An author's struggles

[James Marinero]

No, not mine. Thriller writing - which is what I attempt to do - is very different to writing literature (way beyond me).

I recently worked my way through 'Bruce Chatwin' by Nicholas Shakespeare. A superb piece of work. Those of us who worrry about word count and deadlines should bear in mind Chatwin's 17 years on one book (he did write others along the way). Then again, I believe Joseph Heller took 22 years to come up with the sequel to 'Catch 22'.

'Bruce Chatwin' is instructive in many ways (including, perhaps, what noto to do), both for those who write literary works (fiction and non-fiction) and biographers. I reviewed it briefly here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1231915621

 

[Matnov]

Personally I think that the whole 'literature' genre gets far to much publicity and all that writers angst that seems to accompany it is not a positive influence on our society. For every real genius, there are dozens who get elevated to positions based on nothing more than sharing a social class with the people reviewing their work and insisting on them being the 'new' whoever. Give me the pulp any day of the week. Of course there is a time and a place for something a bit more involved but even so, there is some real dross out there being pushed as somehow more worthy than what 95% of fiction writers come up with.

I read for fun and I write for fun. Because otherwise what is the point ? Of course it matters that the reader is emotionally involved and that serious issues are addressed but all that sitting around in a dingy studio flat on the left bank of the Seine whilst agonising over whether to use a Latin or Greek phrase to dramatize how your character eats a croissant which, in turn, is meant to symbolise the crumbling of Western civilisation, is by and large a load of old tosh.

However, saying that, I will make an effort to seek out this mans works because I concede that I can be a right Palestinian when it comes to matters of high culture and I know that I am terrible inverted snob when push comes to shove. Which is something I do try to address so I am all ears when it comes to advice on who might educate me a little.

(I must also confess to hating Catch 22. I know its almost heresy to say it but I found it tedious.)

 

[Marc Joan]

I think it is certainly true that there is a lot of pretentious, poorly-written drivel that is held up as the standard to emulate. But I suspect that this has nothing to do with the 'social class' of the writer, and everything to do with the marketing tactics of publishers and agents (in any case, the inverted snobbery that goes with the current zeitgeist probably acts to the detriment of the social class that I suspect you are referring to). If publishers believe that they can push a book to the public and drive sales and thereby make lots of money, then they will do so, regardless of whether the book has any intrinsic merit; and it always easier to push a book by somebody in the public eye--hence Brand's Booky-Wook, Fergie's Budgie the Helicopter, David Walliam's kid's books, etc. I suspect that none of those would have been published had they been written by someone unknown to the media. And I think this happens in any genre--I could point at several pulp / thriller writers who are, apparently, immensely popular, but who, in my opinion, produce crass rubbish. 'In my opinion', of course: and in the final analysis, that's what it's all about--a completely subjective experience.

 

[James Marinero]

but all that sitting around in a dingy studio flat on the left bank of the Seine

4

Without wishing to be sexist and probably misquoting, I think Mark Knopfler said 'It's one way to meet chicks'. Henry Miller did Paris for me, in fact one of my daughters is named after one of his characters (Quiet days in Clichy). And then, quoting Leonard Cohen works wonders as well...

 

[1408]

Of course it matters that the reader is emotionally involved and that serious issues are addressed but all that sitting around in a dingy studio flat on the left bank of the Seine whilst agonising over whether to use a Latin or Greek phrase to dramatize how your character eats a croissant which, in turn, is meant to symbolise the crumbling of Western civilisation, is by and large a load of old tosh.

He twerked the croissant down? I wonder if there's a Latin or Greek phrase for twerk...

 

[Matnov]

He twerked the croissant down? I wonder if there's a Latin or Greek phrase for twerk...

Apologies if my original reply seemed a tad on the churlish side. I have been in a rather odd mood all day and can throw a hissy fit with the best of them. Perhaps I should start wearing a roll neck, smoking stinky French cigarettes and beating my brow as I look to pen a literary master piece which I hope is only accessible to anymore with a minimum of a masters degree in the classics ? And perhaps get it completed within say 15 years. I am sure I can fill in the time between with interviews to the TLS along with being promoted as the next bright young thing, despite not having published anything, in all the right Sunday supplements !

 

[1408]

@Matnov I don't think you were at all. I like your views on this, and how you go about wording them. It's interesting. Recently I realized that I was always frowning. I mimicked it in the mirror and realized I was pushing my brows forward in a way that made me look like a Neanderthal, not a good look! So, if you do go with the brow beating, try to make it classy and stylized brow beating! The type younger poets will write about in years to come! I bet that's why so many used pipes, we all need a gimmick. I've got a couple of ferrets.

 

[Alistair Roberts]

"Gimmick", oh now there's a great thought. I guess I should get a Kiwi sitting on my shoulder, although actually I'd prefer a dragon, but they tend to be too large and heavy