tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861874.post1873247111157071927..comments2024-01-08T13:44:54.771-08:00Comments on Dizgraceland: Blogging for the PulitzerTimehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07838683246636045823noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861874.post-72928840761692936742008-09-16T09:56:00.000-07:002008-09-16T09:56:00.000-07:00R.I'd put Vonnegut in the great category. And I'll...R.<BR/>I'd put Vonnegut in the great category. And I'll have to add Asimov and Herbert (the Dune books were genius). <BR/><BR/>And I'll concede that just because you are a great writer doesn't immediately make you a suicide candidate. I think you have to factor in the other things like substance abuse, borderline personalities and other whackadoodle tendencies that both inspire and haunt creative people.<BR/><BR/>I'd add wiping a cat's ass as a consequence as well.Timehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07838683246636045823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861874.post-72035245992594095622008-09-16T09:22:00.000-07:002008-09-16T09:22:00.000-07:00Okay... Um, finish your opus already then?I forgot...Okay... Um, finish your opus already then?<BR/><BR/>I forgot to mention Vonnegut - who is a horrible author technically. Somehow the books still manage be part of High School literature classes across the country. Suprisingly, he didn't commit suicide either.<BR/><BR/>If I recall correctly - according to Tolkien his itch to scratch was to write an epic history. It just happened to take a few books to do it.R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03774469060066226829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861874.post-89359019179125034272008-09-15T21:22:00.000-07:002008-09-15T21:22:00.000-07:00R, R, R, R, R...Great defines itself. Great doesn'...R, R, R, R, R...<BR/>Great defines itself. Great doesn't immediately translate to entertaining or financially successful. Hell, I can't stand Hemingway. But I'll give him is due. His memory endures.<BR/><BR/>Heinlein, and Bradbury are probably the only sci fi writers I consider great. Maybe Clarke. <BR/><BR/>Tolkien essentially wrote one story and milked it for several books the same way they did the movies based on his books. And who says he didn't commit suicide by dying of old age?<BR/><BR/>Agathie Christie was a hack. Cranking out a lot of words doesn't equate with greatness. Look at how many blog posts I've written.<BR/><BR/>And who says I'm not writing my opus?Timehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07838683246636045823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7861874.post-82563573655362874842008-09-15T17:45:00.000-07:002008-09-15T17:45:00.000-07:00Define successful/great? There are Sci-fi authors ...Define successful/great? There are Sci-fi authors who manage to produce one entertaining book after another. Since I read Sci-fi for entertainment I think they're great.<BR/><BR/>How about Tolkien? He didn't commit suicide yet he managed to produce four pretty good books that have withstood the test of time.<BR/><BR/>Let's not forget Agatha Christie (who according to Garrison Keillor's disembodied voice was born on this day in 1890.) She didn't commit suicide although she did manage to off that annoying Belgian git Poirot.<BR/><BR/>So write your opus already. Sheesh.R.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03774469060066226829noreply@blogger.com