Back in Town
I post the above picture in memoriam for the old London buses that used to crawl like prehistoric insects down Oxford Street, the kind you could just jump in the open back of while they were moving and take a seat. Apparently, in my absence, these great creatures were exterminated due to safety concerns.
Sorry for the blog hiatus. I'm back in town and will be blogging this week.
21 Comments:
A question about Hunting in Harlem:
Your answer will determine whether I finish reading this book or not!
I'm reading your book right now, and I don't understand why were the three ex cons chosen out of the hundred of thousands of people to "gentrify" Harlem?
The novel is very(and exquisitely) densely packed with details and I feel like I'm forgetting
something . . .
I'm sure the person posting above doesn't mean to be insulting, but I have to say something!
Imagine telling a chef: I'm thinking about finishing this dinner you cooked, but first tell me the ingredients.
Or stopping a film maker, let's say Spike, and saying: I'm thinking about finishing Do The Right Thing, but tell me why there's a pizza shop in Bed-Stuy first. That will determine whether I press play again.
I'm astounded at the way people think an artist has no feelings about his or her work. Like you've been given a pass to insult Mat Johnson just because you got your hands on his book. (Did you even buy it? or is it on loan from the library?)
I'm not Mat so I can't speak for him, but as another writer let me please give you a piece of advice anonymous: finish the damn book if you want. Don't finish the damn book if you want. Do not inform the writer that you were on the fence about this decision. If you can't remember why the three ex-cons are sent to work in Harlem then here's an idea, GO BACK AND REREAD THE START OF THE NOVEL. They tell you why these three guys are picked right near the start of the novel!
What a twit. Got damn! Lazy readers are almost as bad as non readers.
I apologize to Mr. Johnson--I really was asking a simple question.
I did not mean to offend him but I re-read the opening pages and still haven't found my answer.
I thought this blog was a place where readers could ask questions, regardless of their "intelligence."
What does bother me is that Victor, as a writer yourself, do you plan to insult YOUR readers when they ask you questions that you do not like?
No one, including myself, is trying to attack Mr. Johnson's talent as a writer--I had hoped that an author and a reader could learn something from one another(i.e. what each one is thinking, etc.). I guess I was wrong.
I hope Victor when you become a writer that you do not insult your fans as you have insulted me.
Anonymous-
Don't feel too bad: as a college student, I once cornered Toni Morrison at Newark airport after a shared red-eye from Gatwick to ask her about symbolism in Sula. Ah, I still cringe at the thought.
I'm sorry the book gave you more trouble than you bargained for; I say that as a fellow reader, not as its writer.
If a book fails to connect with you or even make sense to you, you have two choices. You can reread it till you get what the writer was trying to do, or you can put it down, and read something else more to your liking. But a book stands alone; it's not something that can or should be justified or explained by its author.
Well, I was going to ask you a question about London, then I saw your response to Anonymous. This part makes no sense to me: "If a book fails to connect with you or even make sense to you, you have two choices. You can reread it till you get what the writer was trying to do, or you can put it down, and read something else more to your liking. But a book stands alone; it's not something that can or should be justified or explained by its author."
If you feel this way, what do you do at readings? Do you discuss your work or do you read and go home?
I admit to being surprised at this type response to a reader. I faithfully read your blog, and while I don't always agree with you, I've always found you comments thoughtful.
How do you feel about readers? Anonymous seem to hold some disdain for them. I'm baffled by this attitude.
Okay, back to my earlier question about your readings.
oops, the disdain comment should be for victor, not anonymous.
Morning Angela,
At readings I read a bit of the book, and then usually I talk about writing in general, why I do it, my writing process, etc. Often I talk about what inspired the book. Things like that. I'm usually forced to do readings. I don't really care for readings, as a writer. I find most readings boring, and don't see the point of reading what everyone can read for themselves. But I do really like meeting the readers themselves, both as a writer and as a fellow reader. I like readers (particularly mine). That's part of why I write this blog.
