April 30th, 2009 / 8:55 pm
Author Spotlight

Shane Jones and Dear Leader have a conversation

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Kevin Sampsell (seen above dancing) made our friend Shane and our Dear Leader talk about small press issues and being an “internet writer.” The conversation appears on the blog of the mighty, mighty Powell’s Books.

It’s a mighty fine conversation. Here’s an abridged highlight:

Blake: People call you and me “Internet writers” in certain forums, though I don’t necessarily ride that term at all, and think mainly it comes from people not understanding the Internet as a tool. Have there been things you’ve done that you thought effective? Have there been things you would like to do but haven’t, or are not sure how?

Shane: …The “Internet writer” thing is just a label. I don’t consider myself, or you for that matter, an Internet writer.The “Internet writer” thing is just a label. I don’t consider myself, or you for that matter, an Internet writer. I think it’s because we both have blogs and publish online that some people call us this. But we also have printed stuff in journals and printed books, so I don’t really get it. I do know that starting a blog was probably one of the most important steps I made in my writing “career.” I became involved in a community of talented writers and it let me expose my own writing to a community of readers. And that’s very important…

Blake: Yeah, saying “Internet writer” is about as arbitrary and misplaced as saying “typewriter writer.” People so desperately want to name things.

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22 Comments

  1. alan rossi

      wow, that was good. thanks for that, all.

  2. alan rossi

      wow, that was good. thanks for that, all.

  3. alan rossi

      wow, that was good. thanks for that, all.

  4. brandon

      was good

  5. brandon

      was good

  6. brandon

      was good

  7. David Erlewine

      good stuff, liked the q’s lobbed back and forth.

  8. David Erlewine

      good stuff, liked the q’s lobbed back and forth.

  9. David Erlewine

      good stuff, liked the q’s lobbed back and forth.

  10. Ryan Call

      i liked this. i want a pet.

  11. Ryan Call

      i liked this. i want a pet.

  12. Ryan Call

      i liked this. i want a pet.

  13. KevinS

      The next “small press conversation” is going to be with Noelle Kocot and Joshua Beckman (both on Wave Books). I’m looking for other writers from other small presses to do this. Email me at kevins@powells dot com if you’re interested.

      This one was a good start.

  14. KevinS

      The next “small press conversation” is going to be with Noelle Kocot and Joshua Beckman (both on Wave Books). I’m looking for other writers from other small presses to do this. Email me at kevins@powells dot com if you’re interested.

      This one was a good start.

  15. KevinS

      The next “small press conversation” is going to be with Noelle Kocot and Joshua Beckman (both on Wave Books). I’m looking for other writers from other small presses to do this. Email me at kevins@powells dot com if you’re interested.

      This one was a good start.

  16. Aaron

      hey kevin, it’s gilbreath. nice work, really dug that and the form of it. also always loved seeing the word “fuck” and other assorted sexual references on the powell’s website.

  17. Aaron

      hey kevin, it’s gilbreath. nice work, really dug that and the form of it. also always loved seeing the word “fuck” and other assorted sexual references on the powell’s website.

  18. Aaron

      hey kevin, it’s gilbreath. nice work, really dug that and the form of it. also always loved seeing the word “fuck” and other assorted sexual references on the powell’s website.

  19. Ken Baumann

      I really enjoyed this. Lot of interesting and true things said.

  20. Ken Baumann

      I really enjoyed this. Lot of interesting and true things said.

  21. Ken Baumann

      I really enjoyed this. Lot of interesting and true things said.

  22. <HTMLGIANT> > Blog Archive » WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TERM “INTERNET WRITER”

      […] was recently a post here concerning blake butler and shane jones, and their conversation about writing . the idea of the “internet writer” was brought up. i have used this term before because […]