an inordinate fondness for beetles

[greygirlbeast]

Here's something I wrote on this day in 2003 (from the Blogger, pre-LJ):

It is my job to write a book, not to concern myself with what people will think of that book. What they will think is neither relevant to the act of writing nor to the merit of the book. Public opinion cannot be a guide, ever. All it can tell me is that lots of people like X

Comments

[desperance]

Not sure that tough steak is such a good thing - and what you do is better than peanut butter sandwiches - but I'm with you on the rest of this. And thanks for the reminder. And I love the beetle.

[greygirlbeast]

Not sure that tough steak is such a good thing

It might not taste very good, but it's great for building jaw muscles.

and what you do is better than peanut butter sandwiches

If only it were as popular... ;-)

[stsisyphus]

It might not taste very good, but it's great for building jaw muscles.

No, no. "The pages are tasty, but are thicker than taffy". Or some such stuff.

[bosstweed]

Thanks for the excerpt! Apparently I should read your online journal from start to finish. It seems like so many writers take a very workmanlike "put the dinner on the table" approach to writing, both in terms of productivity and what they write, especially genre writers. It's really nice -- and useful for us not-yet-published writing sorts -- to read something uncompromising about the creation of fiction as art.

I may not like or "get" everything of yours that I've read, but I have greater respect for it because I never feel that you didn't lay yourself on the line completely. I would rather have one Murder of Angels than a hundred The Gerundings.

[greygirlbeast]

Apparently I should read your online journal from start to finish.

You should. It goes back to late November 2001. The LJ part only started in April 2004.

It seems like so many writers take a very workmanlike "put the dinner on the table" approach to writing, both in terms of productivity and what they write, especially genre writers.

I think a lot of writers, especially genre writers, especially American genre writers, are scared to death of calling themselves artists. They think it makes them look "pretentious" or "lazy." And to most Americans, it probably would. Americans are afraid of artists. I blame the Puritans.

[greygirlbeast]

Cait, are beetles relations of trilobites?

Yes. Because beetles and trilobites are both arthopods, which means they both belong to the more inclusive clade Ecdysozoa (one of the four main lieages on animals). But, at the same time, they're no more closely related than, say, humans and fish (which are both chordates, and both belong within the Deuterostomia, another of those four lineages on animals). So, the answer is yes. But, then, remember that humans and beetles, and humans and trilobites, are relations, as all are members of the Animalia. You back far enough, and everyone on this planet is related to everyone else. Just like a small town in Alabama. ;-)

[girfan]

I really loved Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events!
I'm not a huge fan of Jim Carey, but he was a perfect choice .

[greygirlbeast]

but he was a perfect choice.

Agreed.

[chris_walsh]

He can actually be a very good villain, and I'm glad filmmakers remember that. My friend Alicia usually doesn't like Carrey in his good-guy roles (except for Bruce Almighty, which she adored and which made her roar repeatedly) but Count Olaf and the Riddler really float her boat. (And y'know, he's not the goodest good guy in Bruce Almighty, come to think of it...)

[seph_ski]

And, while we were both looking at the porch, the largest of the three sets of wind chimes, and only the largest, moved and jangled rather dramatically.

Sounds like the house fancies you too.

I hate oatmeal. Thanks for not making any!