Feedbackery
by rsbakker
Definition of the Day – Novelist: a creature that lives in a deep, narcissistic hole.
Having a book come out is like a season, and a strange one at that. One of the things that characterizes the season is Google and the constant trolling for new reviews. Ordinarily I avoid vanity Googles because of the way it messes with my head, and during the Season, I’m always reminded of why that’s the case.
The great temptation is to use this blog as a platform to vent and gloat, to hold up those comments that prick for ridicule, and to wave those that thrill like a flag. As a place to pass judgment on the judgment of others. We’re hardwired to throw words at words for our own advantage, to call attention to those that promote, and to bury those that condemn – and I feel the instinct as keenly as anyone, I suppose (especially when it comes to strawman distortions of my views!).
But it’s a mugs game, ultimately. It really strikes me this time around how its a matter of averages, the way your words pop into the heads of others, the kinds of flavours they have, be they shitty or sweet. The novelist – or the blogger – has precious little control over how their words strike individuals – pretentious or profound, arrogant or self-effacing, humourless or witty – so they have to aim at populations and keep their fingers crossed. It all feels so bloody random to me anymore. The only constant is the tendency to make universal yardsticks of our idiosyncratic responses. Seven billion centres of judgmental gravity, and counting.
The only thing that really matters is that Vancouver beat Chicago – and with Luongo in net, no less!
Yes. Playoff hockey, man. Now that’s a season.
Speaking as a lifetime fantasy reader, I really love this series, and TW-LW is an excellent addition, in my opinion. I am reading it slowly, savoring the experience. I just read the part when Achamian asks Mimara if she has seen Kellhus with the judging eye, and she realizes that though Achamian sees Kellhus as the evil hub, he could just as easily be good. This short section really brought home the tension at play in your characters and your story. I love it. Great work!
I loved White Luck Warrior, great stuff and I absolutely cannot wait for the third volume! Big ups! Oh, and go Red Wings!
“Playoff hockey, man. Now that’s a season.”
A very depressing one for this Minnesota Wild fan.
I agree! Man, I love it when they make the playoffs. However, they seem to suffer from the curse of the Minnesota sports teams because they always seem to joke in the playoffs. Like the Twins….and the Vikings….and the Timberwolves (when they made the playoffs).
Bah, they always seem to choke* not joke.
I think “joke” works just as well as “choke” to describe MN sports teams playoff performance.
“The only thing that really matters is that Vancouver beat Chicago – and with Luongo in net, no less!”
I have been a Canucks fan for their entire 40 years. That overtime goal was the very definition of sweetness!
I always wonder whether or how much professional authors learn from reviews. Do they respond with an attitude of ‘all the reviewer’s praise is true and all the criticism is false’; or is there a possibility of recognising flaws that may not have previously occurred to the author?
I’m currently about a fifth of the way through The White-Luck Warrior. Enjoying it so far.
I’m with Nate B. – Go Red Wings! And I’m with you, Bakker, in celebrating the Vancouver win over Chicago. F those guys. It’s actually been an incredible first round, I couldn’t be more pleased.
Finally finished my re-read of the series-at-large and I’m on to the White-Luck Warrior. Only thing is, I no longer have my shitty security guard job, which cuts about 8 hours from my reading time of a day, so I’m only now a hundred or so pages into WLW. Interesting so far though.
“The great temptation is to use this blog as a platform to vent and gloat, to hold up those comments that prick for ridicule, and to wave those that thrill like a flag. ”
The rest of the blog is pretty much you setting fire to those flags (or at least the act of waving them around), and as I’ve come to learn – all flags look better on fire. Once your fans finally get around to building that 20 foot statue of you I expect you’ll shortly be in jail for taking a sledgehammer to it. I look forward to the opportunity to bail you out.
Here’s a flag for you to burn: I’m beginning to think you may be single most important author of my generation. Hah!
By and large, reviews on forums for your new book have been very positive. Over on the Westeros forum, the thread discussing your latest book had to be locked and split since there is a lot of buzz regarding it.
If you’re wondering about accessibility… your Earwa books can be tough to get into, even for the fantasy crowd. This is why I’m equally excited about the next Disciple book, since I think you were very close to the mark on that one.
