Friday, August 26, 2005

Prententious Prat Pronounces Prodigiously

The publishing industry to way too open to unknown writers says Tim Clare in the Guardian.
"... the simple fact is that unknown authors are being taken on every day, and frankly, publishers and established authors suffer because of it. The British publishing industry is crying out for a high-profile hothead to disabuse thousands of needy, bumbling timewasters of the notion that nascent masterpieces stir within their loins. ... If anything, the British publishing industry is too open to new writers at the expense of skilled stalwarts."

An extreme view?

I wonder with what authority Clare writes? He's had his first sci-fi novel published: it was written as his dissertation on his UEA M.A. course (sorry I could find not a murmur about it on the internet), which must be why he feel entitled to stand stick his tongue out other newby wanna-be's who might just have something more interesting or more relevant to say!

Has he forgotten his own time as a "foolish rookie author"? (His words in an online forum. Has he forgotten his days of posting chapters of his novel for others to read and give feedback on - just like the rest of the amateur crowd of one-day- hopefuls?)

Stir up a bit of controversy by rubbishing everyone else's efforts, dear, and someone might just buy a copy of your book ... out of curiosity!

The rest of us will take our chances, just as you did.

Update:

Good comment from Conversational Reading.

Afterthought:

Or perhaps he was indulging in that other great British pastime (besides queuing!) - taking the piss? I certainly hope so.

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