> Mainly SF (I remembered a minor heated debate on whether or
> not I should
> write SF or SciFi, but as I've forgotten the details, I
> decided to go
> the safe way and write SF) although I am trying a bit of
> modern 'real-life'
> story telling.

I've never much understood the battle between SciFi and SF, but anyway
... science fiction or SF seems to be the way to go.

As for your other question: Ivory Tower.

When someone lives in an Ivory Tower, they live at a lofty height,
theorizing about this or that, without getting into the fray, and thus
tend to have an idealistic view. Also sometimes referred to as
"armchair critics/academics".

"Prof. Smith's ideas show that he's been living in a lofty Ivory Tower
his whole life."

"Jane is such an armchair critic."

I personally feel that being an armchair critic is really the only way
to go -- since, once you taste the foodstuff that makes you an actual
writer ... being overly critical (in the negative sense) seems such a
waste. Offering genuine critique is not what critics do.  The only way
to truly appreciate how bad a novel is  -- is to never have written
one.

--
Quinn Tyler Jackson
http://members.shaw.ca/qjackson/
http://members.shaw.ca/jacksonsolutions/

--- Rachel's Little NET2FIDO Gate v 0.9.9.8 Alpha