Comments on: Bear on the War Path http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/ Jeff VanderMeer Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:47:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Jeff VanderMeer http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/comment-page-1/#comment-3539 Jeff VanderMeer Sat, 20 Oct 2007 14:05:37 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/#comment-3539 Will: As wise a PS as I've seen. My approach is to deepen my commitment. And to go get some sleep right now. JV Will: As wise a PS as I’ve seen. My approach is to deepen my commitment. And to go get some sleep right now.

JV

]]> By: brendan connell http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/comment-page-1/#comment-3538 brendan connell Sat, 20 Oct 2007 13:56:10 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/#comment-3538 Maybe enough has been said on this already, but .... I could never read Jeff's original post as being something against the people he works with and reads---because frankly, I can't think of anyone in the 'genre' scene (whatever that is) who supports other writers more than Jeff. Hands down. And I mean established and beginning writers. And if you look at his anthologies, they are always a mix of all sorts of things---very well known writers, along side people no one has ever heard of before. I am not exacly sure what that means, but for me it means he is very pro-writer. He wrote a post about how he honestly felt. And it is a rare case indeed where honestly is not a healthy thing. Maybe enough has been said on this already, but …. I could never read Jeff’s original post as being something against the people he works with and reads—because frankly, I can’t think of anyone in the ‘genre’ scene (whatever that is) who supports other writers more than Jeff. Hands down. And I mean established and beginning writers. And if you look at his anthologies, they are always a mix of all sorts of things—very well known writers, along side people no one has ever heard of before. I am not exacly sure what that means, but for me it means he is very pro-writer. He wrote a post about how he honestly felt. And it is a rare case indeed where honestly is not a healthy thing.

]]> By: Jeff VanderMeer http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/comment-page-1/#comment-3537 Jeff VanderMeer Sat, 20 Oct 2007 13:39:55 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/#comment-3537 I think you're right re the non-usefulness of the puppy mill analogy. jv I think you’re right re the non-usefulness of the puppy mill analogy.
jv

]]> By: ebear http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/comment-page-1/#comment-3536 ebear Sat, 20 Oct 2007 13:35:18 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/#comment-3536 Actually, I should point out that I have *no* exception to what, based on your email, you *meant* to say--that we need to push hard and fail spectacularly to create anything worthwhile. If you are not falling down, you are not running hard enough. I *do* think the puppy mill rhetoric got away from you, and people (such as myself) are reading your post as an indictment of all the hacks you find yourself forced to work with, rather than a personal vow to wipe out more often. I strongly believe in wiping out as often as it takes. To double your success rate, quintuple your failure rate. Actually, I should point out that I have *no* exception to what, based on your email, you *meant* to say–that we need to push hard and fail spectacularly to create anything worthwhile.

If you are not falling down, you are not running hard enough.

I *do* think the puppy mill rhetoric got away from you, and people (such as myself) are reading your post as an indictment of all the hacks you find yourself forced to work with, rather than a personal vow to wipe out more often.

I strongly believe in wiping out as often as it takes.

To double your success rate, quintuple your failure rate.

]]> By: Matt Staggs http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/comment-page-1/#comment-3535 Matt Staggs Sat, 20 Oct 2007 12:32:07 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/#comment-3535 I'm with Brendan. I took your post as a welcome kick in the ass. PS: yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes...yes. I’m with Brendan. I took your post as a welcome kick in the ass.
PS: yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes…yes.

]]> By: brendan connell http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/comment-page-1/#comment-3527 brendan connell Sat, 20 Oct 2007 06:35:59 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/#comment-3527 I personally didnt take what you were saying to be negative. Quite the contrary. I think is what you were saying is that short fiction (maybe even fiction in general) has become too square. And this is I also believe true. And sometimes you have to be truthful if you want things to change. Let's face it---how many of us (writers) really do push ourselves as far as we can go? I readily admit that I don't. And I would like to. So any encouragement to 'go where no man has gone before' I view as positive. I personally didnt take what you were saying to be negative. Quite the contrary. I think is what you were saying is that short fiction (maybe even fiction in general) has become too square. And this is I also believe true. And sometimes you have to be truthful if you want things to change. Let’s face it—how many of us (writers) really do push ourselves as far as we can go? I readily admit that I don’t. And I would like to. So any encouragement to ‘go where no man has gone before’ I view as positive.

]]> By: will shetterly http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/comment-page-1/#comment-3523 will shetterly Sat, 20 Oct 2007 04:37:47 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/#comment-3523 P.S. Don't mean I'm *totally* burned out. But I don't seek short fiction anymore. I let it find me, and I'm happier that way. If it's possible to be a bold explorer in every aspect and every moment of life, I don't have that secret. I have a different secret: when something no longer gives you joy, let it go or deepen your commitment to it. P.S. Don’t mean I’m *totally* burned out. But I don’t seek short fiction anymore. I let it find me, and I’m happier that way. If it’s possible to be a bold explorer in every aspect and every moment of life, I don’t have that secret. I have a different secret: when something no longer gives you joy, let it go or deepen your commitment to it.

]]> By: will shetterly http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/comment-page-1/#comment-3522 will shetterly Sat, 20 Oct 2007 04:26:46 +0000 http://www.jeffvandermeer.com/2007/10/19/bear-on-the-war-path/#comment-3522 If I was still in SFWA, I might suggest a poll: 1. Have you burned out on short fiction? 2. How old were you when you burned out? 3. Did you work as an editor before you burned out? I think I burned out between 35 and 40. I'm not sure that working as an editor hurt, but it didn't help. What was good enough just wasn't good enough anymore. I do have a lot of sympathy for your argument. As Nellie McClung said, "The good is the greatest rival of the best." If I was still in SFWA, I might suggest a poll:

1. Have you burned out on short fiction?

2. How old were you when you burned out?

3. Did you work as an editor before you burned out?

I think I burned out between 35 and 40. I’m not sure that working as an editor hurt, but it didn’t help. What was good enough just wasn’t good enough anymore.

I do have a lot of sympathy for your argument. As Nellie McClung said, “The good is the greatest rival of the best.”

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