Earlier today I posted a major rant about something I'd read on another blog that had upset me on several levels. As I wrote, the thrust of the rant changed and became the question of why do writers feel the need to put down other forms of writing just because they don't like them. I didn't want the post to feel like an attack on another writer, which wasn't my intent but could be read as such, so I deleted it.
But I'd still like to throw a couple of questions out to you guys.
Why do writers feel the need to attack other writers? In the original post I referred to Stephen King's comments about Stephenie Meyer's skills as a writer, but I've found a lot of writers making nasty comments around the web about writers whose work they don't like or don't feel is up to their standards, either in form or genre (the cozy/noir wars). I mean, come on, none of us stepped out of the womb writing, we had to learn the process word by word, year by year until some editor took a chance on us.
My other question is why do writers feel the need to attack the different forms of writing that exist out there. Novelists look down their noses at short story writers, short story writers look down their noses at flash writers and, heck, everyone looks down their noses at poets and reviewers (just kidding guys). Every form of writing requires a certain discipline that has to be learned and honed by years of practice. Not everyone can achieve success in every form but they can try and in their trying we should applaud their efforts to learn, not slap them down because they're not up to our standards or they don't write in our preferred form or genre.
Got an opinion or a rant of your own? Feel free to vent in the comments.
11 comments:
Hemingway (whose writing I admire above all) tore F. Scott and Gertrude Stein to pieces for no reason that I can see other than jealousy and fear of their talent. So it goes back quite awhile. I also remember reading that Poe had a fellow writer who continued to rip him even in death. Sorry, I guess I have examples instead of reasons.
It just seems so stupid to me, especially when it's a successful writer going after a new writer. How can someone so successful in their own right be that insecure?
This whole business spins mostly on the luck of the draw, the right project in the right hands at the exact right moment, so how can anyone be jealous of something so random?
I'm pretty sure I know which blog and discussion you're talking about, Sandra.
Personally, I don't know why form (or genre or sub genre.) is such a huge sore spot for some writers. Maybe it's because they don't write the style as well as they would like and instead of admitting to the weakness (or failures.) they put it down. And as far as writer's going after other writer's, David's right on the button with that one, most of the time it's fear and jealousy (In the case of King v. Meyer, that little spat might have to do with the fact that Mr. King was at the top of a genre for a very long time, and now some one who is receiving a ton of attention is at the top of the bestseller list.) which drives one writer to run down another.
And I wish you hadn't deleted that rant, I'm sure it would have had a lot the discussion
Hi Sandra. Surely the main reason for the 'bitter' criticism was self promotion and self preservation? If you can read a perfectly good story for free on the net then why pay your hard earned for some flabby, padded out by-the-numbers novel. Money always talks the loudest!
Interesting question.
Having been on the receiving end of such an attack (although by the general public and not by writers) earlier this year, the only reason I can come up with is that the individual(s) didn't like what I wrote.
Granted, what I write isn't everyone's cup of tea, and I have no problems with honest criticism, I do draw the line at the personal attacks that were thrown at me.
You can't tell me that there is a valid reason under the sun to use this kind of logic to justify an attack: "oh what you write is personally disgusting, so you must be the same way in real life."
I'm sorry, it don't work like that.
As for the other part of your question, I haven't looked down on any type of genre and say "oh, that sucks." That simply isn't my style.
For instance, I admire people who can write poetry and haiku. I don't really get it sometimes, but that doesn't mean I should attack the individual for trying.
As for other genres, just because I don't write in them, doesn't mean they're less superior than what I write in.
It was a beautiful rant, Keith. But on the other hand it might have sounded like I was bashing this man, which was the very thing I was ranting against. One of those Catch-22 posts.
It's a funny thing about money, Paul. I always thought that writing was the road to fame and fortune, but when I stopped caring about the money and all it's side benefits my writing improved 100%. There's a freedom in not writing for money. You can immerse yourself in the story and write it the way it rolls off your mind. No tweaking to fit a market or scrunching or sprawling to fit into a perceived genre or word count. I just have fun, if I can find a paying market for it, fine, if not, I find a place where readers can still enjoy it. And in the end, if it's not out there for someone to read, why do you write?
In my rant, G., I made much the same point. If you don't like it, don't read it. You're free to choose, so don't blast the form or the writer if it's not your cup of tea.
Not every writer has the talent to write in every form, it's only by working hard and attempting them all that a writer finds what fits their voice and talent.
So much of writing is experimenting and pushing the envelope to find what you're good at, then pushing one step farther.
Here, here on the money aspect of writing! It's great to make it when it comes, but just getting to tell a good story is pretty awesome too!
I can understand your feelings on this, Sandra. An answer might be they are opinionated on other topics too, and have been able to get away with their comments over time. Even if a writer's prose or poetry isn't up to the standard of others, that is not a reason to criticize them. All writers are improving their craft day by day, even the well established ones. We can learn by their mistakes.
Although I'm not an experienced writer, I can see others struggling at a level I had been at one time. It is far better to provide a helpful comment than a negative one.
You're right, Barbara. The flash critique groups I have worked in have writers from all levels and you learn to be supportive of the beginners because you remember standing in their shoes at one time and someone helped you along the way. Which makes it even more upsetting when someone of King's stature critcizes a young writer in such a public way.
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