Introductions

[JaNell]

I'm a published poet who wanted this forum because I'm bound and determined to get as many people from Knoxville published as possible, even if I have to hurt ya.

I also used to co-run ConCat, our local SF convention.

Braggety-smagetty, who're you?

[DarkVader]

JaNell - you forgot the non-fiction option...

I think I was even published - a few chapters in a computer book.

I got paid for it, anyway.

One of these days, I'll actually get a copy of the book to see if what I wrote actually made it in.

[Hardcoregirl]

I used to write some little short stories in skool...and I was on the "board" of people who decided what work was allowed in our yearly literary thingy at ORHS...I am a big poetry/prose fan (I guess cuz I have a short attention span) and I'm trying to write more so that JaNell won't hit me again...but I have this horrid feeling that anything I write might sound like something one of those annoying people that shove their poetry in your face might write...y'know, those Trent Reznor wannabe's that are so "deep, dark and tormented they must pour the pain of their souls out for all to see"...lol...I hate those people..sorry.

Don't force your poetry on someone...cause if it sucks, I'll probably let you know

[JaNell]

JaNell - you forgot the non-fiction option...

I think I was even published - a few chapters in a computer book.

I got paid for it, anyway.

One of these days, I'll actually get a copy of the book to see if what I wrote actually made it in.

A computer book doesn't count as literature. You are a published technical writer, though, so why not check "Other"?
Good thing I know that you're pulling my leg...


You took out my "Other".

So, Mr. Smarty-Mod, give me an honest example of non-fiction literature.

[DarkVader]

JaNell - you forgot the non-fiction option...

I think I was even published - a few chapters in a computer book.

I got paid for it, anyway.

One of these days, I'll actually get a copy of the book to see if what I wrote actually made it in.

A computer book doesn't count as literature. You are a published technical writer, though, so why not check "Other"?
Good thing I know that you're pulling my leg...


You took out my "Other".

So, Mr. Smarty-Mod, give me an honest example of non-fiction literature.

there was no "Other".

And you'll have to tell me what you consider literature. I know what I usually read for enjoyment, though, and I have a feeling that at least iblis may agree with me.

[pryjmaty]

I couldn't write my way out of a paper sack. Well...I did write a poem about three years ago for a friend of mine. I gave him the original and I could not tell you now one word of it. I do enjoy reading. I'm not a critic, but I know what I like and don't like. I know what keeps my interest and what bores me to pieces.
I am currently reading:
"Crime and Punishment" by Fyodor Dostoevsky
"The Need" by Andrew Neiderman

[JaNell]

<snip>

And you'll have to tell me what you consider literature. I know what I usually read for enjoyment, though, and I have a feeling that at least iblis may agree with me.

(from Cambridge International Dictionary of English)

literature (WRITING)
noun [U]
written artistic works, particularly those with a high and lasting artistic value
Literature includes novels, short stories, plays and poetry.

[Ladybee]

I'm the (so far) sole novelist up there on the poll. I've written a lot more short stories and poetry (in terms of number of pieces) but i've devoted the majority of my time spent writing to novels, so since the poll was solitary-answer i chose that one. I finished my first novel (A book called The Decadence Papers, about psychodrama in a fictional Boston club scene--a topic i assure you i know nothing about. really.) in 2000, and started a second this past summer while taking a novel-writing class (I'm going for my post-grad in Publishing/Creative Writing at Harvard, which is less impressive than it sounds since, because i work for Harvard, i get to take classes there for $40 a pop). The second novel, per mutation, is a sort of fantasyhorrorweirdwhatever novel with a mute-by-choice famous author for a protagonist locked up in a mental ward, because she believes that the characters in her first novel have broken "through" to the real world from the realm of fiction. I have writers block on that one though, so i've been carrying around a notebook to make scribblings on the creation of a world in which to write some SF/fantasy at some point.

That's it for me! Happy to see this forum, it's a great idea and i'm looking fwd to participating.

Ladybee

[keltora]

Okay, I finally made it in. By way of intoduction, I am an author of four novels and three short story collections, and numerous tales which have appeared in magazines and anthologies. I write fantasy in the categories of high, S&S and dark.

My current working project is my duology "The Demon-Bound" The first book of that set is due to my publisher Meisha Merlin in May of this year, and is called DRAGON'S TONGUE, and will be published May of 2004. The second book, WANDERING LARK is in the works and will see publication in 2005.

So with that in mind, if you do not see me out here a great deal, it's because I have deadlines.

Laura J. Underwood

[creapyrob]

I write bad poetry.

I wrote a lot of stuff for the RPG Spycraft. The 'Modern Arms Guide' is a gaming resource, for modern firearms, weapons, etc. I wrote the entire firearms section. I was contracted for 16,000.
I wrote a lot more than that, but not all of it was published.

There is no option for 'gaming refrence book' above, but thats what I wrote.

[JaNell]

Well, that's because it doesn't fall into the definition of "Literature" (See above).

Hmmm, maybe Dark Vader needs to start a "KG Member Publications" thread on Goth Geeks for all these technical/games/gaming manual writers that we seem to have...

[creapyrob]

Well, that's because it doesn't fall into the definition of "Literature" (See above).

Hmmm, maybe Dark Vader needs to start a "KG Member Publications" thread on Goth Geeks for all these technical/games/gaming manual writers that we seem to have...

THere is more than me? Odd. Gaming is a small world and I REALLY lucked into that assignment. I knew the right people.

