Here's another writer whose changed my life. I was already well at truly a writer before I discovered* Theodore Sturgeon's stuff, but had I not been, he'd have done it.
On this, he has said stuff that's changed the way I look at the world, and at writing. For instance, take this quote:
On this, he has said stuff that's changed the way I look at the world, and at writing. For instance, take this quote:
I repeat Sturgeon's Revelation, which was wrung out of me after twenty years of wearying defense of science fiction against attacks of people who used the worst examples of the field for ammunition, and whose conclusion was that ninety percent of it is crud.
The Revelation: Ninety percent of everything is crud.
Corollary 1: The existence of immense quantities of trash in science fiction is admitted and it is regrettable; but it is no more unnatural than the existence of trash anywhere.
Corollary 2: The best science fiction is as good as the best fiction in any field.
The percent part is arbitrary. The basic is that not everything is wonderful great keen. While he doesn't say it, it occurred to me while reading the Revelation how true that it. When we read any author's works, we're reading only the stuff that's been published, and not the false starts, the incompleted drafts, the stories that just don't work. A large portion of any writer's work is crap. That's the process. That's the route.
I've written one novel. It's crap. I know it. It's okay.
Most of the short stories I've written so far aren't worth the paper they are printed on. Not important.
What's important is that I realize what's wrong with what I've done and move on.
That's reading a lot into a remark made in frustration. But it's the thought the remark inspired in me.
The other thing to keep in mind is that, no matter what any "serious" author, reader, or critic says, there is nothing wrong with writing in the Fantastic. The service is the same, no matter what.
* This will no doubt pop up again, but when I say "discover" I really mean "realize who this writer is." I watch "Star Trek" for years before "discovering" Sturgeon, I no doubt had seen one of the episodes he did for that series. Ditto the "New Twilight Zone".
Some of my favorite Theodore Sturgeon stories include, but aren't limited to:
- "He Shuttles" - A ruthless businessman is granted three wishes. Realizing that these wishes never turn out the way the wisher wants, he comes up with a scheme guaranteed to give him everything he asks for. After "The Monkey's Paw", the greatest "Three Wishes" story out there, complete with one of the best lines in all the Fantastic.
- "It" - A mindless monster stalks the countryside, killing as it goes. Grim as all get out.
- "Killdozer!" - A group of construction workers disturb the resting place of an Elder Thing, which takes possession of a bulldozer and goes on a killing spree. Sounds a bit silly... But it isn't. Not as grim as "It" or "He Shuttles"; in fact, it's more of what I think of when I think of a Sturgeon story. Plus I love that title.
- "Ultimate Egotist" - A man learns that if he doesn't believe in something... It doesn't exist. This proves... problematic...
5 comments:
I generally find that anything by Sturgeon is at least readable, and more often than not, excellent. His writing is very gripping.
Ultimate Egoist that I am, I actually think I've written some pretty good essays, and (though I haven't even THOUGHT of looking at it since November) my NaNo might be publishable...
Of course, I'm probably completely wrong. We can all disagree which ten percent isn't garbage.
Look, if everything you write is good, then there should be at least 10% that's GREAT, right?
And did you start out writing good essays or did you work you're way to it? How envious of you should I be?
==sigh== That's YOUR. Not YOU'RE. One would think I knew nothing about the language.
Argh.
First off, it's not a given that what I write is good. I kinda think it is--there's nothing that makes me think Oh God I should pull that--but it's definite opinion.
And the stuff I post (on my real site) is definitely not first-draft stuff. It's worked over and beaten until it straightens out and flies right! By gosh, that's the way I was raised!
But I don't think Sturgeon was counting unpublished things or first drafts in his assessment--he meant stuff that was out there for all to see (and judge).
Heck, I should probably be posting on my own blog, but it's more fun to fill up comments!
Oh, I agree with you. He wasn't. That was just what I walked away with from his comment. An idea inspired.
All of my stuff here is kind of sort of first draft. If I see a mistake before someone else comments on it, I go back and correct it. Beyond that it springs from my forehead to the Blogsphere, unchanged and newborn.
If this was a professional website, I'd play it a bit different. They would be better safe guards somewhere. But as an outlet for my thoughts I don't quite see the need. Probably lazy of me...
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