July 30th, 2009 / 4:34 pm
Snippets

I have heard this sentiment used a bunch of times (not necessarily about me).  Something like, “you can tell a young person wrote this” or “this was handled in a young way” or “this is the type of thing a young person would write.”  What is meant by this? I don’t mean young topics or stories about young people, I mean stylistically or tonally or whatever, what makes something young?  Is it bad?  Wtf urrybody?

40 Comments

  1. Nathan Tyree

      It isn’t necesarilly bad. Mauler’s first novel was “young” in many ways. It was still powerful. Sometimes, though, a writer with obvious talent seems to lack knowledge of the world or the ability to connect their experience/feeling with larger themes about humanity. That is “young” too, and is bad.

  2. Nathan Tyree

      It isn’t necesarilly bad. Mauler’s first novel was “young” in many ways. It was still powerful. Sometimes, though, a writer with obvious talent seems to lack knowledge of the world or the ability to connect their experience/feeling with larger themes about humanity. That is “young” too, and is bad.

  3. Nathan Tyree

      I think I fucked up a lot of spelling in that

  4. Nathan Tyree

      I think I fucked up a lot of spelling in that

  5. Janey Smith

      Kids’ stuff is fun! It’s, like, all of “American” literature. And so what? It’s another way of permitting “yourself” to write something without taking a certain responsibility for it. “Oh, I’m just a kid.” Or “If I sound like a kid, then nobody will blame me for sounding stupid (even if I may actually write things that are stupid).”

      It is always super cool to “pretend” to be indifferent or to “pretend” to be irresponsible. But, it’s also fun!

      My favorite is when people use the word “revolutionary” to describe themselves and their “work”. Yeah, right! Most peoples’ “work” is about as revolutionary as the latest brand of toothpaste!

  6. Janey Smith

      Kids’ stuff is fun! It’s, like, all of “American” literature. And so what? It’s another way of permitting “yourself” to write something without taking a certain responsibility for it. “Oh, I’m just a kid.” Or “If I sound like a kid, then nobody will blame me for sounding stupid (even if I may actually write things that are stupid).”

      It is always super cool to “pretend” to be indifferent or to “pretend” to be irresponsible. But, it’s also fun!

      My favorite is when people use the word “revolutionary” to describe themselves and their “work”. Yeah, right! Most peoples’ “work” is about as revolutionary as the latest brand of toothpaste!

  7. BAC

      i think young means hip. or groovy.

  8. BAC

      i think young means hip. or groovy.

  9. jh

      So you’re the young man who couldn’t spell Mailer.

  10. jh

      So you’re the young man who couldn’t spell Mailer.

  11. Brad Green

      So young, and so untender.

  12. Brad Green

      So young, and so untender.

  13. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      that would be me.

      4 drink lunch

  14. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      that would be me.

      4 drink lunch

  15. Blake Butler

      tender is the night?

  16. Blake Butler

      tender is the night?

  17. Brad Green

      King Lear to Cordelia. I’ve been reading the really old and dead of late.

  18. Brad Green

      King Lear to Cordelia. I’ve been reading the really old and dead of late.

  19. Ross Brighton

      The Tenderness of Wolves

  20. Ross Brighton

      The Tenderness of Wolves

  21. sam pink

      king lear is my favorite shakespeare

  22. sam pink

      king lear is my favorite shakespeare

  23. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Ran is my favorite version of Lear, with Godard’s being my second favorite

  24. Nathan (Nate) Tyree

      Ran is my favorite version of Lear, with Godard’s being my second favorite

  25. Brad Green

      Have you read Harold Bloom’s book, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human?

  26. Brad Green

      Have you read Harold Bloom’s book, Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human?

  27. privatetickle

      I think ‘young’ can be used to mean some things like: ‘cocky in a way that isn’t subtle’ or ‘recklessly playful’ or like ‘sorta of dumb but in a good way’ or ‘something i can feel like i at one point related to but see as no longer all that relevant.’ Maybe ‘unfiltered, poorly edited’ or ‘lacking coherent development.’ Things like that, some other things too.

  28. privatetickle

      I think ‘young’ can be used to mean some things like: ‘cocky in a way that isn’t subtle’ or ‘recklessly playful’ or like ‘sorta of dumb but in a good way’ or ‘something i can feel like i at one point related to but see as no longer all that relevant.’ Maybe ‘unfiltered, poorly edited’ or ‘lacking coherent development.’ Things like that, some other things too.

  29. gena

      people have said that about my writing. i didn’t like it. but oh well, MUTHAFUCKAS.

      i don’t really care anymore. i am young. so it makes sense that i sound young in my writing?

  30. gena

      people have said that about my writing. i didn’t like it. but oh well, MUTHAFUCKAS.

      i don’t really care anymore. i am young. so it makes sense that i sound young in my writing?

  31. Jonny Ross

      that’s a spot on description of kerouac’s entire oeuvre

  32. Jonny Ross

      that’s a spot on description of kerouac’s entire oeuvre

  33. Nathan Tyree

      beautiful book. The chapter on Hamlet is amazing

  34. Nathan Tyree

      beautiful book. The chapter on Hamlet is amazing

  35. PHM

      Your face is a spot-on description, choad.

  36. PHM

      Your face is a spot-on description, choad.

  37. Adam Robinson

      Or possibly never alive.

  38. Adam Robinson

      Or possibly never alive.

  39. Adam Robinson

      Camus said a 40-yr-old is automatically smarter than a 20-yr-old and I agree.

      A E Housman said:

      When I was one-and-twenty
      I heard a wise man say,
      ‘Give crowns and pounds and guineas
      But not your heart away;
      Give pearls away and rubies
      But keep your fancy free.’
      But I was one-and-twenty,
      No use to talk to me.

      When I was one-and-twenty
      I heard him say again,
      ‘The heart out of the bosom
      Was never given in vain;
      ‘Tis paid with sighs a plenty
      And sold for endless rue.’
      And I am two-and-twenty,
      And oh, ’tis true, ’tis true.

  40. Adam Robinson

      Camus said a 40-yr-old is automatically smarter than a 20-yr-old and I agree.

      A E Housman said:

      When I was one-and-twenty
      I heard a wise man say,
      ‘Give crowns and pounds and guineas
      But not your heart away;
      Give pearls away and rubies
      But keep your fancy free.’
      But I was one-and-twenty,
      No use to talk to me.

      When I was one-and-twenty
      I heard him say again,
      ‘The heart out of the bosom
      Was never given in vain;
      ‘Tis paid with sighs a plenty
      And sold for endless rue.’
      And I am two-and-twenty,
      And oh, ’tis true, ’tis true.