"Great literature must spring from an upheaval in the author's soul..."

[HConn]

"... If that upheaval is not present then it must come from the works of any other author which happens to be handy and easily adapted."
-- Robert Benchley

On another thread, I recommended that a writer consider stealing a plot, if necessary. To follow that idea further, here's a blog entry by Lawrence Watt-Evans about adapting classic stories into a format that you can use:

http://www.watt-evans.com/blog/?p=79

Check it out. It's interesting stuff. When you're done reading it, read the previous entry, (linked at the top of the page as "Everything But The Kitchen Sink") about the reason he had to leave his original publisher.

[Shweta]

Personally, I'd settle for "readable story that keeps moving" at this stage.
Mastery can wait till after I've managed to get both feet on the journeyman path at the same time.

Having said that, I cannot write unless something is really bothering me and I need to poke at it in fiction form.

[mscelina]

Good thing I'm not trying for great literature. I'm more than happy to settle for 'saleable.'

[Shadow_Ferret]

When I have an upheaval in my soul, I tend to write scathing non-fiction opinion pieces.

Anger isn't good for my fiction because I tend to write in a humorous vein. Which is why I'm more confortable writing genre fiction.

[KTC]

So, let me get this straight...if you don't have upheaval in your soul, you don't reach greatness? Poppycock.

[kct webber]

Poppycock.

*nods agreement*

[FOTSGreg]

Aw, for cryin' out loud. What a load of elitist bull...

I'm not writing the Great American Novel. I write to entertain people and to tell stories that might entertain people.

Benchley, pull your head out. You never wrote the Great American Novel either. You used to write good, entertaining stories that people enjoyed. Try doing that instead of preaching.

[bpmann]

Aw, for cryin' out loud. What a load of elitist bull...

I'm not writing the Great American Novel. I write to entertain people and to tell stories that might entertain people.

Benchley, pull your head out. You never wrote the Great American Novel either. You used to write good, entertaining stories that people enjoyed. Try doing that instead of preaching.

I think he was making fun of the statement. Did you see the second half of the quote?;) It's in the vein of "Sincerity is everything. Once you learn how to fake that, the rest is easy."

[Priene]

Wow, this straw man's being kicked to a pulp. Benchley was clearly making a point in joke form.

[tehuti88]

I think there are some good points to the quote though, even if it were only the first half being alluded to. "Upheaval" doesn't necessarily have to mean something hugely drastic, and "great literature" doesn't have to mean...well, great literature; just a good story, a story that readers can identify with. A story that sticks with you.

I took "upheaval" to mean emotional reactions, a strong emotional state. IMO much writing that is good, entertaining, and easy to identify with comes from the fact that the writer has a keen understanding of emotions and knows how to appeal to them or write in such a way that readers can sympathize. Such a story sticks with the reader. It's "great literature."

Of course, this doesn't apply to books that are just mindless fun, but I think you get my point. I think there's some truth in the first half of the statement, even if not always. I know that I can't write worth anything unless I have some sort of strong emotional attachment (and by that I do not mean "obsessive fixation").

[James81]

Well, obviously this doesn't HAVE to be true, but I'll say that some of my best writing came at the most emotional points in my life. When you feel stuff down in you "soul", it's going to move you to write great things.

That's the beautiful thing about being a writer. We have the advantage that the shittiest times in our lives are going to produce some of the best material for our work.

[HConn]

Well, I'm glad a couple of people read well enough to get the point of the quote. Thanks, bpmann and Priene.

Or did a bunch of you not read past the subject header?

[Phaeal]

Writing hard CAUSES an upheaval of my soul, which enriches (I hope) the writing. If I sat around waiting for upheavals, I'd never get started. ;)

[vrabinec]

I had a massive upheaval last weekend after waaay too many shots of Cuervo 1800, but I doubt it would sell as a story.

[ishtar'sgate]

The only upheaval in my soul is this wretched story that refuses to come out the way I want it to.:D
Linnea

[Shadow_Ferret]

Poppycock.
And fiddle faddle!

http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/file.php?2,file=2545
http://snacks.cyberpunks.org/fiddlefaddle.jpeg

[aruna]

Of course, this doesn't apply to books that are just mindless fun, but I think you get my point. I think there's some truth in the first half of the statement, even if not always. I know that I can't write worth anything unless I have some sort of strong emotional attachment (and by that I do not mean "obsessive fixation").

Well, I don't know about great literature but I always wrote what I believe are my best novels during times of great suffering. For instance, my first published book was written during one of the worst periods in my life--I just put everything into that book; writing was an anchor that kept me grounded, the only light in my life at the time. When things went well after that, I found, my writing was less satisfying to myself and readers wre less enthusiastic about the books themselves. I've just had another devastating year, but I am very happy with the novel that came out of it. Remains to be seen what agents and publishers think!



That's the beautiful thing about being a writer. We have the advantage that the shittiest times in our lives are going to produce some of the best material for our work.
Exactly how I feel.

[*Pudge*]

Oh my - where can I get some of that Poppycock - Mmmmmmmmmm looks fab!!
And fiddle faddle!

http://www.fairfaxunderground.com/forum/file.php?2,file=2545
http://snacks.cyberpunks.org/fiddlefaddle.jpeg

[Ageless Stranger]

So, let me get this straight...if you don't have upheaval in your soul, you don't reach greatness? Poppycock.

I will go one step further Sir. I declare that the very notion that upheaval in the soul is essential for true greatness, is cockypop.

[aruna]

I will go one step further Sir. I declare that the very notion that upheaval in the soul is essential for true greatness, is cockypop.


Well, I don't know about greatness but upheavel in the soul is certainly essential for growth. Is what I have found! I've been turned inside-out several times, and it was all good.
(I think some people just don't like the words upheaval in the soul.)

[kct webber]

My soul is a placid pond in a world of upheaval. :)