tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30069554.post4553278746966952054..comments2023-06-09T06:32:34.309-07:00Comments on Man Your Own Jackhammer: Cleverness and FrightAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00127638986568582625noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30069554.post-12644579615962378092007-09-21T18:54:00.000-07:002007-09-21T18:54:00.000-07:00Oh...Jeez, this Grey's Anatomy book is a huge wast...Oh...<BR/><BR/>Jeez, this Grey's Anatomy book is a huge waste of space, then.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00127638986568582625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30069554.post-43080477196377023882007-09-21T13:59:00.000-07:002007-09-21T13:59:00.000-07:00Always think big, Mr. Luckless, that's the only wa...Always think big, Mr. Luckless, that's the only way you'll know what you're made of.The One and Only Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05389030276109468709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30069554.post-57911729957118350982007-09-20T20:30:00.000-07:002007-09-20T20:30:00.000-07:00No, what you're describing isn't cleverness. It's ...No, what you're describing isn't cleverness. It's something grander and more big and impressive than cleverness. More transient like. Like genius, or something.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00127638986568582625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30069554.post-8668635815078681212007-09-20T19:22:00.000-07:002007-09-20T19:22:00.000-07:00Trying to be clever and actually being clever are ...Trying to be clever and actually being clever are two different things. The act of being clever must not be apparent to the reader until it is far too late. If it is transparent, then the reader will do the tra-la-la dance, and go watch their reality tv. This is tough to do, and because it is, it is priceless once achieved.The One and Only Johnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05389030276109468709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30069554.post-88617613393859182042007-09-18T14:54:00.000-07:002007-09-18T14:54:00.000-07:00Ok, let me amend. There are many kinds of clevern...Ok, let me amend. There are many kinds of cleverness (and degrees to which the writer makes his or her cleverness known). <BR/><BR/>Mostly, I think you're talking about cleverness in terms of suspension of disbelief. In which case, I totally agree - cleverness is absolutely necessary.Alihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05383602477834330336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30069554.post-36476143777376641572007-09-18T14:47:00.000-07:002007-09-18T14:47:00.000-07:00Cleverness is like anything else and can be overdo...Cleverness is like anything else and can be overdone. Also, it's something that does not work equally well (or well at all) in all writing or for all writers.<BR/><BR/>Luckily, you can do clever pretty well. It works for you like spare language worked for Hemingway.Alihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05383602477834330336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30069554.post-34448813856010507602007-09-18T09:17:00.000-07:002007-09-18T09:17:00.000-07:00But don't you sometimes want the reader to just be...But don't you sometimes want the reader to just be frightened? Or to just laugh? Or to just cry? <BR/><BR/>Then there's Chuck Palahniuk, who uses lots of 'clever' but his work is still creepifying as all get-out. I still think about Haunted and get the shivers. <BR/><BR/>And clever can be overdone. I remember someone who belonged to the Sunday group several years ago. He was a very clever writer, but he overdid it so much that it pulled the reader out of the story.Minion GIRhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06066574883255927620noreply@blogger.com