Sfdebris.net

Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an endless forest of distraction, it’s damn near impossible. That should be taken into account when ranking the all-time greats. Somebody like Charles Dickens, for example, who had nothing better to do except eat mutton and attend public hangings, should get very little credit.

I'm no writer. But if I were, it seems to me I'd want to poke my head up every once in a while and take a look around. See what's going on. It's life, Jake; you can miss it if you don't open your eyes.

‘Is it true that your life passes before your eyes before you die?’
YES.
‘Ghastly thought, really.’ Rincewind shuddered. ‘Oh, gods, I’ve just had another one. Suppose I am just about to die and this is my whole life passing in front of my eyes?’
I THINK PERHAPS YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND. PEOPLE’S WHOLE LIVES DO PASS IN FRONT OF THEIR EYES BEFORE THEY DIE. THE PROCESS IS CALLED ‘LIVING’.

Fuzzy Necromancer wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 8:00 pm A thread for your favorite quotes that didn't get into your sig. I'll start with one on writing, which I am really feeling right now.

Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an endless forest of distraction, it’s damn near impossible. That should be taken into account when ranking the all-time greats. Somebody like Charles Dickens, for example, who had nothing better to do except eat mutton and attend public hangings, should get very little credit.

― Steve Hely, How I Became a Famous Novelist

clearspira wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 10:04 pm

Fuzzy Necromancer wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 8:00 pm A thread for your favorite quotes that didn't get into your sig. I'll start with one on writing, which I am really feeling right now.

Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an endless forest of distraction, it’s damn near impossible. That should be taken into account when ranking the all-time greats. Somebody like Charles Dickens, for example, who had nothing better to do except eat mutton and attend public hangings, should get very little credit.

― Steve Hely, How I Became a Famous Novelist

I don't get it. Is he basically saying that he has no self-control at all? And is that a genuine insult against Dickens? Because considering I have never heard of this guy at all, I would say that him insulting one of literature's all time greats is pretty rich.

Madner Kami wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 10:22 pm

clearspira wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 10:04 pm

Fuzzy Necromancer wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 8:00 pm A thread for your favorite quotes that didn't get into your sig. I'll start with one on writing, which I am really feeling right now.

Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an endless forest of distraction, it’s damn near impossible. That should be taken into account when ranking the all-time greats. Somebody like Charles Dickens, for example, who had nothing better to do except eat mutton and attend public hangings, should get very little credit.

― Steve Hely, How I Became a Famous Novelist

I don't get it. Is he basically saying that he has no self-control at all? And is that a genuine insult against Dickens? Because considering I have never heard of this guy at all, I would say that him insulting one of literature's all time greats is pretty rich.

Wait, are you implying that Fuzzy actually thinks that this is a quote of someone of high mind, who makes a meta-comment about the easy access people have to media and the distracting influence it has on us, instead of someone at the height of his hubris who thinks that the people of ye olden times did nothing but twiddle their thumbs all day and making an ass out of himself?

clearspira wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 10:45 pm

Madner Kami wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 10:22 pm

clearspira wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 10:04 pm

Fuzzy Necromancer wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 8:00 pm A thread for your favorite quotes that didn't get into your sig. I'll start with one on writing, which I am really feeling right now.

Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an endless forest of distraction, it’s damn near impossible. That should be taken into account when ranking the all-time greats. Somebody like Charles Dickens, for example, who had nothing better to do except eat mutton and attend public hangings, should get very little credit.

― Steve Hely, How I Became a Famous Novelist

I don't get it. Is he basically saying that he has no self-control at all? And is that a genuine insult against Dickens? Because considering I have never heard of this guy at all, I would say that him insulting one of literature's all time greats is pretty rich.

Wait, are you implying that Fuzzy actually thinks that this is a quote of someone of high mind, who makes a meta-comment about the easy access people have to media and the distracting influence it has on us, instead of someone at the height of his hubris who thinks that the people of ye olden times did nothing but twiddle their thumbs all day and making an ass out of himself?

Yes

Huh.

clearspira wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 10:45 pm

Madner Kami wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 10:22 pm

clearspira wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 10:04 pm

Fuzzy Necromancer wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 8:00 pm A thread for your favorite quotes that didn't get into your sig. I'll start with one on writing, which I am really feeling right now.

Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an endless forest of distraction, it’s damn near impossible. That should be taken into account when ranking the all-time greats. Somebody like Charles Dickens, for example, who had nothing better to do except eat mutton and attend public hangings, should get very little credit.

― Steve Hely, How I Became a Famous Novelist

I don't get it. Is he basically saying that he has no self-control at all? And is that a genuine insult against Dickens? Because considering I have never heard of this guy at all, I would say that him insulting one of literature's all time greats is pretty rich.

Wait, are you implying that Fuzzy actually thinks that this is a quote of someone of high mind, who makes a meta-comment about the easy access people have to media and the distracting influence it has on us, instead of someone at the height of his hubris who thinks that the people of ye olden times did nothing but twiddle their thumbs all day and making an ass out of himself?

Yes

clearspira wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 10:04 pm

Fuzzy Necromancer wrote: ↑Fri May 03, 2019 8:00 pm A thread for your favorite quotes that didn't get into your sig. I'll start with one on writing, which I am really feeling right now.

Writing a novel— actually picking the words and filling in paragraphs— is a tremendous pain in the ass. Now that TV’s so good and the Internet is an endless forest of distraction, it’s damn near impossible. That should be taken into account when ranking the all-time greats. Somebody like Charles Dickens, for example, who had nothing better to do except eat mutton and attend public hangings, should get very little credit.

― Steve Hely, How I Became a Famous Novelist

I don't get it. Is he basically saying that he has no self-control at all? And is that a genuine insult against Dickens? Because considering I have never heard of this guy at all, I would say that him insulting one of literature's all time greats is pretty rich.