of patronage in the digital era, his unusual approach to obtaining feedback, and MUCH more!
Important Links:
- Theft of Fire - https://devoneriksen.com/theft-of-fire; by Devon Eriksen
- Devon’s Website - https://devoneriksen.com
- Devon’s Twitter - https://twitter.com/Devon_Eriksen_
- Introducing: The Life of David Rhoiney - https://newsletter.osv.llc/p/introducing-the-life-of-david-rhoiney
Show Notes:
0:00:00 Intro
0:00:44 Centralization & Institutional Corruption
0:17:45 The Evolving Nature of Resource Constraints
0:23:18 Why Theft of Fire Features Alien Technology
0:28:57 The Musk Dynasty
0:34:03 Architects vs Gardeners
0:42:50 Editing, Feedback & Beta-Readers
0:49:49 Audience Capture & Disagreeableness
0:55:25 “Money is a measure of fu*k*s given”
0:59:33 Patronage & Intellectual Property in the Digital Era
1:15:27 Permissionless Writing
1:20:18 How to Become a High-Agency Character
1:28:11 Devon as Emperor of the World
Books and Articles Mentioned:
- Theft of Fire; by Devon Eriksen
- The Ultimate Resource; by Julian Simon
- The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress; by Robert A. Heinlein
- The Population Bomb; by Paul R. Ehrlich
- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; by Robert M. Pirsig
- The Status Game: On Human Life and How to Play It; by Will Storr
