September 8th, 2010 / 2:35 pm
Uncategorized
Christopher Higgs
Uncategorized
Josh Cook interviews Steven Moore
What does it mean for a work of fiction to be “experimental?”
It means to depart from the norm and try something new. In every generation of writers, 90% just follow the conventions, while 10% are experimenting with new approaches, new techniques–some of which become conventions and then are imitated by 90% of the next generation. Those who want to be professional writers look to see what’s selling, and try to imitate those; those who want to be experimental writers avoid what’s selling and look to the other arts or disciplines for ideas on how to expand the novel’s repertoire.
It’s funny, because one of the benefits of Moore’s new book (about the history of the novel) is that you can show it to people who think James Wood’s vision of the novel is somehow the ‘correct’ version, or the one that’s been around the longest — when in fact, it’s predated by the kind of novel we call ‘experimental’. And of course, the flipside to that is that pretty much every self-consciously ‘new’ technique is not very new at all.
*ducks to avoid the stones*
When people throw stones, make a mountain
It’s funny, because one of the benefits of Moore’s new book (about the history of the novel) is that you can show it to people who think James Wood’s vision of the novel is somehow the ‘correct’ version, or the one that’s been around the longest — when in fact, it’s predated by the kind of novel we call ‘experimental’. And of course, the flipside to that is that pretty much every self-consciously ‘new’ technique is not very new at all.
*ducks to avoid the stones*
When people throw stones, make a mountain
That’s a great quote.
That’s a great quote.
Porter Sq. Books . . . been there once, never been there again. With a few exceptions (like Donald Barthelme or Kurt Vonnegut), they only sell “traditional” books.
And of course, on their blog/website, they’ve got Steve Almond listed on the side. Naturally.
But this is all beside the point.
Anyhow… the point is the word “experimental”. I’ll be fighting this word until the day I die. It’s a derogatory term, used to marginalize. ALL writers who are used to being labeled “experimental” should be fighting this word, and yet we embrace it. We call ourselves experimental, for chrissake. We’re not making true art, we’re just experimenting, right? What we create always has lesser value, because it’s really only an experiment.
Honesty is not an experiment.
Porter Sq. Books . . . been there once, never been there again. With a few exceptions (like Donald Barthelme or Kurt Vonnegut), they only sell “traditional” books.
And of course, on their blog/website, they’ve got Steve Almond listed on the side. Naturally.
But this is all beside the point.
Anyhow… the point is the word “experimental”. I’ll be fighting this word until the day I die. It’s a derogatory term, used to marginalize. ALL writers who are used to being labeled “experimental” should be fighting this word, and yet we embrace it. We call ourselves experimental, for chrissake. We’re not making true art, we’re just experimenting, right? What we create always has lesser value, because it’s really only an experiment.
Honesty is not an experiment.