What kind of writing though? While I certainly would slam Scylla if he turned in prose like that in a memo or business document, how he writes for himself is his own business. I am not a published author, but I do know several. There is a rather significant and growing segment of the market completely dedicated to purple prose and the like. Like it or don’t, but:
It’s not going anywhere anytime soon, so get over it.
The people who like it? Not your inferiors, so get the fuck over that too.
I should note that while SlyFrog’s quote is at the top of this post, none of the “get over it” stuff is aimed at SlyFrog specifically.
Oh Yes. Oh yes. Oh yes. That should be required reading for anyone who proposes to comment on the writing style of another. Dare I suggest speaking style as well?
So it’s not possible to think that his writing “style” is contrived and purple without being green with envy? That’s got to be one of the stupidest things I’ve read in ages.
Certainly there is a time and place to criticize, and perhaps the latest occurence wasn’t the most appropriate. But to say that it’s mere jealousy is ridiculous. If you and others feel in awe of such sophomoric writing that’s your business; but please don’t project your idiocy onto others.
I took it as a referring to the *criticisms * of Scylla, not his writing. Sort of like saying, “If you think you know how to criticize, learn from the master.” Perhaps I was wrong.
Here’s another little gem from Twain, form *A Double-Barrelled Detective Story. * IIRC, he recounts how he was roundly criticized by literery types (you know, professors and such,) because the reference to “the oesophagus” was apparent nonsense, although they enjoyed the rest of the piece.
“It was a crisp and spicy morning in early October. The lilacs and laburnums, lit with the glory-fires of autumn, hung burning and flashing in the upper air, a fairy bridge provided by kind Nature for the wingless wild things that have their homes in the tree-tops and would visit together; the larch and the pomegranate flung their purple and yellow flames in brilliant broad splashes along the slanting sweep of the woodland; the sensuous fragrance of innumerable deciduous flowers rose upon the swooning atmosphere; far in he empty sky a solitary oesophagus slept upon motionless wing; everywhere brooded stillness, serenity, and the peace of God.”
Way to take what I said out of context. Of course people are rightfully judged on their writing style. To say otherwise is silly. But when someone is obviously in a vulnerable and troubled place and is writing to vent, to nitpick his writing style instead of responding to what he’s saying is the equivalent of snickering at his accent.
Try to imagine that you wrote a long, heartfelt letter to someone for the sole purpose of trying to explain how you feel when you’ve been very, very hurt or are just going through very difficult times. Now imagine that letter got returned to you full of spelling and grammer corrections in red ink. Who would do that?
Besides primaflora, of course, whom I would respond to after her condescending and arrogant response to me, but it appears as if she’s already gotten her ass handed to her, so I won’t bother.
Well, dear Finn, as a published author, illustrator, public speaker, and all ‘round fantastical human being, my only reaction to such drek would be to disembowel myself on copies that have been printed and strewn across the floor. It is only through leaving my blood and entrails on the written pages that the author can know how grievously he has injured the English language.
Where in my post do you see any hint of an accusation of jealousy? I guess it’s due to my status as an unpublished unauthor, but I thought I was making two points*:
It’s kind of silly to blast purple prose as sophmoric unprofessional crap when there are a number of people making a good living writing it (which would make them gasp professional writers).
It’s elitist snobbery to claim that your style is better than his. You can argue that his purple prose is bad purple prose, but you shouldn’t claim objective superiority in a subjective field.
Not a hint of “you’re just jealous” anywhere in there.
Others have already made the point about the jerkish nature of the commentary given the subject matter of the post, so I skipped that one.
