Interesting Readings on Writing from Writers we adore..

[shadowkat]

1. http://bookviewcafe.com/blog/2012/05/14/the-narrative-gift-as-a-moral-conundrum/

I believe a good story, plotted or plotless, rightly told, is satisfying as such and in itself. But here, with “rightly told,” is my conundrum or mystery. Inept writing lames or cripples good narrative only if it’s truly inept. An irresistibly readable story can be told in the most conventional, banal prose, if the writer has the gift. - Ursula Le Guinne

2. http://www.forbes.com/sites/jeffbercovici/2012/05/03/avengers-director-joss-whedon-on-trying-to-be-more-like-buffy/5/

Forbes Interview with Joss Whedon regarding his work. (Note, if your movie becomes the biggest blockbuster of all time, regardless of its content, you get an interview with Forbes). Below are out-takes that I found rather interesting and different from what he usually says. Yes, (if you follow the link) he still thinks he's Buffy, I still think he's Angel and Spike, with a bit of Warren Miers and Xander thrown in, but what do I know? ;-)

Interviewer: Do you ever delve into the voluminous fan fiction around “Buffy”?

Joss Whedon: I have delved into it. There’s a bunch. There isn’t a better barometer of the kind of success that I crave, which is that people haven’t only enjoyed the work; they’ve internalized it. I don’t, obviously, spend all my days reading it because that would make me creepy, but it’s a huge, huge thing for me that people have taken it into their lives.

There you have it, folks, proof that Whedon has possibly read your fanfic. I'm not sure how I would feel about that. I know he hasn't read mine - because it is hidden. But he may have read my meta ...which would be weird. I really don't want to know.

Artistic freedom can be dangerous. A lot of times it can lead to very self-indulgent work, but it’s also, if you are aware of your audience and what you’re trying to do, it’s very necessary.

Regarding Twitter...which is a comment I agree with, and is the reason I'm not on Twitter, but luckily I'm not Whedon, so I don't have to open an account because someone else might steal my name and pretend to be me on it. (Someone did this to Cormac McCarthy by the way, so Whedon is not alone.)

Interviewer: You’re not on Twitter, although you do have an account in your name.

Whedon: I created it because someone was using my name.

Interviewer: So why aren’t you using it?

Whedon: I think I would find it a little paralyzing. If you tell me I only have 140 characters, that’s like writing a haiku. Shit is hard. Try to write a children’s book and you realize, oh, this is much harder than writing a novel because every word matters. I don’t want to be on Twitter and just go, “That burrito made me gassy.”

I’m not interested in sharing my life with people. And I would feel an obligation, if I were to tweet, to tweet something worth tweeting. And believe me when I say if I could lose four days of work — of page after page of good, solid work of my job of being a writer — to trying to figure out a tweet. Now, eventually, I might throw caution to the wind and dive in and see what happens, but right now I think that would be poor time management for me.

And no, he never mentions the Buffy comics, which leads me to believe he's given up on them like I have? Okay, not exactly like I have.

Comments

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

And no, he never mentions the Buffy comics, which leads me to believe he's given up on them like I have?

He's done several interviews lately where both Buffy and comics get brought up and you'd think it'd be easy for him to at least mention the comics. With sales plummeting and him supposedly being even more involved this "season", you'd think he would. Hell, even his post on Whedonesque didn't mention them.

As for Whedon reading my fanfic, eh. What's the worst that could happen - him reading that bit I wrote five years ago about comic!Buffy being a robot all along and incorporate that into the comic? Never happen. :)

Very unsurprised that he likes the Spider-Man movies. I always figured Whedon for a Raimi fan.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Very unsurprised that he likes the Spider-Man movies. I always figured Whedon for a Raimi fan.

Hee. Just wait until you see Cabin in the Woods...clearly a Sam Raimi fan.

I wasn't as thrilled or enthralled by the Spider-Man movies as Whedon was. I personally think The Dark Knight, V for Vendetta, Jack-Ass, and the first Superman...were amongst the better comic book movies both visually and dramatically speaking. (I haven't seen the Avengers, so can't comment). The first Spiderman wasn't bad - the next two were far too busy.


What's the worst that could happen - him reading that bit I wrote five years ago about comic!Buffy being a robot all along and incorporate that into the comic?

Ah...We can blame you for that insane plot line! ;-)

With sales plummeting and him supposedly being even more involved this "season", you'd think he would. Hell, even his post on Whedonesque didn't mention them.

I honestly think he handed it off to Andrew Chambliss and walked away to do internet movies and film. Can't say I blame him - I'd have done the same thing. He got what he wanted out of the whole comic book writing gig (Astonishing X-men, Runaways, The Avengers, SugarShock)- which was a big enough following and enough creditability as a popular/Big Name comics writer - to be allowed to direct the Avengers movie. (Which he didn't have when he was trying to do Wonder Woman).

[shapinglight]

Interesting. Thanks for transcribing that.

I know one thing. If Joss has read any of my fan fiction, it's had zero effect on him, or he wouldn't be letting Buffy be written the way she is in the comics. ;)

ETA: Is is, though, nice to hear once again that he doesn't mind people fan ficcing his work.