Aren't You Sorry You Asked?
Everything You Never Wanted to Know
I–18 (violence to sacred cows, harsh language, and adult sensibilities) The intellectually challenged are strongly cautioned. These theoretical essays and otherwise might otherwise have appeared at Theory Corner (on Savage Reviews). For the present, the listing is in a semichronological order based on when I have gotten around to adding them here, when I wrote and originally posted journal entries on which they were based, the phase of the moon, and the price of tea in the People's Republic of Berkeley.
Last Update: 30 March 2003
- 11 December 1998: On Horror and why you won't find horror reviews here.
- 26 December 1998: Media Tie-Ins (I) is a response to Steve Perry's self-serving defense of media tie-in "hacks" (his term) in the December 1998 Locus. This is a reformatted version of my letter as posted in Locus Online; the rest of the story—why "hack" is the right term—will follow later.
- 19 May 1999: Plan P From Outer Space concerns the brouhaha over Plan B at Locus. This is a correction and clarification of some intemperate remarks I made that improperly extended from the controversy over ballot-stuffing (I stand by my position) to the book itself (which was implicated in the remarks).
- 10 December 1999: Thicken Plot Soup discusses what "plot" really means, and why the usual "writing guru" (incorrect) explanation is really bad for your teeth.
- 15 May 2002: Story Structure questions some of the contemporary wisdom—actually foolishness—concerning the structure of stories; should be read along with Thicken Plot Soup.
- 06 July 2002: Running commentary on Tasini v. New York Times, Inc. which, although it does not directly concern the actual writing of literature, is quite central to how authors' rights are to be interpreted and protected.
- 30 March 2003: The elements of fiction and the unreality of publishing.
- the fine print first (you'll need to replace "{at}" with "@" on the address line). Please come back soon.
-
Return to
You may contact me concerning permissions via email. This copyright notice overrides, negates, and renders void any alleged copyright or license claimed by any person or entity, specifically including but not limited to any claim of right or license by any web hosting service or software provider, except when I have transferred such rights with a signed writing that complies with the requirements for transferring the entire copyright as specified in Title 17 of the United States Code. This includes, but is not limited to, translation or other creation of derivative works, use in advertising or other publicity materials without prior authorization in writing, or any other non-private use that falls outside the fair use exception specified in Title 17 of the United States Code. If you have any question about whether commercial use, publicity or advertising use, or republication in any form satisfies this notice, it probably does not. Violations of intellectual property rights in these pages will be dealt with swiftly using appropriate process of law, probably including a note to your mother telling her that you're a thief.
"The Savage Beast", "Savage Reviews", "Surreality Check", and the dragon-and-book banner are trade and service marks of the website owner. Other marks appearing on these pages belong to third parties, and appear either with permission or as exemplary references.