But I don't see readings as live versions of CliffsNotes. I don't offer outside explanations on factual points in the novel, identify and explain symbolism, try to explain parts of the novel that might seem confusing or poorly written, or even tell people definitively how they should be reading the book, or what it's about. I don't see myself as a lawyer who has to argue for the validity of the book either. I will offer what I thought the book was about when I wrote it, or what it means to me now, but this is not meant as a definitive reading guide. I think the reading audience's ideas about what the work is about are as important in defining the work as my own conscious interpretation.
Here's an analogy on the futility of an author explaining his or her work: if an engineer builds someone a plane, and that plane does not fly for them, how useful is an explanation or justification by the engineer who built the thing? Ultimately, the plane either flies for the person or it doesn't, the explanation is in itself futile.
Now of course art doesn't work like a plane; art depends on its audience to have the education and cultural understanding necessary to interpret it. No work of art connects with all people, because there is no universal artistic understanding.
Art almost never comes with instruction manuals. But that is in part the beauty of it: art depends on its audience to decipher it, that's what gives it life. Without that, it's just oil on a canvas or ink on the page.
I have to admit that I'm surprised by the responses of both anonymous and angela. I'd ask you to take a look at the first post anonymous put up. My problem wasn't with the question so much as the first statement: "Your answer will determine whether I finish reading this book or not!"
And I'm the one who is acting disrespectful?
Imagine going on a date and the person comes to the door and says they need to ask you a question and your answer will determine whether or not the actually go out to dinner with you. Would you really bother to answer this person's question? Or would you slam the door in their face?
My problem with anonymous, and the reason I reacted the way I did, was because the first statement was a sign of amazing bad manners. I don't think you have to be another writer (or would-be writer) to see that. You just have to be a thoughtful human being.
As for myself, I truly don't think I have disdain for readers. When I imagine doing readings or signings or just even meeting a person somewhere who liked something I wrote I always imagine it as a great honor and joy. The kind of thing that most any writer lives for, of course. Someone who cares enough to ask a question! That is a gift.
But if they come up to me and kick dirt on my shoes before they ask it I am not going to be as polite. Being a reader doesn't afford you the right insult somebody. Maybe I'm wrong and it does. Or maybe anonymous just phrased the start of the post in a way that was easily misinterpreted, but again I want to make it clear: it's not asking questions that annoyed me. It was the presumption in that first sentence.
Anonymous, I do apologize for calling you names though. That was childish of me and just as rude as (my perception) of your opening statement. I am sorry for that.
Again, I want to reiterate that I was not trying to attack Mr. Johnson as a writer. I think that he's enormously talented and I actually did enjoy reading his first novel, Drop.
I actually lived in Philadelphia for 2 years and wish I had read the book before I moved there. Reading Drop made me want to go check out London, and I truly related to the character of Chris. I knew Mr. Johnson had talent when he describes the scene where he goes and hides in a closet when his Nigerian girlfriend kicks him out of the apartment. With that said, I still have a problem with what Victor and Mat said. Check the next posting.
Hey Anonymous,
Thanks for the generous compliments, and thanks for reading my work at all.
I didn't take offense to your first post, I thought your tone was playful.
As for the question itself, it's just that I believe a book has to stand on its own, that outside explanation by the author defeats the purpose.
Angela, I couldn't agree with you more! Some writers know how to write books but don't know how to connect with their audience.
I don't know what transpired between Mat Johnson and Toni Morrison, and no offense to Mat but the airport is probably the wrong place to "corner" an author and then ask them for a detailed explanation is probably not going to have a positive effect.
I NEVER said that your book failed to make a connection; I understand that the book is about the gentrification of Harlem. I couldn't DISAGREE with you more. While Toni Morrison is right to demand participation from the reader, its the author's responsibility to draw the reader in. The fact that I actually CAME to your website means that you are at least half-way piqued my interest. Something you wrote made me want to know more about you.
After reading Drop, I thought you were attractive, fascinating, and could not wait until your next book came out. But the reaction that I am now getting changes everything.
