a writing philosophy

Taken from Theo at Black Gate’s review of The Desert of Souls, this rather nicely sums up my approaching to writing (to writing fiction, at least):

One of the legitimate complaints about SF/F literature these days is that in the authors’ fervent, self-conscious attempts to Make A Point, Preach To The Choir, or Demonstrate Literary Talent, basic story-telling elements such as plot, characters, and sheer enjoyment tend to be swept out the window. Long gone are the days of the little novel of 65k words, which didn’t attempt to Lecture, Educate, Browbeat, or even Impress us, but was content to merely provide the reader with a pleasurable few hours visiting faraway places and magical lands.

Yes. When I write a novel, I don’t want to preach a manifesto or lay out a political program, I want to tell a good story. If it happens to make the reader reflect about the larger meaning of life, well and good, but that’s not the main point.

-JM