so here it finally is, the list i have the unwelcome indistinction of not having a story on:
short list for the first Philippine Graphic/Fiction Awards.
cruddy christ in a crabcake. at least it isn't all crap.
get back to me in a day or two. i may be a tad more gracious with my comments.
10 comments:
Hey man! banzai cat here. Interesting points you raised at Jeff's blog. I wanted to reply there but it wasn't my place. Nahihiya naman ako sa kanya.
Anyway, regarding your comment, I do think that it's really art's job to imitate reality in whatever way it can (even the most weirdest of stories). However, the problem I find with local literature is that it tries to address the country's problems via the use of social realism, i.e. trying to make a statement using realism. Whereas I believe that one can also use speculative fiction to do the same, or even better.
On the other hand, I do find your contention interesting regarding the non-use of localized setting/flavor of a story. Why is that? I myself have a hard time trying to use non-local cultural markers (er, not sure about the right terms here) in writing.
:-)
i agree, that's one of art's "jobs," as you put it, but i also think it has a very important role in imitating what comes purely from your imagination.
depending on your definition of reality, that would be a direct subversion of the other role.
i agree totally with your comments on speculative fiction, though.
as for not using a localized setting/flavor, i figure it's a matter of what comes from your imagination. my imagination happens to be touched much more firmly by the stuff i read than by what goes on around me in the "real" world.
call it autism.
thanks for the cool insights man. if there's anything this blog lacks, it's that kind of substance. i don't put nearly enough intellectually stimulating stuff on here ;p
Hehe I'll do my best. Aside from it's fun to talk about stuff like this, I figure that considering there are very few of us who dig this spec fic stuff, we should do it properly discussing it. Well, that and I like playing devil's advocate a lot. Besides, I have free internet at work so expect a lot of questions. :-D
*** ah! I just found out you commented on my site! Now I'm really confused! :-D ***
Mind, when I drop terms like art and propaganda, I'm just repeating what I've learned from my lit-crit proficient girlfriend. ;-) However, I do see you side more with the faction of "art for art's sake" with regard to your statement of art coming from your imagination. I presume that means your art (your writing) is more of an expression of your imagination (or your mind) than anything else. Doesn't that also mean your personal experiences is also a factor in what you write?
Personally, I also prefer that side though I guess am suffering existentialist issues when I write, which is why I lean to the other side, i.e. "art for propaganda's sake."
And I think all readers suffer from a mild case of autism anyway. ;-)
P.S. Btw, do you mind if I link to you? :-)
haha i was about to ask if i could link to your site. go ahead.
meanwhile... yep, i'm sure my personality and identity and experiences and all that make their way into my work, but i don't make a conscious effort of it.
that's what i hate about establishment trying to put "conditions" into what's lit and what's not.
when i write, and my writing works, it usually feels more like i'm just channeling the story than actually making things up on my own.
creepy, in a way, since i'm in this coz i like making things up.
meanwhile, we've only recently got an unreliable but workable broadband wireless network at work, so i may be around a lot as well.
hehe. blogging on the job.
this is actually refreshing for me, as i don't have a lot of friends who are into spec fic, so i find myself commenting to deaf ears on faqs and blog comment sections where i don't belong.
but really, my opinions on writing aren't that strong, because i figure what works for me won't work for other people and vice versa and all that.
i do object when the "establishment" tries to dictate the way things ought to be, whether consciously or not.
Hehe that's the great thing about the unconscious. We won't recognize it 'til later and this way, critics and academics can say we're brilliant. ;-)
On the other hand, I think you're doing okay on your own as a writer since you recognize the story needs to be written on its own, i.e. the channeling bit. I figure, let's write well-written stories and let the market sort 'em out. (Hell, most people would never even try submitting, much less write their own stories. You've done both.)
On commenting, I'm actually more of a lurker rather than a commenter. (Despite the fact that I have a long list of links on my blog.) ;-) However, if I do think I have something to say, then heaven forbid I try to keep it in. And I'd rather comment to bloggers who reply. I find it rude if you're going to ignore someone who made the effort to go out of their way to say something.
On the matter of opinions, hell, who's going to object, right? At the least, you can get a nice little debate going and at the worst, well... you can always duck when they start throwing rotten vegetables. :-D
Hmmm... we should start a revolution and start shouting "Down with the establishment!" (And then we'll end up as the establishment! Hah!)
haha. well, i'd make a horrible "establishment".
"Welcome to the Land of Do-As-You-Please..."
you can have all the awards, just as long as all my stuff, even the crappiest of the crap, get published and let out into the world... preferably to an international audience.
ah, dreams.
of course, being able to live like Neil Gaiman would be just plain awesome.
;p
But what are you going to do with all your hordes of goth fan-gurls? :-D
er, sign their books and give them hugs when they ask for one?
Neil Gaiman, is that you? :-D
haha, flattering, but no. i don't even write like him.
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