The Connector
The Connector

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Ivy Hall Writers Series has again burst on the scene with today’s most prolific writers. The showcase of different genres, ranging from science fiction to American pop culture, has prompted more from the artistic side of writing; even more so, driving home how we read a simple book between now and the next ten to fifteen years.

Author William Gibson shared his views on the “cyber-world” and was dubbed by writing professor Catherine Ramsdell as “so witty.” Gibson discussed “Zero History,” his new novel, which was released in September by Putnam Books. Gibson has also been linked to coining the term “cyberspace” and popularized the concept in “Neuromancer,” his debut novel. He predicted the phenomenon of reality television and laid conceptual foundations for virtual Web applications, such as video games.

Indeed while SCAD may have been excited about Gibson and his visit, the author also enjoyed his visit to SCAD Atlanta, tweeting, “SCAD looked like a Blue Ant outpost. Seriously. Repurposed corporate hive, achingly tasteful. Thanks, everyone.”

On Friday, Adam Penenberg, the author of “Viral Loop,” also shared his take on the outlook of social media. Penenberg, who stayed for about a week at Ivy Hall as an in-house resident, even sat in on a few classes and gave his opinions on writing. He stated that being “top notch … makes a difference” when you are basically doing anything in life. To the students who have been given such a great working environment here at SCAD, he concluded that this is a “great place to work.” Penenberg also spoke about how news no longer has to find writers, or anyone for that matter; what writers do with the facts afterwards is what makes a difference. He continued, “If you get an idea, start with it and run with it.” Penenberg’s lecture introduced his book “Viral Loop: From Facebook to Twitter, How Today’s Smartest Businesses Grow Themselves.” Penenberg spoke about how “word of mouth” is now in the hands of the consumers and no longer gives the upper hand to companies. The user market now has become viral, and good or bad press can reach thousands of people in a short amount of time.

The next lecturers for the Ivy Hall Writers Series are Chuck Klosterman, author of “Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs: A Low Cultural Manifesto,” on Thursday, October 7 and Arliss Ryan, author of “The Secret Confessions of Anne Shakespeare,” on Tuesday, October 12.

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Visit Ivy Hall’s website or their Facebook page for more information.