An assertion we often read on book trade blogs is that the process of selecting a book for representation and publication is subjective. I have to confess that this idea raises major red flags for me, not necessarily as an author, but as writing professional who has worked as both a writer and an editor.
Over at Booktryst, Stephen Gertz discusses the treasures found in a 19th Century ledger book for the London – Seven Oaks coach line.
For lovers of history and writers of historical fiction, it’s a very interesting read that gives insight into the small details that bring a sense of reality to stories set outside of the here and now.
Today I want to perform a philosophical genealogy, tracing today’s deluge of aspiring authors to the political and theological underpinnings of the Modern age.
Roll with me on this one; I rarely get to use my formal training in comparative religion here, and I promise this isn’t going to be a conversion blog or an Anne Rice-style rant. So, let me state up front that this is more about tracing the path of an idea popular among present-day book enthusiasts than promoting or dismissing any of its religious or political ancestors.
Ah finally! After the weak and weirdly constructed assaults on literature by Lee Siegel and Philip Roth, finally I read a critique of modern publishing I can pass on as insightful rather than insipid.
Anis Shivani skewers the MFA system*, a major player in the “writer as consumer” model that’s turning publishing into a pyramid scheme. But, Shivani’s beef isn’t with the upturning of the business model of publishing, but with the institutional dynamics that select for mediocrity:
The ascent of creative writing programs means that few with critical ability have any incentive to rock the boat–awards and jobs may be held back in retaliation. The writing programs embody a philosophy of neutered multiculturalism/political correctness; as long as writers play by the rules (no threatening history or politics), there’s no incentive to call them out. (A politically fecund multiculturalism–very desirable in this time of xenophobia–is the farthest thing from the minds of the official arbiters: such writing would be deemed “dangerous,” and never have a chance against the mediocrities.)
The MFA writing system, with its mechanisms of circulating popularity and fashionableness, leans heavily on the easily imitable. Cloying writers like Denis Johnson, Amy Hempel, Lydia Davis, Aimee Bender, and Charles D’Ambrosio are held up as models of good writing, because they’re easy enough to copy. And copied they are, in tens of thousands of stories manufactured in workshops.
The rest of the critique, including Shivani’s list of the Top 15 Most Overrated American Writers, is equally scathing, and equally valuable for anyone who wants to understand how the publishing biz is eating itself alive.
_
* I was well on my way to the MFA track when I transferred from WVSU to UVA, which would not accept my writing transfers as major credit, forcing me to choose a new major. This happenstance may have scuttled, or hindered, my chances of being published, but in retrospect I am glad to have had years of outward-looking experience in the military and intelligence communities rather than years in a literary Hall of Mirrors.
Let me start by saying that I am not all head-over-heels for Inception the way everyone else seems to be. I thought it was an intriguing idea, but not as mind-bendingly original as it has been hyped. Plus, I felt the director (and his screenplay doctors) got a little sloppy with it at the end.
Also, I don’t find a lot of writing advice that doesn’t make me grimace at how narrow and peevish it is: “Avoid all adverbs!” — “Only use the word ‘said’ as a dialogue tag!” — “Always start in media res!”
But, Lydia Sharp at The Sharp Angle has managed to overcome my ambivalence toward Inception and my advice-o-phobia with her blog post in which she uses the film remarkably well to illustrate how to mix high concept with emotional resonance to create a compelling story. I recommend it to all writers!
Oh where does the time go? Is it Thursday already?
This has been quite a busy week in my pay-the-rent job, which goes a long way toward explaining why the blog is a little slim this week — and shifted one day to the right, as they say in business speak. (At least in English, they say this. I wonder if Arab businessmen postpone events ilá yasár or “to the left” …)
Enough chitterchat. On to the publishing links!
There’s a whole lotta “self” going on in publishing, from the web-driven growth of self-publishing to the expectation of author self-promotion in traditional publishing.
Many publishing professionals — writers, agents, editors, critics, etc. — are trying to ride this wave with a sewn-on happy face, afraid that expressing skepticism equates to missing the boat or swimming against the tide.
Take a lesson from the real-world referents of these watery metaphors: some waves you ride, but some waves you build walls against. Author self-publishing and self-promotion together constitute a destructive wave that merits a levee, not a longboard.
Do you think the Norse god Odin, who takes advice from a severed head, rides an eight-legged horse, talks to ravens, sacrificed an eye and hanged himself in the pursuit of wisdom, would appreciate us referring to his day as “Hump Day”?!
Well, okay… the “Hump” refers to finally suffering through the worst trials of the workweek, and looking forward to the pleasures of the Day of Frigg (his wife), so maybe he would appreciate the symbolism. *shrug*
As Odin was the literary agent of Norse myth, let us away to this week’s literary agent links!
I am revamping my j.nelsonleith.com website — where I used to host a political blog — as the official home of Leith Literary. I will, of course, transfer all the content from here, and leave a sticky note. Updates to come!
And now, on to the writer links!
Happy Friday, loyal readers and visitors future loyal readers!
It has been a crazy week, from figuring out that Dan Brown is lately more popular than the Bible to learning that the Hulk is now a literary critic. My favorite Lit Crit Hulk observation: “HULK KNOW IT PASSE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT TWILIGHT FRANCHISE, BUT HULK STILL WANT TO SMASH EVERY GROWNUP HULK SEE ON TRAIN READING THAT CRAP.”
(Hello, Xbox? Wii? Marvel Superheroes vs. Twilight characters, please.)
So, a crazy week, but you know what’s not crazy? Checking out this week’s links from publishing industry pros:
