Comments on: Conversations with the Bookless: Rachel Swirsky http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/ Jeff VanderMeer Fri, 19 Mar 2010 03:21:24 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Swirsky Stories « Torque Control http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/comment-page-1/#comment-2935 Swirsky Stories « Torque Control Wed, 10 Oct 2007 06:56:08 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/#comment-2935 [...] an interview, Swirsky suggested she writes short stories because they are “close to poems. They can have a [...] [...] an interview, Swirsky suggested she writes short stories because they are “close to poems. They can have a [...]

]]> By: Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » Mandolin Is Interviewed http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/comment-page-1/#comment-2352 Alas, a blog » Blog Archive » Mandolin Is Interviewed Wed, 26 Sep 2007 07:29:12 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/#comment-2352 [...] the by, I recently got interviewed about my short story [...] [...] the by, I recently got interviewed about my short story [...]

]]> By: Jeff VanderMeer http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/comment-page-1/#comment-2254 Jeff VanderMeer Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:59:53 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/#comment-2254 Oh, thanks. When I have a few of these done, I'll do a post on the Amazon book blog with the links, and feature one anthology each that each writer has appeared in, since Amazon requires there be a book involved. JV Oh, thanks. When I have a few of these done, I’ll do a post on the Amazon book blog with the links, and feature one anthology each that each writer has appeared in, since Amazon requires there be a book involved.
JV

]]> By: Ellen Datlow http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/comment-page-1/#comment-2252 Ellen Datlow Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:15:12 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/#comment-2252 What a great idea for a series, Jeff. As an afficianado of the short story I really appreciate you spotlighting writers who specialize in it (for now). What a great idea for a series, Jeff. As an afficianado of the short story I really appreciate you spotlighting writers who specialize in it (for now).

]]> By: F. Brett Cox http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/comment-page-1/#comment-2251 F. Brett Cox Sun, 23 Sep 2007 16:08:11 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/#comment-2251 This is an excellent idea, Jeff. I am unfamiliar with Rachel Swirsky's work, but after reading the interview, I will definitely seek it out. This is an excellent idea, Jeff. I am unfamiliar with Rachel Swirsky’s work, but after reading the interview, I will definitely seek it out.

]]> By: Jeff VanderMeer http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/comment-page-1/#comment-2231 Jeff VanderMeer Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:37:57 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/#comment-2231 Yeah, it's one thing to ask questions. It's another to get great answers like Rachel's. JV Yeah, it’s one thing to ask questions. It’s another to get great answers like Rachel’s.
JV

]]> By: Jeff VanderMeer http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/comment-page-1/#comment-2230 Jeff VanderMeer Sat, 22 Sep 2007 19:37:26 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/#comment-2230 I don't think you need the short fiction record. Just depends. Some people seem to think you need a record. I say the most important thing is to have a good novel to sell, in terms of if you want to sell a novel. JV I don’t think you need the short fiction record. Just depends. Some people seem to think you need a record. I say the most important thing is to have a good novel to sell, in terms of if you want to sell a novel.

JV

]]> By: Fred http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/comment-page-1/#comment-2229 Fred Sat, 22 Sep 2007 18:26:54 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/#comment-2229 Thanks for posting this. I think it's a great idea for an interview series, and I've been impressed for awhile by Swirsky's work. Thanks for posting this. I think it’s a great idea for an interview series, and I’ve been impressed for awhile by Swirsky’s work.

]]> By: Patrick S. McGinnity http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/comment-page-1/#comment-2227 Patrick S. McGinnity Sat, 22 Sep 2007 18:07:13 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/#comment-2227 Thanks to both Jeff and Rachel for this interview. Not to flog the poor horse overmuch, but I am also a bookless wonder (wondering what went wrong?), but for me, the novel or novella is where I feel comfortable working, while trying to write short stories gives me a combined case of stage fright and the heebee-jeebies. But I'm working on it. My question to all of you (us) is this: can a novelist now sell a book, theoretically speaking, without much in the way of short fiction credits, or is it still the traditional "proving ground" that it has been in past eras? Thanks to both Jeff and Rachel for this interview. Not to flog the poor horse overmuch, but I am also a bookless wonder (wondering what went wrong?), but for me, the novel or novella is where I feel comfortable working, while trying to write short stories gives me a combined case of stage fright and the heebee-jeebies. But I’m working on it. My question to all of you (us) is this: can a novelist now sell a book, theoretically speaking, without much in the way of short fiction credits, or is it still the traditional “proving ground” that it has been in past eras?

]]> By: Tamara Kaye Sellman http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/comment-page-1/#comment-2202 Tamara Kaye Sellman Sat, 22 Sep 2007 00:47:32 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/09/20/conversations-with-the-bookless-rachel-swirsky/#comment-2202 Great idea for a column, Jeff. It used to be that poets were the ones who laughed and said, well, I'm *just* a lowly poet. Now, poets are selling books and it's the short story writers (like myself) who are low figures on the totem pole. Unfortunately, for those of us truly driven to write, there's little choice in the matter. We write what we write. Me, I write poetry, short stories, novels, nonfiction, but I love constructing the short fiction the best. And yet it is least likely to find home in a binding these days (besides an obscure journal somewhere). Which means just like every other short story writer, I find myself in that ghetto of booklessness, published widely yet not published at all and therefore, seemingly not worth paying attention to by booksellers etc. because I don't have anything to peddle. All this as a roundabout way of saying, THANK YOU for shining your light on the short story form and the dogged among us (read dogged and dogg-ed) who do it for the love and craft of it. Perhaps our time will come around like it has for the poets? Great idea for a column, Jeff. It used to be that poets were the ones who laughed and said, well, I’m *just* a lowly poet. Now, poets are selling books and it’s the short story writers (like myself) who are low figures on the totem pole. Unfortunately, for those of us truly driven to write, there’s little choice in the matter. We write what we write. Me, I write poetry, short stories, novels, nonfiction, but I love constructing the short fiction the best. And yet it is least likely to find home in a binding these days (besides an obscure journal somewhere). Which means just like every other short story writer, I find myself in that ghetto of booklessness, published widely yet not published at all and therefore, seemingly not worth paying attention to by booksellers etc. because I don’t have anything to peddle.

All this as a roundabout way of saying, THANK YOU for shining your light on the short story form and the dogged among us (read dogged and dogg-ed) who do it for the love and craft of it. Perhaps our time will come around like it has for the poets?

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