Dear fellow writers:
I seem to have garnered some neg. reaction through editiorializing in the "Bewares and Background Check," under the "Lost or Laggard" thread, so I thought maybe I should be upfront about where I'm coming from, in the interest of more comprehension and less heat.
I'm an old guy who's written alot of stuff:
A million word novel, currently honed to a hundred and five thousand words, about three people who once knew each other butting heads without knowing it, in '70's Gotham. Current title: Watch Out, the World's Behind You.
Five more novels, most especially the vernacular child's memoir of the Dustbowl '30's, down in the moonglow, but also the alternate-world satires Avant Vue and Everyone Went to the Sun. Lastly, I've done a political romantic comedy, (read funny), dreme x dreme about a fugitive neo-Nazi falling in love with a Black, Jewish Communist in '90's Seattle that I've been unable to get returned to me, once sent out, let alone acknowledged, let alone read.
Also a good bakers' dozen of screenplays, one of which placed at AHFF, five of which have been translated into novellas. A book of short stories. Etc,
One of my works has recently gotten at least online acceptance, but I've resubmitted it to print media.
I'm a perfectionist. I should be, because, aside from some early classes with the science-fiction writer Jack Williamson and the modernist Berne professors, at Eastern New Mexico U., I'm an auto-didact (self-taught), something that doesn't go far in today's world. My work has to speak for itself, since I'm also off the board as far as throwing the things over the transoms in New York and Hollywood.
That's why I've developed a real beef with agents who don't read "slush" ninety per cent of the time, and, when they do, have so much other stuff blaring in their ears, so many other agendas and considerations, that they literally can't see straight.
It's not just PA, though they're hideous, or Robert Fletcher (who tried to suck me in last year - thank God for poverty!). The problem seems to include just everybody from Scott Meredith (who now charges fees, I understand), on down.
There's nothing wrong with popularity per se. But when popularity is achieved not just at the expense, but to the exclusion, of quality, it's time for someone to stand up and be counted. Worthy efforts of Absolutewrite forum members, Jenna Glatzer, et al, certainly count, but the most positive effect I've seen so far has come from Gerard Jones' back-at-ya, in-your-face website. Too bad he doesn't have Ulysses II (the '60's version) to pitch.
Just because others, in the past, have made neg. comments about a skimpily-attired Emperor does not mean that I should shut up about the current naked avarice, hype, dumbing-down and cutthroat amorality in publishing. It was always thus, but never as bad as now.
Dustin Aascher
I seem to have garnered some neg. reaction through editiorializing in the "Bewares and Background Check," under the "Lost or Laggard" thread, so I thought maybe I should be upfront about where I'm coming from, in the interest of more comprehension and less heat.
I'm an old guy who's written alot of stuff:
A million word novel, currently honed to a hundred and five thousand words, about three people who once knew each other butting heads without knowing it, in '70's Gotham. Current title: Watch Out, the World's Behind You.
Five more novels, most especially the vernacular child's memoir of the Dustbowl '30's, down in the moonglow, but also the alternate-world satires Avant Vue and Everyone Went to the Sun. Lastly, I've done a political romantic comedy, (read funny), dreme x dreme about a fugitive neo-Nazi falling in love with a Black, Jewish Communist in '90's Seattle that I've been unable to get returned to me, once sent out, let alone acknowledged, let alone read.
Also a good bakers' dozen of screenplays, one of which placed at AHFF, five of which have been translated into novellas. A book of short stories. Etc,
One of my works has recently gotten at least online acceptance, but I've resubmitted it to print media.
I'm a perfectionist. I should be, because, aside from some early classes with the science-fiction writer Jack Williamson and the modernist Berne professors, at Eastern New Mexico U., I'm an auto-didact (self-taught), something that doesn't go far in today's world. My work has to speak for itself, since I'm also off the board as far as throwing the things over the transoms in New York and Hollywood.
That's why I've developed a real beef with agents who don't read "slush" ninety per cent of the time, and, when they do, have so much other stuff blaring in their ears, so many other agendas and considerations, that they literally can't see straight.
It's not just PA, though they're hideous, or Robert Fletcher (who tried to suck me in last year - thank God for poverty!). The problem seems to include just everybody from Scott Meredith (who now charges fees, I understand), on down.
There's nothing wrong with popularity per se. But when popularity is achieved not just at the expense, but to the exclusion, of quality, it's time for someone to stand up and be counted. Worthy efforts of Absolutewrite forum members, Jenna Glatzer, et al, certainly count, but the most positive effect I've seen so far has come from Gerard Jones' back-at-ya, in-your-face website. Too bad he doesn't have Ulysses II (the '60's version) to pitch.
Just because others, in the past, have made neg. comments about a skimpily-attired Emperor does not mean that I should shut up about the current naked avarice, hype, dumbing-down and cutthroat amorality in publishing. It was always thus, but never as bad as now.
Dustin Aascher
to the Cooler, Dustin.
