The first question that comes to mind is, why a blog. The second is why THIS blog.
As to the first question, the answer is that I’m a writer with quite a bit to say on most any subject literary. I write every day, and have for as long as I can remember. I’m not sure I could stop writing even if I wanted to, but then, I’ve never tried, so it’s sort of a moot point. As of right now, I’ve written at least six novels—I say “at least” because I’ve re-written several manuscripts in different forms and I’m not sure I count them as being separate—several short stories, and a couple of screen plays; I’ve even edited a book or two. For myriad reasons, absolutely nothing has ever been published. But if I were to pick just one reason, it’s that I’ve never focused my efforts on being published. Finding an agent, dealing with a publisher; neither is high on my list of ways to spend my time. Would I like to be published? I suppose, but I can honestly say it’s not the reason I write. I know, I know, you’ve heard all that before from other unpublished writers. But I don’t have a file cabinet full of rejection notices—just a single file in one drawer from one book, and not a very good book, I might add.
My interests in writing lie more in character structure, plot, point of view—the nitty gritty of a good story. Does a book move me? Is it well-crafted? Does it leave me wanting more, so much so that I dread arrival at the last page. Which brings me to the second question.
I have to say that I don’t read much, if any, genre fiction. I rarely read anything on any best seller list. I find most of it to be just one small step above prime time television, and maybe another step above soap opera. I could list the best-selling authors who disgust me, but their names are mentioned often enough. I’d rather concentrate on authors whose work dignifies them as masters of their craft—and rather than list them today, I’ll allow them to surface as we progress.
I want the focus of this blog to be literary fiction because it’s what I love to read, and more importantly, because when everything is said and done, and all the quick-buck genre books are left behind, it’s truly what will be passed on to those who come later. Literary fiction will ultimately define us as an era more than as a generation or two. In my opinion it’s literature that needs saving and if one were to pick a windmill with which to joust, one need look no further for a noble quest.