I was just at Amazon.com and I read a posting from a reader on this book I was thinking about buying. She says that she met the author at a book signing, and the author was rude to her. She said that she would NEVER buy another book from that author. I think sometimes authors forget that one reader(but I would not do this but I have known people who do) could tell everyone they know not to buy a book by a certain author because that author was rude.
I know that Mat says that he hates readings but isn't that the PERFECT time for the reader who admires the author but maybe didn't understand something to ask the author a question? I certainly would encourage readers to ask me questions because I would want them to understand the book as clearly as possible so they can encourage their friends and families to buy the books. Check next posting.
I didn't say that tbe book was poorly written or that the author is doing a live version of the Cliff Notes. I know that for some writers they prefer to keep the secrets of their "technique" a mystery to retain the high level of confidence they have in their work, but by refusing to answer the reader's questions, and then chastising them for doing so, I apologize in advance for offending Mr. Johnson, but quite frankly, I find that a bit arrogant. In other words, if you cannot understand my book, that's just too bad for you.
See the problem is, we're all on the Internet, and even though my question is worded a certain way, if we had this same conversation in person, you would see that I was not trying to insult Mr. Johnson.
Still, I disagree with Victor. I don't consider asking an author a question about his technique the equivalent of kicking dirt on his shoe. I mean, if you got offended by THAT question, then I'm afraid Victor, you may turn off any readers that probably would rather check out your book from the library than spend money on an author whose going to take offense to a comment when I have already explained myself three times.
I guess we'll have to agree to disagree but I believe in authors who want to connect with their readers and not keep their distance.
Anon-
First, let me thank you for this fascinating discussion. This brings up a ton of interesting questions on the nature of art and artists. Also, I was not offended by your question.
Yes the airport was a horrible place to attack Toni Morrison. Such is my regret.
"I couldn't DISAGREE with you more."- About what that I said, specifically? I don't understand.
"its the author's responsibility to draw the reader in"- I agree, on the page, in the book. But not at on a website or at a reading. That's just extra. Everyone should be polite and thoughtful, as humans, of course. But I think the work should stand alone. I'm not a salesman, it's just not a role I'm interested in playing.
I like talking to people at readings; I like people. I just believe the books should stand on their own. It's not that I'm trying to be rude, or dismissive, and my apologies if that's how that stance comes off.
I don't want people to read my books because they like me, or because I charmed them. I really want them to read the books because they're good books. Or not read them because they're not good. I read books by Knut Hamsun (fascist) and Martin Amis (rumored enermous Asshole) because they are good, and don't read the books of some charming people I like because I don't care for their work.
You're probably right, though. I think we're talking about different ways to see art, and the artist's role.
Anonymous,
By this point I'm willing to accept that maybe I'm more of an asshole than Mat Johnson or most other writers you may come into contact with. I didn't think I was, but perhaps I'm kidding myself. I really don't mean that sarcatically (sometimes the worst part about emails and posts, as you said in your repsonse, is that people can't see our faces when we say these things or hear our tones).
I don't actually disagree with you about most of things you wrote, by the way. I think writers should be polite (I think everyone should be) and if there are technical questions and so forth that a reading (or a blog) is a fine place to ask such questions.
But can you and I please clarify one point? Why are you choosing to ignore the fact that I said it wasn't your question that set me off, but the first line in your post. I will quote it again:
Your answer will determine whether I finish reading this book or not!
That is not a question. It is a declaration. I may or may not finish your book. Why would you say this to anyone? This is what I consider kicking dirt on one's shoes.
Your question came later and had to do with a plot point that perhaps wasn't clear in the book. I shouldn't have blamed you for asking that question because, you're right, it's just a question. But now I'm asking you one.
Why would you start a post the way you did? Do you not see that part as being rude?
Let me also make clear, to you and everyone who may read this, I'm not Mat Johnson. Just another visitor to the site. I don't want anyone else getting dirtied by my argumentativeness.
When I said that I couldn't disagree with you more, I was talking about the way you believe in connecting with your reader. I agree with you that the author should draw the reader in and should not have to do it at their website. You're right about that.
