Comments on: Anti-Snob http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86 Author Sat, 14 Aug 2010 00:53:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Karen http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86&cpage=1#comment-12 Karen Sat, 18 Jul 2009 03:29:17 +0000 http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86#comment-12 You are correct in your interpretation of anti-snob (or at least how I meant it to be interpreted). I choose that particular term tongue-in-check, since I have a fondness for anti-heros, and I felt that I was being just a wee bit prejudiced in the other direction from the MFA worshippers in my post. Anyhow, thanks for you intelligent comment. I particularly like the sentence "Education can give you examples and techniques, but it can't make you an artist." I think this captures the truth I was trying to get at. You are correct in your interpretation of anti-snob (or at least how I meant it to be interpreted). I choose that particular term tongue-in-check, since I have a fondness for anti-heros, and I felt that I was being just a wee bit prejudiced in the other direction from the MFA worshippers in my post. Anyhow, thanks for you intelligent comment. I particularly like the sentence “Education can give you examples and techniques, but it can’t make you an artist.” I think this captures the truth I was trying to get at.

]]> By: Yugo Lalla http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86&cpage=1#comment-11 Yugo Lalla Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:46:55 +0000 http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86#comment-11 Is an anti-snpb a snob that doesn't possess the standard snob qualities? I just read a poem by Ferlinghetti ("Constantly Risking Absurdity) that compares writer's (poets) to tightrope walkers. He encourages the idea that the artist/writer performs with an eye to not "mistaking any thing for what it may not be." While performing this balancing act he/she strives to catch Beauty in her death defying leap. So, the art of writing (or any art) is not educated but learned from practice where developing that skilled balance that allows the writer/poet to be a presence that captures beauty in the process of walking the tightrope with all its truth and daring, trucks and pirhouettes, and "sleight of foot" - all without the mistake of too much concern for the audience and too little concern for the truth of the task. Education can give you examples and techniques, but it can't make you an artist. And yes, there is an audience that must enjoy and appreciate what you've done. Is an anti-snpb a snob that doesn’t possess the standard snob qualities?
I just read a poem by Ferlinghetti (“Constantly Risking Absurdity) that compares writer’s (poets) to tightrope walkers. He encourages the idea that the artist/writer performs with an eye to not “mistaking any thing for what it may not be.” While performing this balancing act he/she strives to catch Beauty in her death defying leap. So, the art of writing (or any art) is not educated but learned from practice where developing that skilled balance that allows the writer/poet to be a presence that captures beauty in the process of walking the tightrope with all its truth and daring, trucks and pirhouettes, and “sleight of foot” – all without the mistake of too much concern for the audience and too little concern for the truth of the task. Education can give you examples and techniques, but it can’t make you an artist. And yes, there is an audience that must enjoy and appreciate what you’ve done.

]]> By: Karen http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86&cpage=1#comment-10 Karen Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:05:44 +0000 http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86#comment-10 Amen yourself! And I only want to go to the college parties if there are cool people like you there. Amen yourself! And I only want to go to the college parties if there are cool people like you there.

]]> By: Karen http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86&cpage=1#comment-9 Karen Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:04:36 +0000 http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86#comment-9 Thank you--I love your distinction between what comes from outside versus what comes from inside. Sometimes the stuff from outside is good stuff, and sometimes it's just meaningless noise that will add nothing to your work and in fact, if you listen to the meaningless noise too much, it may detract from your work. Good point, well-stated. Thank you–I love your distinction between what comes from outside versus what comes from inside. Sometimes the stuff from outside is good stuff, and sometimes it’s just meaningless noise that will add nothing to your work and in fact, if you listen to the meaningless noise too much, it may detract from your work. Good point, well-stated.

]]> By: David Carrott http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86&cpage=1#comment-8 David Carrott Tue, 14 Jul 2009 18:41:04 +0000 http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86#comment-8 Well Amen Sister! I am going to be a great programmer and I will not be going to college to get there, although it might be fun to go to some college parties. Well Amen Sister! I am going to be a great programmer and I will not be going to college to get there, although it might be fun to go to some college parties.

]]> By: graylor http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86&cpage=1#comment-7 graylor Tue, 14 Jul 2009 04:37:24 +0000 http://www.karennilsen.com/?p=86#comment-7 If a story isn't entertaining, no one but literary snobs will read it. Who wants to write for <i>them</i>? ;-p Seriously, the story/characters/whatever it is the writer wants to convey comes first. The artificial disinction between genre and literary are imposed from outside and probably shouldn't even be on the writer's mind in the first place. Tell the damn story, let other people work out what it "means". If a story isn’t entertaining, no one but literary snobs will read it. Who wants to write for them? ;-p

Seriously, the story/characters/whatever it is the writer wants to convey comes first. The artificial disinction between genre and literary are imposed from outside and probably shouldn’t even be on the writer’s mind in the first place. Tell the damn story, let other people work out what it “means”.

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