Utter brilliance. I’m going to be thinking about this for awhile. I do think the world sees deus ex machina once again. Algo gods, and whatnot. The lit gods will catch on eventually but for profits not arts sake, eh. Your “how will we next express life as we are coming to understand it?” is the real clincher. How indeed.
Thanks so much for reading! Between you and me because I don't think anyone else will ever look here -- this was one of those pieces that I loved writing but which seemed to sort of sink, so it made me very happy to see your comment today.
I think you're right about the world seeing deus ex machina once again -- but I'm not sure that the novel as a form will be able to accommodate that about-face. I just don't think it's made to do it well. I reckon that since the deus ex machina is the MO of poetry, including narrative poetry, maybe what we'll see is a widespread return to poetry as a way of understanding and expressing this world.
My mind went a little more low brow (is that pessimism or realism?) - to the meme and the 90 second video. The meme is, I suppose, a modern version of poetry. I hope you’re right though. I’d love a poetic resurgence.
And yes after I was served your latest, I checked your page and this title caught my eye. Our interests are shared, eh!
Novels save lives, and I wouldn’t want to live in a world without novels or storytelling. So much of “the novel is dead” anxiety seems to me about the commercial profitably of the novel, rather than the novel as an art form. Like you I’m not really buying the argument that the novel is going anywhere. Let’s hope not! I’m writing one too :)
Sarah! I just realized I didn't see this comment when you posted it, sorry!
I actually am not all that confident that novels will last much longer -- in the scheme of things. I don't think they're going to suddenly self-combust before next year's publishing schedules, but I wouldn't be surprised if they die out in the next few hundred years (even if *humans* survive the next few hundred years). I do think they're a troublesome way to tell a story -- and such a new way, too. Even if novels die out, though, storytelling won't. That's intrinsic to humanity.
That said, like you, I love novels, even though I think they're troublesome! And I can't wait to read yours when it's out.
Utter brilliance. I’m going to be thinking about this for awhile. I do think the world sees deus ex machina once again. Algo gods, and whatnot. The lit gods will catch on eventually but for profits not arts sake, eh. Your “how will we next express life as we are coming to understand it?” is the real clincher. How indeed.
Thanks so much for reading! Between you and me because I don't think anyone else will ever look here -- this was one of those pieces that I loved writing but which seemed to sort of sink, so it made me very happy to see your comment today.
I think you're right about the world seeing deus ex machina once again -- but I'm not sure that the novel as a form will be able to accommodate that about-face. I just don't think it's made to do it well. I reckon that since the deus ex machina is the MO of poetry, including narrative poetry, maybe what we'll see is a widespread return to poetry as a way of understanding and expressing this world.
My mind went a little more low brow (is that pessimism or realism?) - to the meme and the 90 second video. The meme is, I suppose, a modern version of poetry. I hope you’re right though. I’d love a poetic resurgence.
And yes after I was served your latest, I checked your page and this title caught my eye. Our interests are shared, eh!
Oh man, I hope we’ve got more than a future of memes and 90-second videos to look forward to! The resurgence of poetry on Instagram gives me hope.
Novels save lives, and I wouldn’t want to live in a world without novels or storytelling. So much of “the novel is dead” anxiety seems to me about the commercial profitably of the novel, rather than the novel as an art form. Like you I’m not really buying the argument that the novel is going anywhere. Let’s hope not! I’m writing one too :)
Sarah! I just realized I didn't see this comment when you posted it, sorry!
I actually am not all that confident that novels will last much longer -- in the scheme of things. I don't think they're going to suddenly self-combust before next year's publishing schedules, but I wouldn't be surprised if they die out in the next few hundred years (even if *humans* survive the next few hundred years). I do think they're a troublesome way to tell a story -- and such a new way, too. Even if novels die out, though, storytelling won't. That's intrinsic to humanity.
That said, like you, I love novels, even though I think they're troublesome! And I can't wait to read yours when it's out.