Genre or Literature?

Confession: Almost forgot tonight.

Reading:

• "Pa's Darling" by Louis Auchincloss

Writing:

• Untitled Dark Fantasy Project

Revising:

• "Cora and the Sea"

Future Projects:

• Dairhenien's Library - Development
  
• Floorcraft - First rewrite of 1-5, first draft of 6-8
• Ferian Fetlock - Next chapter, "Ferian Fetlock Catches a Cold," followed by "Ferian Fetlock Takes a Wife."
  
• July 26th 24-hour Short Story
• "Motley" - Expansion
• "Fireworks and Earthworks" - 5% into first draft
  
• Untitled School Mistress Story

Unpublished Stories/Status

• "The Revenant" - 2nd Draft, Unsubmitted
  
• "The Frost Fugling" - 2nd Draft, Unsubmitted
  
• "Leaves and Sunsets" - 2nd Draft, Unsubmitted
  
• "Motley" - 2nd Draft, Unsubmitted
  
• "Black Pudding" - 2nd Draft, Unsubmitted
  
• "A Happy Ending" - 1st Draft, Unsubmitted
  
• "Illuminated" - 3rd Draft, Unsubmitted
  
• "Pictures of the Old Port" - 5th Draft, Unsubmitted
  
• "What Price Stamps" - 3rd Draft, Unsubmitted
• "Ferian Fetlock Cures a Horse" - 2nd Draft, Unsubmitted
• "A Cup of Coffee" / "Morning Tea" - 2nd Draft, Unsubmitted

This morning, I read Stephen King's acceptance speech for the "Distinguished Contribution to American Letters Award" from 2003. Go ahead and click on the link, because it's well worth reading.

Done? Here's the thing. For a genre writer to win a major literary award is almost unheard of. For that genre to be horror is even more surprising. I think it's a testament to King that he would be considered, much less selected.

But my respect goes out to him for having the balls to use that award as a platform to critique the literary establishment, instead of falling all over himself thanking them.

Popularity seems to be the kiss of death among "serious" literature. Well, fuck that. I'd rather be popular. Books become popular because people like to read them, and when people read the things they like to read, they're happy. When people read things they're forced to read, they're unhappy. To me, the choice is clear. Make people happy. Why else would someone want to write?

I can't say it as elegantly as Señor King, but I'd rather write good, solid genre fiction any day.

Publication Status:

• Submitted: 2
• Accepted: 1
• Rejected: 1
• Pending: 0