And let us not forget the New York Times lies and has propagandized people throughout its history. They covered up Stalin crimes during the forced Ukrainian famine, for example.
Whatever subject one chooses to write about, or perhaps even invent. The writing which is alive and captivating will have it's words and language ooze life from the pulsating flows and rhythms of it's unique passages. It will pull the reader into a new and exciting world far beyond the worn-out and stale. The reader will feel the electricity of the writing transpose into their being. That's enlivening, That's writing!
As opposed to the soporific drivel, a NY Times journalist timidly dribbles onto the page. Which renders the reader into a state of narcosis.
The style of writing from the quotes that you provided immediately reminded me of the style of prose by old time radio show reporter Randy (Frank Lovejoy) Stone on the program "Nightbeat". The show originally aired about the time I was born but was replayed on our local Public Radio show in the 1980s. If I had to choose one word to describe the style it would be "gritty."
Thanks for all of your hard work toward enlightenment of the masses and for heaping well deserved scorn upon the elite.
Gibson is a great writer whose Neuromancer set the stage for all the cyberpunk adventures that followed it for 40 years now. The Difference Engine (co-authored with Bruce Sterling) is a fave, reimagining what would ensue if the Victorian Age had computers (bringing on the whole steam punk thing). Sadly, it seems all of his later books I've read are centered by vastly wealthy savior tech oligarchs. So he even presaged the worship of Elon Musk. The heroes of Gibson's fiction went from individual hackers bucking the system to wealthy techies saving it. Just my opinion, don't hack me . . . :~))
Like (button not working on this old 'console')...agree mostly, although in Spook Country, Zero History and The Peripheral there are interesting characters moving the plot along who are non-oligarchs. I need to download whatever book(s) came after The Peripheral and stay somewhat up to date. Was Virtual Light's Chevette a hat tip (or a curtsey) to Vineland's Prairie?
Don’t know, but love the reference to my favorite living writer, Pynchon. Hope he has a book left in him. The Peripheral, once you buy the premise, is indeed laden with good characters. Did not enjoy the series at all.
I grew up on scifi, old school and then new wave, seldom fantasy (does Zelazny qualify?), and am generally able to manage multiple timelines and some time travel, but I have to admit The Peripheral had me scrambled, timewise, pretty quickly. Really should go back through it and tackle whatever followed in its wake. Is Pynchon still alive? Without a new book, how would we know one way or another? And even then, could we be sure? Am I remembering my favorite image correctly...wasn't there a sniper assigned to insure another guy with a bazooka-like launcher (who was there to shoot down planes on 9/11 if they veered away from the towers) did his job if circumstances required it? I'll definitely check out your substack. WASTE...
Took a quick look, and Pynchon’s son Jackson donated all his dad’s original manuscripts to the Huntington Library in San Marino over a year ago. So maybe he is complete at 87.
Your memory is about as reliable as mine on that particular scene. The only book of his I have only read once.
Thanks for subscribing! You will find large excerpts of the book I am finishing up, Hermes Runs the Game, in more or less chronological sequence there. It show the covid debacle as an inverted archaic Greek sacrifice. And my wife Krys and I publish as Logosophia Books (.com). Maybe you will find something you like. We have One “fantasy” writer who can flat out write, Mindi Meltz. Do people still read? Not a great business these days. . . But we love making beautiful books.
I did a quick scan of the titles in your list of posts. My idea is to start with the initial Hermes Runs the Game post and check your chat with Sarah Westall. Didn't know about the donation of the manuscripts. If he's gone, I hope he went peacefully/painlessly. Should someone load all of his texts into an AI machine, give it a writing prompt and see what happens? Let the estate's legal people file a suit & rerun the Howard Hughes drama? Maybe if people still read the circus might drive book sales & royalties for his family...but your question about whether people still read makes me think the lawyers would get fat and the estate would be up a creeque. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUVxAtf55GY
P.S. AFAIK, I'm no relation to P's long-ago literary agent.
I was listening to one of Eric Francis Coppolino's broadcasts a while ago.
It was about journalism.
I may not have all the details exactly right, but he spoke about, and read from, a journalist back in the day who went to college for journalism, went to work for a newspaper. They were more like "beat" journalists, going out after stories and scoops. But what stood out was the fact that all of them were Novelists in their hearts. They were hoping to make enough money so they could seclude themselves and write the great novel that was burning inside of them.
Here it seems the opposite has happened.
The editing at the Times is like a template, yes. They are well trained to put forth a streamlined, sameness in their delivering the news.
And let us not forget the New York Times lies and has propagandized people throughout its history. They covered up Stalin crimes during the forced Ukrainian famine, for example.
