I haven't read any of these authors, but as for personal opinions about writing:
I believe that "good writing" encompasses many different aspects of the craft. A good writer can be someone who comes up with very ingenious plotlines, and knows how to carry them through with unique and compelling characters at a good pace. A good writer can also be somebody who has a way with their words--maybe they can't write a novel or good characters, but their narrative prose has a strong tone, a unique style and voice, and serves as a good example of the power of the written word.
I am kind of annoyed that you call the latter type of people, those with a way with words and a certain style "overwritten and pretentious." I believe that one of the aspects to good writing can be a strong style and voice, and the idea that a writer somehow a writer analyzing the usage of his or words or paying attention to their style as they write is somehow "pretentious" is rather offensive. I feel like you're insulting people who are trying to pay good attention to their craft and their art.
I have no problem with you not liking their particular style or other aspects of their writing, but the accusation of "they're trying to be literary" really confuses me. It's writing. Of course they're trying to be literary! I think sometimes you overreact a little bit to someone else's perceived elitism. I know this stems from your background, but the idea that anybody is trying to value style at all eliciting such a defensive reaction from you is kind of unwarranted.
It's one thing to have a preference for the styles you read, and it's another thing entirely to defend some perceived elitist slight by sneering at their pretense for having a writing style that is different from yours.
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chiming
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Date: 2010-02-18 12:40 am (UTC)From:I believe that "good writing" encompasses many different aspects of the craft. A good writer can be someone who comes up with very ingenious plotlines, and knows how to carry them through with unique and compelling characters at a good pace. A good writer can also be somebody who has a way with their words--maybe they can't write a novel or good characters, but their narrative prose has a strong tone, a unique style and voice, and serves as a good example of the power of the written word.
I am kind of annoyed that you call the latter type of people, those with a way with words and a certain style "overwritten and pretentious." I believe that one of the aspects to good writing can be a strong style and voice, and the idea that a writer somehow a writer analyzing the usage of his or words or paying attention to their style as they write is somehow "pretentious" is rather offensive. I feel like you're insulting people who are trying to pay good attention to their craft and their art.
I have no problem with you not liking their particular style or other aspects of their writing, but the accusation of "they're trying to be literary" really confuses me. It's writing. Of course they're trying to be literary! I think sometimes you overreact a little bit to someone else's perceived elitism. I know this stems from your background, but the idea that anybody is trying to value style at all eliciting such a defensive reaction from you is kind of unwarranted.
It's one thing to have a preference for the styles you read, and it's another thing entirely to defend some perceived elitist slight by sneering at their pretense for having a writing style that is different from yours.