The Word Cloud

Probably not, but keeps a lot of people in work.

Whisks!
Some excellent books there - in an "example" perspective - the confessions books (a personal schoolboy mainstay I have to admit) . Timothy Lea (The pseudonym of Christopher Wood when writing the "confessions" series) is hardly going to be memorable in 100 years time - as Timothy Lea that is. Christopher Wood's James Bond screenplay adaptations may well help him endure (I honestly believe the Bond franchise will live forever... with a quiet spell once in a while, but someone will always revive the old fella!)

Now the question is do these books *reflect* their era as we see it today? And in most cases I can totaly see that they do - which makes Aonghus' point a very interesting one. (Only because it is supportinve of *my* point that if we can reflect today's society in our own manuscripts we may have a better chance of getting published...?) :o)

Keep on thinking Whisks! Let me know what you discover!
:o)

Ez

Aonghus!
I see your point; the "hard men" approach of "The Sweeney" (Ok it's television but it saves going over the "James Bond" books again) is initially flipped with the likes of "Juliet Bravo" or "Cagney & Lacey" which was "equality" in the early stages of acceptance.

Now I'm going to have to watch all those damn films with sex scenes in again. Tch. I'm sure you're correct but I need to see it for myself... *cough*...

As for The Rolling Stones, or any band for that matter, how many people actually listen to the meaning or even just listen to the words?! Mainstream audiences like the beat. And, oh god, I can't believe I'm going to say this but... has anyone every actually listened to a Spice Girls song? They can be damn deep sometimes (Ok, sometimes they can be ziggazigahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! too, but bear with me...) - some of their songs have really powerful "believe in yourself" messages; granted they're wrapped up in cutesy, sex-sells tissue but still it's a message I like to hear. A lot.

1984 is a fantastic window through which everyone should look! It is at once a dystopian warning (both historical and predictive) and at the same time it is the best measure of modern day (or was... in 1983...no, actually, it still is...) mass-media mis-reporting excess! Never have I ever read a comparative review between the books dark message and modern society without cursing the reporter for over-dramatising the books conceptual science fiction (thought police et al) and under-selling the insidious creeping control (camera's, camera's, everywhere and not a spot to think) of today's society. It irks me, greatly. I am irked. They are irksome. We are slowly being sucked further and further into a big-brotherian nanny state whilst the book begins at this point. Let me see an article that plays this tune and... and... and, well, I'll change my mind (chortle.)

As for the author; where is he now, eh? Hmm? Don't see him writing anymore do you? Hmm? No. And why? Apart from him being dead? Hmm...? I may have to go lie down now. I think I said to much.

:o)

Ez

Frenz!

Welcome to The Word Cloud!

Thanks for the welcome EzBloke - but I've been here 5 months already.

I dont think it is taught as such, more guided to discovery. If not discovered already that is.

The link below is a lecture given by Elizabeth Kostova titled: The Myth of Creative Writing: Can it be "Taught"?

http://liternet.bg/publish21/e_kostova/mityt_en.htm

will investigated abovementioned site - thanks slipweed...!

Good question.

I believe that people who are good writers are born with it naturally. What they can learn only builds upon a skill that is always there. I think that practice etc only help to develop talented writers.

You can't make someone into a good writer from the ground up. x