"If there really was a God here, he'd have raised a hand by now."

[greygirlbeast]

1. Yesterday, I did 1,014 words on the new vignette, which, it turns out, will be named "Apsinthion." Though I am tempted to name it "αψίνθιον," but fear the Greek letters would give thingunderthest fits when it came time to translate it all into the PDF for #51. Spooky read the first 2,000+ words back to me yesterday, and she likes it a lot. And I like it, so

Comments

anti-intellectual claptrap

[myownpetard]

translation:
"i notice it, but i don't get it, so no one should do it."

*facepalm*

Re: anti-intellectual claptrap

[greygirlbeast]

"i notice it, but i don't get it, so no one should do it."

Pretty much. I think, in the end, this is mostly about lowering the bar so the under-achievers won't feel left out. Whatever.

Re: anti-intellectual claptrap

[txtriffidranch]

And you've just hit the prime motivation of most of Salon's remaining reviewers.

[elmocho]

I was wondering what you'd say about the Salon article. I have muddled, half-considered thoughts on some of the advice, given a problematic relationship I have with "story."

I agree with you about movies, though. I went through a period of watching silent cinema, where one has to pay attention to the screen, because all the information gets conveyed visually. I've noticed in sound features or television, you can look away for a few moments and really not miss much. Then I started watching some modern movies, and realized I wasn't actually missing anything, because a lot of modern films don't do anything with the camera.

Now they strike me when I see something well done-- the odder moment was Return From Witch Mountain (1978). Despite whatever cheesiness the story held, the direction and cinematography held a panache I just don't see in a lot of movies. I kept saying "Did you see that cut? See how it followed that tracking shot? See how it moves everything along? Brilliant

[greygirlbeast]

I'm not sure what to call it, but it's not style. Maybe frenzied, pointless techniques.

There is such a thing as incompetence, and the issue of "style vs. no style" really doesn't enter into the equation.

[jtglover]

... whose vision of a story is as important as the story itself, who are visible on every frame of film. And the same is true of the books I most love. I need to hear the voice of the author, and it must be a compelling voice.

Great Scott. It's... it's almost as if you're saying the style is part of the substance of a piece of art! Something essential and inseparable from the story!

It's not a clear window, but, rather, something more akin to stained glass.

That's a very effective metaphor.

[greygirlbeast]

Great Scott. It's... it's almost as if you're saying the style is part of the substance of a piece of art! Something essential and inseparable from the story!

Does this mean I've earned my burning at the stake?

That's a very effective metaphor.

Thank you.

[jtglover]

Indeed! The kindling will be z-grade mass market paranormal romances, and the stake will be a composite log of pulped and pressed media tie-ins. Take heart: you'll burn quickly.

[greygirlbeast]

Indeed! The kindling will be z-grade mass market paranormal romances, and the stake will be a composite log of pulped and pressed media tie-ins. Take heart: you'll burn quickly.

So long as I go clutching a copy of Ulysses to my bosom!

[txtriffidranch]

Hmmm. It's been six months since Salon.com ran its last idiotic article on writing, intended to rack up hit counts from understandably outraged pro writers, so it's about time for a new one. I sure hope it works, because now that Salon's dropped "The K Chronicles" comic strip, there's no damn reason to visit the site any more.

[greygirlbeast]

Hmmm. It's been six months since Salon.com ran its last idiotic article on writing, intended to rack up hit counts from understandably outraged pro writers, so it's about time for a new one. I sure hope it works, because now that Salon's dropped "The K Chronicles" comic strip, there's no damn reason to visit the site any more.

I only read this because Greer brought it up and linked to it. But, yeah...it seems like they're just trying to generate hits by pissing off pro writers who will then link to the article.

salon

[myownpetard]

But, yeah...it seems like they're just trying to generate hits by pissing off pro writers who will then link to the article.

that is salon's usual MO

salon

[myownpetard]

that is, they deliberately have pieces they know will piss people off to generate site traffic.

that's a really lame business model.

[robyn_ma]

I'd love to see how far you'd get into B.R. Myers' A Reader's Manifesto before hurling it across the room.

Style is great if it truly comes from within, communicates something an artist can't get across any other way. It is possible for it to get in the way, though. I think mainly in the realm of film, if something is too hectically edited. It's a style, I guess, but I hate it. I don't think that's analogous to any other art, though, since editing is what distinguishes movies from other art forms.* That's about all I can think of. Oh, and if the damn thing's so dimly lit I can't see anything. Basically if I can't tell what's going on, and I'm supposed to be able to (i.e., it isn't obfuscated for artistic/narrative effect, etc.), you lost me. I guess that could apply to other media.

* In comics, we sort of do the 'editing' ourselves in between panels, cf. Scott McCloud.

[greygirlbeast]

I'd love to see how far you'd get into B.R. Myers' A Reader's Manifesto before hurling it across the room.

I don't throw books. But I've read enough of this one to know that it's tripe, plain and simple.