Comments on: Diameter of a Circle Jerk

By: Daniel Nester

Daniel Nester — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:38:48 +0000

Then why, pray tell, do you write for a blog famous for its comment boxes?

Great post, by the way.

By: Daniel Nester

Daniel Nester — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 22:38:00 +0000

Then why, pray tell, do you write for a blog famous for its comment boxes?

Great post, by the way.

By: Mork

Mork — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:48:28 +0000

Something that’s striking in this whole conversation is that the focus is on literary sycophants, when, as an active . . . participant? at one time or another in other “art scenes-” like film & television, acting, museum/fine arts, etc- I can say that this absolutely goes on just as much within the other creative mediums. Hasn’t the dichotomy between what you could call popular and respected always been a sort of open secret in art/the arts?

It’s been my, perhaps limited, experience that most people being coddled know that they’re being coddled, know that their shit does, in fact, stink, but all the same would like to feel good about what they’ve made, thankyouverymuch. Eh, so what? So the diameter of your circle jerk is huge, and mine is small. So what? It’s just a circle jerk.

I think if it bothers you to see people barking up the wrong tree, you can either laugh, shrug it off, or you can show them something better. The latter might mean you have to self-promote.

By: Mork

Mork — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:48:00 +0000

I think if it bothers you to see people barking up the wrong tree, you can either laugh, shrug it off, or you can show them something better. The latter might mean you have to self-promote.

By: drew kalbach

drew kalbach — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:04:12 +0000

this post sucked jimmy, i hated it.

By: drew kalbach

drew kalbach — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:04:00 +0000

this post sucked jimmy, i hated it.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:33:27 +0000

One thing I think people are missing is that there are many, many people who do not comment at all. So, while somebody may post up a story or poem or whatever on Facebook or their blog or a link to a story online or in print and get a couple of “atta boys” or “great job” how many people do you think, friends and strangers, read this bit of fiction and think to themselves “meh, it’s okay” or “wow, that wasn’t very good” but instead of SAYING that, or posting that, they just move on. They think, “Well, this wasn’t one of Richard’s better stories, so I’m just going to keep on moving, and maybe post next time.” I know I’ve done that. But I also try to encourage my peers whenever I can, and I do try to be sincere.

Also, think of all of the rejections we get. How many journals and magazines have an acceptance raet of 1% or lower? You could send a GREAT story out 10, 20 30 times and get nothing but form rejections and that doesn’t mean your story sucks. I’ve gotten as many as FIVE rejections in one day, I’ve had stories rejected 15, 20 times and then accepted later at a place I’m proud to publish. But it’s easy to lose the faith, to doubt ourselves. So while there certainly is a good amount of circle jerking going on, in the end, who really gets hurt? I mean, it might sting in the eye a bit.

As long as you don’t blow smoke 100% of the time, I think there is nothing wrong with it.

My two cents.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:33:00 +0000

As long as you don’t blow smoke 100% of the time, I think there is nothing wrong with it.

My two cents.

By: André

André — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:58:39 +0000

The more I look at comments with sincerity, the less I want to comment I think. It’s not the comments themselves, just the uselessness of naming something.

By: André

André — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 13:58:00 +0000

The more I look at comments with sincerity, the less I want to comment I think. It’s not the comments themselves, just the uselessness of naming something.