[grendelbrian]

Hi, My name is Brian and I have a BA in English and Creative Writing from Austin Peay. Man, when I look at the other posts, I'm a bit unqualified. I haven't had any creative work published but I am going to give one of my Victorian literature papers at a synposium. I write some poetry, short stories, and plays. Plays are my favorite creative writing to do. I'm into 19th Century English Romanticism with a focus on Byron and the Gothic genre of the time. I'm also fond of Ann Radcliffe, William Blake, and the Bronte sisters even though they are Victorian. I also have an interest in working in the comics field. I'm a huge fan of Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore as well as others. I read a lot and try to write papers on how contemporary authors such as Gaiman have certain links to literature. For example, I feel that Morpheus from the Sandman is a prime example of Thorslev's idea of the Byronic Hero.
Anyway, I hope to learn a lot here and to make friends
Thanks for having me

Brian

[DarkestEyez]

i voted for "poetry" because i write a whole lot of that. i do short stories and stuff too, but lately i've had a sort of writer's block on those, and i'm not even sure that my previous stuff was that good. anyway. yeah.

i'm also a journalist, and i've had some articles published, most recently my article called American Freedom? was published in Carson-Newman's student newspaper. it was about the necessity for the reform of marijuana laws. if you want to see it, go to my Xanga.

[ophelia]

<snip>

And you'll have to tell me what you consider literature. I know what I usually read for enjoyment, though, and I have a feeling that at least iblis may agree with me.

(from Cambridge International Dictionary of English)

literature (WRITING)
noun [U]
written artistic works, particularly those with a high and lasting artistic value
Literature includes novels, short stories, plays and poetry.

I don't think that "literature" is that easily defined. I just finished a paper on the the subject, and it took me two weeks to come up with an adequate thesis. In today's day and age, literature is a loose term, and is applied to everything from Shakespeare to travel brochures. I concluded that defining the word is futile, and that the question "What is Literature" is a pointless debate.

To quote Frank Lentricchia, from his essay, "Confessions of an Ex-Literary Critic:"

"The question 'What is Literature' is a question for those who secretly hate literature."

[JaNell]

I don't think that "literature" is that easily defined. I just finished a paper on the the subject, and it took me two weeks to come up with an adequate thesis. In today's day and age, literature is a loose term, an is applied to everything from Shakespeare to travel brochures. I concluded that defining the word is futile, and that the question "What is Literature" is a pointless debate.

To quote Frank Lentricchia, from his essay, "Confessions of an Ex-Literary Critic:"

"The question 'What is Literature' is a question for those who secretly hate literature."

It is tough to define; I posted that definition mainly to distinguish Literature (creative writing) from Documentation (tech manuals and the like); using "literature" to refer to docs is a case of a slang term unfortunately catching on, and being used as a real term.

Man, when I look at the other posts, I'm a bit unqualified.

Dont. The whole reason for this forum is to provide a place for people at all levels to talk about writing, and writers, and I'm happy to see people participating.

I'm a huge fan of Neil Gaiman and Alan Moore as well as others. I read a lot and try to write papers on how contemporary authors such as Gaiman have certain links to literature. For example, I feel that Morpheus from the Sandman is a prime example of Thorslev's idea of the Byronic Hero.

So start a thread on that theme...

[keltora]

"Literature" is a genre' term used to describe fiction that is often marked by excellent writing, and involving very little story.

The argument is as old as the history of writing.

Orson Scott Card said it best when he was talking about teaching a course in literature. When the other professors said their students would read books by long dead authors whose sentences were a paragraph long and often boring, Card said his students were going to read Cormier's THE CHOCOLATE WARS. The other professors looked askance. That's a children's book, they argued.

Card's retort was that THE CHOCOLATE WARS was literature, because it was well written, but it was different from the standard stodgy literature professors insisted on cramming down a student's throat because it actually told a story. And he figured it was a story his students would find easier to relate to.

Too bad none of you were at my reading last Sunday to hear me speak on this from a fantasy author's POV.

Laura J. Underwood

[JaNell]

hangs head in shame

You know I never remember those until after...
But I did put a post about it here (or rather, the old board), and on my blog, too, so at least I'm out here pimpin' ya.

Hey, Holly Black is joining us and she says she knows you, Keltora.

[keltora]

Holly Black...I know the name, and I can connect a face--pageboy cut, black hair--but I can't remember which con I met her at...WorldCon ConJose, maybe?

Ah, age...the first thing to go is the...now what was it that was the first thing to go?

I forget.

Laura J. Underwood

[Ladybee]

(from Cambridge International Dictionary of English)

literature (WRITING)
noun [U]
written artistic works, particularly those with a high and lasting artistic value
Literature includes novels, short stories, plays and poetry.

I don't think that "literature" is that easily defined. I just finished a paper on the the subject, and it took me two weeks to come up with an adequate thesis. In today's day and age, literature is a loose term, an is applied to everything from Shakespeare to travel brochures. I concluded that defining the word is futile, and that the question "What is Literature" is a pointless debate.

You've reminded me of an essay I read last week on a related topic, "Why Literature?" by Mario Vargas Llosa, in which he argues for the preservation of "high literature" in a world increasingly dominated by the soundbite.

Read the essay only if you want someone to piss you off--I literally was writing FUCK YOU in the margins by the end of it, because (though I initially did agree with what I thought his point might have been) by the end of the essay he'd made so many pompous-ass comments about the throwaway meaninglessness of illiterate people and societies without written-word creative works (hi, Llosa, way to discount the entirety of the Storytelling/Bardic tradition, ya fuck) I could no longer pick thru it for the "good" points.

Wow, apparently i am still worked up about it. :/