I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Monday, June 5, 2006

Take a Chance on Me

Going around the blogosphere of writers is a letter by Kelly Link (thanks Tobias, I found it through your blog first). In her letter Kelly talks about “competent” manuscripts that are circulation through the Online Writers’ Workshop and the difference between them and great manuscripts. The short of it is that great stories take chances. And we as writers should take chances. As Tobias put it, don’t write for the market, write at the level of the market, in his “Getting Past Being Joe Blow Neopro.”

So, I’m going to write the book about Post-Rapture Industries. It’s a comedy. Think a Left Behind Faust meets Dirk Gently. Yeah, I’m going for the Douglas Adam brass ring. I may fall off the horse and land on my face, but I’m gonna try it. First readers who have seen some of the joke pieces have labeled it “erudite” and question if there is more than a niche audience. Well, I’m going to write a book for those six people who may get all the jokes and the millions who’ll at least get one. And I’m going to stick it in the eye of the Christian Conservatives (who are neither IMHO).

Oh God, now I’ve got to do it.

1 comment:

Dan said...

Go for it! I need to know somebody famous. My closest claim to fame is having a member of the 80's long hair band Warrant as a student in one of my classes.