A writer writes! Right?
Whatever subject one chooses to write about, or perhaps even invent. The writing which is alive and captivating will have it's words and language ooze life from the pulsating flows and rhythms of it's unique passages. It will pull the reader into a new and exciting world far beyond the worn-out and stale. The reader will feel the electricity of the writing transpose into their being. That's enlivening, That's writing!
As opposed to the soporific drivel, a NY Times journalist timidly dribbles onto the page. Which renders the reader into a state of narcosis.
Thanks for another smashing article Jon!
The New York Times excerpts would incline me to nod off, were it not for the absurdities contained therein.
The style of writing from the quotes that you provided immediately reminded me of the style of prose by old time radio show reporter Randy (Frank Lovejoy) Stone on the program "Nightbeat". The show originally aired about the time I was born but was replayed on our local Public Radio show in the 1980s. If I had to choose one word to describe the style it would be "gritty."
Thanks for all of your hard work toward enlightenment of the masses and for heaping well deserved scorn upon the elite.
Gibson is a great writer whose Neuromancer set the stage for all the cyberpunk adventures that followed it for 40 years now. The Difference Engine (co-authored with Bruce Sterling) is a fave, reimagining what would ensue if the Victorian Age had computers (bringing on the whole steam punk thing). Sadly, it seems all of his later books I've read are centered by vastly wealthy savior tech oligarchs. So he even presaged the worship of Elon Musk. The heroes of Gibson's fiction went from individual hackers bucking the system to wealthy techies saving it. Just my opinion, don't hack me . . . :~))
Like (button not working on this old 'console')...agree mostly, although in Spook Country, Zero History and The Peripheral there are interesting characters moving the plot along who are non-oligarchs. I need to download whatever book(s) came after The Peripheral and stay somewhat up to date. Was Virtual Light's Chevette a hat tip (or a curtsey) to Vineland's Prairie?
Don’t know, but love the reference to my favorite living writer, Pynchon. Hope he has a book left in him. The Peripheral, once you buy the premise, is indeed laden with good characters. Did not enjoy the series at all.
I grew up on scifi, old school and then new wave, seldom fantasy (does Zelazny qualify?), and am generally able to manage multiple timelines and some time travel, but I have to admit The Peripheral had me scrambled, timewise, pretty quickly. Really should go back through it and tackle whatever followed in its wake. Is Pynchon still alive? Without a new book, how would we know one way or another? And even then, could we be sure? Am I remembering my favorite image correctly...wasn't there a sniper assigned to insure another guy with a bazooka-like launcher (who was there to shoot down planes on 9/11 if they veered away from the towers) did his job if circumstances required it? I'll definitely check out your substack. WASTE...
Took a quick look, and Pynchon’s son Jackson donated all his dad’s original manuscripts to the Huntington Library in San Marino over a year ago. So maybe he is complete at 87.
Your memory is about as reliable as mine on that particular scene. The only book of his I have only read once.
Thanks for subscribing! You will find large excerpts of the book I am finishing up, Hermes Runs the Game, in more or less chronological sequence there. It show the covid debacle as an inverted archaic Greek sacrifice. And my wife Krys and I publish as Logosophia Books (.com). Maybe you will find something you like. We have One “fantasy” writer who can flat out write, Mindi Meltz. Do people still read? Not a great business these days. . . But we love making beautiful books.
I did a quick scan of the titles in your list of posts. My idea is to start with the initial Hermes Runs the Game post and check your chat with Sarah Westall. Didn't know about the donation of the manuscripts. If he's gone, I hope he went peacefully/painlessly. Should someone load all of his texts into an AI machine, give it a writing prompt and see what happens? Let the estate's legal people file a suit & rerun the Howard Hughes drama? Maybe if people still read the circus might drive book sales & royalties for his family...but your question about whether people still read makes me think the lawyers would get fat and the estate would be up a creeque. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUVxAtf55GY
P.S. AFAIK, I'm no relation to P's long-ago literary agent.
I was listening to one of Eric Francis Coppolino's broadcasts a while ago.
It was about journalism.
I may not have all the details exactly right, but he spoke about, and read from, a journalist back in the day who went to college for journalism, went to work for a newspaper. They were more like "beat" journalists, going out after stories and scoops. But what stood out was the fact that all of them were Novelists in their hearts. They were hoping to make enough money so they could seclude themselves and write the great novel that was burning inside of them.
Here it seems the opposite has happened.
The editing at the Times is like a template, yes. They are well trained to put forth a streamlined, sameness in their delivering the news.