Tag Archives: Literary Theory
Ephemeral Horror and the Diffusion of Genre Markers
Content, when it comes to genre taxonomy, is king: we categorize stories based on the conventions they employ and the devices that show up within their texts. Spaceships, time travel, aliens? Let’s call it science fiction. Magic and knights? Let’s … Continue reading
What is Science Fiction for?
NOTE: Thank you so much to everyone who wished us health and safety during and after Hurricane Sandy! I’m happy to report that we’ve got power, cell service, Internet, and cable TV all working again. Thanks again. If anyone wants … Continue reading
A Reaction to Klein’s Pyramid of Literary Quality
When I was fifteen, I went through a psychology phase. Fascinated by the workings of the human mind, I dove through Freud, Jung, Skinner, Pavlov – the whole crowd, always looking for deeper understanding. But it wasn’t until I came … Continue reading
On Where Genres Come From and How to Stitch Them Together
Victor Frankenstein had it easy. He had to muck about with viscera and body parts, and though the result was an eight-foot tall, sallow-skinned monster, at least human anatomy provided him with a map to follow. Writers don’t have such … Continue reading
“Science Fiction” and Literature – or Thoughts on Delany and the Plurality of Interprative Processes
NOTE: Once again, I apologize for posting this a bit later than usual. I’m abroad for only one more week, though, and then we’re back to our regular Tuesday schedule. I’ve long believed that Samuel Delany is one of the … Continue reading
Wrong and Wrong: Reviewers, Cliques, and Bullying
NOTE: Sorry again for the delay! But here’s the now edited post I had wanted to publish yesterday. I’d love to know what everyone thinks! Internet Drama is ugly as hell, and I usually try to keep well clear of … Continue reading
The Uses and Value of Realism in Speculative Fiction
I’ve just gotten back, having spent a wonderful long weekend at Readercon, where it was great to see old friends and meet new ones. Alas, my brain is too full of valuable insights to really do a single comprehensive con … Continue reading
Accessibility: Speculative Fiction’s Pernicious Strawman
NOTE: My thinking here is a bit of a tangential response to some of John H. Stevens’ recent Erudite Ogre columns over at SF Signal. I strongly recommend those columns as an insightful exploration of genre and genre identity. Here’s … Continue reading
eBooks and the Death and Ongoing Life of Genre
So the last couple of weeks have seen a lot of interesting discussion around the nature of genre, and the future of speculative fiction. What really got me going on this started in a fascinating Twitter discussion with @JMMcDermott and … Continue reading
