Comments on: Letting the Mystery Linger http://wordshepherd.com/2009/11/letting-the-mystery-linger/ Editor and writer, stalwart and fink. Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:37:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Lee Titus Elliott http://wordshepherd.com/2009/11/letting-the-mystery-linger/comment-page-1/#comment-113 Lee Titus Elliott Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:36:06 +0000 http://wordshepherd.com/?p=291#comment-113 Hi David--<br><br>For me, BLOOD MERIDIAN is one of the truly great American novels--of ANY century. I must have read it three or four times. Having the point-of-view character horribly murdered at the end of the novel by the cynical, Ahab-like "Judge" is a masterstroke that WORKS. <br><br>But as a writer, I have never let myself be influenced by the novel--except as an inspiration to keep on writing! <br><br>Not to worry, David: Very little of BLOOD MERIDIAN (mainly its resonance) will fade from your memory.<br><br>I read all seven volumes of Proust's IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME over the course of a summer a few years ago. It not only inspired me to finish (finally!) the novella I was working on for years; its long, periodic sentences in the revised English translation influenced "Common Ferrell," that novella. <br><br>Other favorite authors of mine (Andrew Holleran, for example) cite Proust as an infuence.<br><br>Keep on reading--AND writing--as I know you will--and well!<br><br>Lee Hi David–

For me, BLOOD MERIDIAN is one of the truly great American novels–of ANY century. I must have read it three or four times. Having the point-of-view character horribly murdered at the end of the novel by the cynical, Ahab-like “Judge” is a masterstroke that WORKS.

But as a writer, I have never let myself be influenced by the novel–except as an inspiration to keep on writing!

Not to worry, David: Very little of BLOOD MERIDIAN (mainly its resonance) will fade from your memory.

I read all seven volumes of Proust's IN SEARCH OF LOST TIME over the course of a summer a few years ago. It not only inspired me to finish (finally!) the novella I was working on for years; its long, periodic sentences in the revised English translation influenced “Common Ferrell,” that novella.

Other favorite authors of mine (Andrew Holleran, for example) cite Proust as an infuence.

Keep on reading–AND writing–as I know you will–and well!

Lee

]]> By: tsmith426 http://wordshepherd.com/2009/11/letting-the-mystery-linger/comment-page-1/#comment-112 tsmith426 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:30:04 +0000 http://wordshepherd.com/?p=291#comment-112 I can understand - there are authors I read who do the same thing to me. For me, it's a double-edged sword; I would like to someday be able to do that to someone via my reading, and at the same time I know I will probably never be able to. But the tiniest bit of hope is there that, maybe, I can (and to be quite honest, I'm still trying to figure out whether I have the talent to make continuing worthwhile). So I keep on writing. I suspect the urge to write is stronger in you, though. I can understand – there are authors I read who do the same thing to me. For me, it's a double-edged sword; I would like to someday be able to do that to someone via my reading, and at the same time I know I will probably never be able to. But the tiniest bit of hope is there that, maybe, I can (and to be quite honest, I'm still trying to figure out whether I have the talent to make continuing worthwhile). So I keep on writing. I suspect the urge to write is stronger in you, though.

]]> By: wordshepherd http://wordshepherd.com/2009/11/letting-the-mystery-linger/comment-page-1/#comment-111 wordshepherd Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:38:07 +0000 http://wordshepherd.com/?p=291#comment-111 Thanks:-) I think this is a many-sided coin, though. If I weren't struck dumb every so often by something I read, I wouldn't keep reading. And if I stopped reading, I would almost certainly lose interest in writing. I think I've made clear both my aspirations and my ambivalence about writing. Sometimes my unique amalgam of neuroses makes it more rewarding to re-read a paragraph of McCarthy than it is to write something new. That's all i was trying to say. Thanks:-) I think this is a many-sided coin, though. If I weren't struck dumb every so often by something I read, I wouldn't keep reading. And if I stopped reading, I would almost certainly lose interest in writing. I think I've made clear both my aspirations and my ambivalence about writing. Sometimes my unique amalgam of neuroses makes it more rewarding to re-read a paragraph of McCarthy than it is to write something new. That's all i was trying to say.

]]> By: tsmith426 http://wordshepherd.com/2009/11/letting-the-mystery-linger/comment-page-1/#comment-110 tsmith426 Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:05:08 +0000 http://wordshepherd.com/?p=291#comment-110 You must never hold yourself up against other writers. Not in measuring the value of your own unique voice. And not in measuring your own talent. Believe me when I tell you, you have a gift for words. I don't say that lightly; in fact, I've known exactly three people in my life to whom I would say that. You are one of them. You must never hold yourself up against other writers. Not in measuring the value of your own unique voice. And not in measuring your own talent. Believe me when I tell you, you have a gift for words. I don't say that lightly; in fact, I've known exactly three people in my life to whom I would say that. You are one of them.

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