July 10th & 17th, 2023 - Colorín Colorado
Dear TNY,
The second of the fiction issue is “Colorín Colorado”.
This is a strange one. Positives. Stay positive.
I was immediately upset that it was another story about a writer (as in, two of the three in the fiction issue were about writers, you fuckwits) and found myself starting to skim right away. But I couldn’t. So, there’s something happening here that makes me not skim and that’s a good thing. I also really like Addie’s college-time argument about thoughts. The other story, “P’s Parties”, is exactly what Addie was talking about. Specifically: …but your stories, they’re always just about people talking and thinking.” This is exactly what’s wrong with fiction these days. “P’s Parties” was fucking pointless. And when the MC in this story says, “Thoughts and language have consequences too,” Addie correctly retorts not really if the consequences are just more language and thoughts. So, I find it strange that there is a character in this story who gives an immaculate summary of why your fiction is so bad, TNY. Why would you allow that? Especially in a story in which the characters surrounding the MC are the interesting ones and the MC is just talking and thinking. I also thought J., when talking about nobodies, didn’t understand that the alien abduction was precisely what made the bar woman NOT a nobody. Yes, everyone has a story to tell, and I’m going to pull from “P’s Parties” again, that MC was a fucking nobody and his story wasn’t worth telling. The alien lady’s? Worth telling. Addie’s? Worth telling. This MC? Not sure. Because the most interesting parts of her life seem to be accounts of other’s lives. So, I guess what I’m saying is that I like that this story looked at storytelling and shined a light on why your fiction sucks most of the time.
But beyond that aspect of the story, why bother (as Addie said)? Sure, the author strings together 9000 words here that I read, but it was all over the dance floor with regard to what it wanted to be and, in the end, I’m not sure it was even a story. Was that the point? That was mentioned. Was this just loose unconsciousness? If so, I’ll call back something I think Addie was wrong about: Who wants to read tight sentences? I do. I want to read tight stories. I want there to be intention in the writing (not a point or a message; I want to sense that the author is wielding power over the craft; I want to know I’m in good hands). So, what’s the point of this story then? I’m unsure.
Finally, I wanted to pull another Addie-ism (I’m catching on that I like this character):
“John keeps hitting Pause on his life, hoping that it’ll give people time to really look at and understand him,” Addie said. “Meanwhile, the train is moving without him. Isn’t that sad? He wants to be understood.”
I can’t speak for everyone here, only me. And I think this is spot on for occasions in my life. I would posit though, that a lot of artists live like this. I think non-artists have an easier time with not being understood or seen. They seem complete. I think if you are working your craft hard, though, and you begin to develop skills in it, and you are dredging up that good muck, touching the Collective Unconscious and coming back to report on it, you believe that maybe you could be understood. Like Lloyd Christmas screaming out, “So you’re saying there’s a chance!” And, maybe for a minute someone will see you through your work. But you’ll mostly be alone like everyone else. And maybe that’s the cost of great Art. You get close enough to almost smell it, that understanding. And then it’s ripped away from you. Maybe that’s what’s driving us mad. Who knows.
Anyway, I don’t know what to say about this one. I’ll remember it. But, I don’t know if that is for the right reasons? Are there right reasons?
Also, needed compressing. Tighten up, goddamn it.
On to the next!
Nick
