Storyological 1.24 - IT'S NOT ABOUT ZEB
/In which we discuss:
1. "Ponies" by Kij Johnson, Tor.com
along with, among other things...
Belonging
To hell with suspense! and 7 other Vonnegut tips on writing.
Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud
Catch-22, a reference from Joseph Heller’s novel of the same name.
Some stuff about genre. Skip if uninterested in such ballyhoo.
- Is and Isn’t: Literary Upheavals in the Post-Real Landscape
- It’s Genre, Not That There’s Anything Wrong with It!
- Easy Writers
- Maps and Legends by Michael Chabon
- Annalee Newitz, writing for io9:
The only controversial win, at least in my mind, was Michael Chabon's Yiddish Policemen's Union for best novel. Certainly it's a brilliant novel, and is undoubtedly a work of SF-ish alternate history, but it felt a little wrong to me that the award went to somebody who writes mainstream literary fiction that merely borrows a few tropes from SF. Chabon was too busy to attend the awards, but he did write a sweet and genuine acceptance speech which was read with ironic gravity by venerable fantasy author (and Chabon influence) George R. R. Martin.
- And, Annalee again, writing a few days later on io9, about what changed her mind
On Monday I said I was a little disappointed that Michael Chabon's The Yiddish Policemen's Union won the Hugo Award for best science fiction novel in 2007. Though I think the novel is excellent, and certainly qualifies as scifi, I said it seemed wrong to give the coveted scifi award to an author who uses scifi tropes, but isn't immersed in the world of scifi. But I was wrong. Here are a few of the comments from the discussion thread that changed my mind
From Rookie, on depression and stucture