By the way, the conversation the Skin Spy had with Mimara about souls in The White Luck Warrior was awesome. Reminded me of this quote:
“The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do.” -BF Skinner.
Ironically, the kids and I (English teacher) just discussed Hemingway’s Nobel Prize speech, looking at the ideas he didn’t use (“only a suicide is more lonely than a writer”)and then I read your latest quote (BTW they are always fantastic). I really think that is just the way it is — when you write it is lonely self-absorption.
All the writer (hell, all people) has is their “narcissistic hole”. Sure, the artist hopes to transcend all paradigms (including the self) to create art for art’s sake (do something that reaches the hoi polloi and beyond), thus eliminating “centres of judgmental gravity”, but like you said, it’s all random. The writer hopes to effect some sort of impact on the audience, but there is no guarantee no matter how “great” the art. With that being said, I say embrace the arrogant profundity of what you write. Sure, you might have a Luongo Games 5 & 6 moment (vs. the BHawks), but it might end up with the Luongo Game 7 moment.
BTW, I hope the Canucks make it to the cup. So the Caps can show the world that the Western Con. hockey is total pussy hockey. OV is the new Gordie Howe!!! GO CAPS!!! Sorry… just needed to state that.
Just got my copy yesterday. I’m rereading THE JUDGING EYE first and am already 120 pages in. Can’t wait to crack open THE WHITE-LUCK WARRIOR.
We’re hardwired to throw words at words for our own advantage, to call attention to those that promote, and to bury those that condemn – and I feel the instinct as keenly as anyone, I suppose (especially when it comes to strawman distortions of my views!).
And you don’t, because…?
Seem even more hardwired to resist doing so for no practical reason? I could think of alot of practical reasons to resist, but I’m just seeing you resist for no goal I can see, anyway?
The novelist – or the blogger – has precious little control over how their words strike individuals – pretentious or profound, arrogant or self-effacing, humourless or witty – so they have to aim at populations and keep their fingers crossed. It all feels so bloody random to me anymore.
Aye, they get to you first when your a wee child, telling you can do stuff (long version – you can do stuff and survive). But at this point you realise that there is nothing there that guarantees that premise. Yet if your personality is built around it…wow, what a house of cards. Atleast it feels like that for me.
Enjoy the Hockey!
shouldn’t that read, “feedbakkery”?
no, you’re right, too much. man, reviewers would be writers if they could.
kind or stupid, funny or mean, they are all limpets to the bloodstream of your gift. write, write, write, write, write. it’s the only response that matters.
I’m disappointed in you, Scott. Despite you living in Nashville for a few years, no love for the Preds making the second round for the first time ever?😦
Hey, someone needs to get you riled about the NHL more often, no?😉
Likewise enjoying so far. Suitably badass and thought provoking. In a damn fine hardcover edition, too.
may be of interest: http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2011/04/the-ignorance-of-voters/
Thanks for the link, I like the article.
Speaking from someone who stumbled upon the Prince of Nothing while bored in a bookstore only to love every minute of it and inflict it upon anyone I know who reads…
Great Job!
As to the rest, well people who are paid to read others works rarely take the time to enjoy them above and beyond the constraints of a job. Its a sad reality…
On a side note; if Vancouver can find a way to convince the Sedin Sisters to score enough to bypass Nashville, sadly San Jose shall crush them into oblivion🙂
“Sedin Sisters”
This made me spit coffee when I read it. 🙂
Just picked up my copy!!! Been waiting for this for ages, Thank you so much for putting these amazing stories together
The White Luck Warrior is the best entry in the series so far, in my opinion. Eager doesn’t even begin to describe my anticipation for The Unholy Consult.
My feedback is about the lack of eformat in the US. Why can’t we get The Judging Eye and White Luck Warrior in ebook format in the US?
Loving it!!! Seems to be a bit of a step up with the language also, plenty of new stuff in there for me so far🙂
So, I finaly got myself a digital copy of the White-luck warrior in english. I simply could not wait for the Croatian translation to check the book out and had to see if you iscribed Belmorn into history😀
You just proved everything i thought of you… and made not only my day but an entire month!
Still hope our paths will cross again, perhaps at Eurocon in Zagreb next year or some time after that (like if I use that new Croatia-Canada connection to get some work abroad).