tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post2013890002608263838..comments2024-03-29T12:59:00.612+05:30Comments on Jabberwock: Yet another pedantic post on subject and treatmentJabberwockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-35811751557738518912012-05-07T08:49:22.387+05:302012-05-07T08:49:22.387+05:30Pertinent point.
By the way why are you apologetic...Pertinent point.<br />By the way why are you apologetic about this being a "pedantic post on subject and treatment". There's nothing pedantic about it.<br /><br />We live in an age of inverse snobbery! Where every intelligent reference to an idea that originates in a book is frowned at as being "pedantic" or "pretentious". Sounding "cool" is more important than speaking out one's mind.shrikanthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03898755392584822638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-50118592152107627572012-05-03T11:27:14.518+05:302012-05-03T11:27:14.518+05:30Rohinton Mistry's 'Tales From Firozsha Baa...Rohinton Mistry's 'Tales From Firozsha Baag' is a good example of how the most mundane subjects can make for beautiful prose.Deepti Sharmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09462873637851411701noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-51997941682988759332012-05-03T03:57:55.864+05:302012-05-03T03:57:55.864+05:30"ANY subject under the sun is worth engaging ..."ANY subject under the sun is worth engaging with, no matter how lowbrow it might seem. What matters is the quality of that engagement."<br /><br />Very true. You only have to look at the work of John McPhee to see what a skillful writer can achieve even with the driest subject.karrvakarelahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11564711886357771427noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-35800081335335859792012-05-02T22:32:50.650+05:302012-05-02T22:32:50.650+05:30Anon: the point here isn't saleability - it...Anon: the point here isn't saleability - it's the tendency of a certain type of critic/reader/viewer to dismiss a work as being unworthy based purely on its subject.<br /><br />What you say about commercial viability is of course a different matter, and subject to a different debate. In any case, most of the best writers I know write about something because it's a personal imperative for them - not because they are expecting to make a good livelihood by "choosing" a subject and writing a book about it.Jabberwockhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10210195396120573794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8204542.post-72902581560117729812012-05-02T21:27:16.541+05:302012-05-02T21:27:16.541+05:30In theory, yes, ANY subject is worth writing/makin...In theory, yes, ANY subject is worth writing/making a film about, but the 'fact' that you've stated needs to come with a corollary-not ALL subjects are sale-able, and hence while a book about an obscure thing/issue might be a good one (in terms of its writing quality and subject treatment), the fact that another one will outdo the sales is inevitable. As writers, especially the ones who want to keep a roof above the head, and avoid missing the rent more than thrice a year, I'd say choose and write about topics that are marketable and that publishers are willing to pay you for. <br /><br />Any indie film maker who is cash strapped will agree with me.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com