George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
theguardian.com
George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
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Re: George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
#2I really liked this. It resonates with the way that I write software.
Way back in the dawn times, I wanted to be an artist. That never worked out, but the process that I learned, has informed my software development.
The best projects are the ones that I don't know how to do[0].
When I write software, it is highly iterative. The project I'm working on now, is like that. It has taken a long time, because none of us really knew, exactly, what it would be. It is now in the final stretch, and looks good. Damn good. It never would have gotten there, in a corporate environment. I would have been forced to ship garbage, months ago, and that would have (definitely) flamed out. It may, still, but we won't be wondering if it was because we took shortcuts.
I call my process "Paving the Bare Spots."[1] Works a charm, but bothers those with overly-exercised sphincters.
[0] https://littlegreenviper.com/miscellany/thats-not-what-ships...
[1] https://littlegreenviper.com/miscellany/the-road-most-travel...
Re: George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
#3I really liked this. It resonates with the way that I write software. Way back in the dawn times, I wanted to be an artist. That never worked out, but the process that I learned, has informed my software development. The best projects are the ones that I don't know how to do[0]. When I write software, it is highly iterative. The project I'm working on now, is like that. It has taken a long time, because none of us re…
Ha. Like your style. Whats the software you’re creating?
Re: George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
#4I really liked this. It resonates with the way that I write software. Way back in the dawn times, I wanted to be an artist. That never worked out, but the process that I learned, has informed my software development. The best projects are the ones that I don't know how to do[0]. When I write software, it is highly iterative. The project I'm working on now, is like that. It has taken a long time, because none of us re…
Ha. Like your style. Whats the software you’re creating?
Can't get too specific, yet, but it's an iOS app that combines a simple social media-style relationship graph with a location-based DB of services.
Re: George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
#5[deleted]
Re: George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
#6I recommend the author's book "In Persuasion Nation", a collection of short stories, mostly a kind of near-future sci-fi satirizing excesses of commercialism.
Here is a story that made me pick up the book after I heard it on the radio: My Flamboyant Grandson":
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2002/01/28/my-flamboyant-...
Re: George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
#7I've always wanted to write fiction but have always been stumped because my plot ideas all sound lame to me.
Reading this was inspirational.
Re: George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
#8This article seems to be a precursor to his recent work, "A Swim in a Pond in the Rain", a book that analyzes some short stories written by great Russian authors, in which he also expounded on several opinions expressed in this article.
I really like his method of analyzing short stories, very practical, not too much -isms.
Re: George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
#9Saunders released a new book at the start of the year which I've been meaning to pick up: titled A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life[1], it's like a creative writing class centered around the Russian short story taught by Saunders.
1. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/53487237-a-swim-in-a-...
Re: George Saunders: what writers do when they write (2017)
#10Saunders released a new book at the start of the year which I've been meaning to pick up: titled A Swim in a Pond in the Rain: In Which Four Russians Give a Master Class on Writing, Reading, and Life [1], it's like a creative writing class centered around the Russian short story taught by Saunders. 1. https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/53487237-a-swim-in-a-...
Definitely pick it up. One of the more unexpectedly profound books I’ve ever read. His tactics for dissecting stories are relevant far beyond just writing. He also somehow manages to hit the right tone while exploring the short stories, engaging the reader on complex topics while simultaneously not becoming boring or pedantic