On behalf of one bonkers creative person to another - and all creative specimens (yes, yes, even those white dude literary writers who have been historically over represented) thank you for this essay. Gonna think of myself as that under loved chandelier henceforth!
“I thought the whole idea was to make more room at the table for genuinely great writing, no matter who the author was.” Sounds nice but methinks you are perhaps naive. The arts, maybe especially literary publishing, has been captured by an ‘intersectionality’ mindset, which sees white males as not just historically privileged, but as oppressors. ‘Social’ justice demands that we not allow oppressors a voice, only the marginalized aka the oppressed. Which actually means only group identity matters, not individual, and that is the death of art, among other things. To be clear, I appreciate your apparent naïveté because therein lies a glimmer of hope. Thank you for your perspective.
Thanks, man of aran. I see the forces at play you mention. I think they limit our humanity, just as the earlier system did. It doesn't seem that difficult or naive to me to acknowledge and push back against group oppression when it arises while never losing sight of or appreciation for the individual, no matter who they are or what demographic they belong to. That's the kind of world I want anyway.
To read 10 times more than we write--here's to that!
And discovering the works of those who sell less than "best-seller" numbers could be the focus of a book club.
I've never seen the chandelier alight! Or moving. The price tag shocks me. But the image, as you are using it here--light under a bushel--has power for many of us... This writer, anyway!
Thank you! I like that you include what you're reading in some of your posts--there's too much work being published, and it's always good to know what others are enjoying so I can add it to my reading list.
It's much like the world of music now--so many good musicians slipping between cracks.
This has been real pondering material, Rachel. I'm thinking I need to do some close read pieces on such authors. A way to develop the quiet... as, in general, it's only the loud ones we hear about. Social media is loud.
I appreciate you writing of your (quieter) Substack finds.
On behalf of one bonkers creative person to another - and all creative specimens (yes, yes, even those white dude literary writers who have been historically over represented) thank you for this essay. Gonna think of myself as that under loved chandelier henceforth!
Love my bonkers creative family!
“I thought the whole idea was to make more room at the table for genuinely great writing, no matter who the author was.” Sounds nice but methinks you are perhaps naive. The arts, maybe especially literary publishing, has been captured by an ‘intersectionality’ mindset, which sees white males as not just historically privileged, but as oppressors. ‘Social’ justice demands that we not allow oppressors a voice, only the marginalized aka the oppressed. Which actually means only group identity matters, not individual, and that is the death of art, among other things. To be clear, I appreciate your apparent naïveté because therein lies a glimmer of hope. Thank you for your perspective.
Thanks, man of aran. I see the forces at play you mention. I think they limit our humanity, just as the earlier system did. It doesn't seem that difficult or naive to me to acknowledge and push back against group oppression when it arises while never losing sight of or appreciation for the individual, no matter who they are or what demographic they belong to. That's the kind of world I want anyway.
To read 10 times more than we write--here's to that!
And discovering the works of those who sell less than "best-seller" numbers could be the focus of a book club.
I've never seen the chandelier alight! Or moving. The price tag shocks me. But the image, as you are using it here--light under a bushel--has power for many of us... This writer, anyway!
Thank you! I like that you include what you're reading in some of your posts--there's too much work being published, and it's always good to know what others are enjoying so I can add it to my reading list.
It's much like the world of music now--so many good musicians slipping between cracks.
This has been real pondering material, Rachel. I'm thinking I need to do some close read pieces on such authors. A way to develop the quiet... as, in general, it's only the loud ones we hear about. Social media is loud.
I appreciate you writing of your (quieter) Substack finds.
Bandcamp for music...