You say that you are not a salesman but when in the history of civilization has an artist, with the exception of Van Gogh, not expected a return on their investment?
Your public perception is just as important as the work you put beforehand. You are right that you should not have to completely change who you to please your audience but at the same time. You are right that charming people doesn't equate into being a better author.
The artist's job is not to try to impress people but when I go to meet some of my favorite artists and maybe they're not as friendly as I hope, I should just dismiss that saying because they are talented, that gives them permission to treat me and the $15 I spent on them any kind of way.
See, the problem with that is why even become an artist then. Every artist wants to meet fans that appreciate their work but even the non-conformists want to make SOME money.
People come to book signings because they want to meet the PERSON, THE PERSONALITY behind the book. I didn't come to your website to learn one hundred and one different ways of reading Hunting in Harlem, I came because I wanted to know the face behind the book.
Whether you realize or not, most people do equate with the impression you give them with whether or not they are going to buy your next book. It's just like this: If you go to a restaurant that's known for superb food and the food is great but the service is lousy, are you going to go back?
Say you do go back a second and third time and the service is still lousy. Some people will just put up with it and keep going back, but most people, like myself, are going to say, why bother? They'll begin to justify in their mind that the food really is not THAT good. I've been to restaurants like that, and no matter how good the food, I won't go back.
Whether you realize it or not, the art of being a writer is both personal(your connection with the reader, the audience when you go to do a book signing) and the impersonal (writing the actual book). Without book signings, the reader has no face to connect to the book, and unless you are Shakespeare or some other dead, well-known author, most people are not going to buy your book unless they hear it's a great book. You are right about that. But at some point, they are going to want to meet you . . .
Perhaps I was wrong to say 'This will determine whether I finish the book or not.' Even though that is how I am feeling, I could have worded it better.
Perhaps:
I'm reading Hunting in Harlem, and I'm having difficulty following along.
That's how I SHOULD have opened my discussion point.
Now, back to the discussion at hand . . . What is an artist responsible for in terms of connecting with their audience? What can a reader ask? What can they not? I agree with Mat that this is very fascinating . . .
Anon-
You're making some good points. I wish this was happening in the forum. I wish we could get up a podcast and talk this out, I think we could have a great conversation.
I like your analogy of the restaurant, but I see the same subject a bit differently. I think of myself as the chef. I stay in the kitchen and create. There is the maitre d' who greets you with smiles (the book publicists), there are the waiters who bring you the food (booksellers), and their jobs are to charm you. Now, the chef might pop out of the kitchen on occassion and smile (readings and blogs, etc.) but that's not his primary job.
You're probably right about the realistic way artists have to communicate with the world. The persona is almost indistinguishable from the art, particularly after the 20th century. I think that's part of what's wrong about art now, it's not as much about the work but about the person who made it. That seems off to me.
There is the maitre d' who greets you with smiles (the book publicists)
Yes, but book publicists are not going to greet you(unlike the maitre d') in a bookstore, nor are they going to be the person you will speak to you if the author writes about something controversial or if you have a question. You are not going to contact the book publicist unlike the maitre d' if you have concerns. Most people don't know how to contact the author's publicist or care for that matter.
There are waiters who bring you food. Yes, you might complain to the waiter if you don't like the food, but that's not the waiter's fault, it's the chef. And if the chef is well-known and travels to more than one restaurant, then you can't blame every waiter at every restaurant that the chef goes too.
Bad food is bad food. But then again, that's the role of the expeditor--To fix things and smooth them over.
No, the chef might pop out occasionally, because you are right, the chef is too busy creating food of "art," but if the chef is making duck and people say that tastes like chicken, what should the chef do? Work harder to make better-tasting duck?
What if someone has a question for the chef? Now, the chef is certainly going to come out of the kitchen for a compliment, and probably not a complaint but at some point the chef is going to want someone to taste his creations and a good chef is going to want feedback, so she/he can improve on their work.
And at some point, especially if the chef is good, the public is going to want to know who the chef is. The face behind the food. And the chef is going to want to make at least somewhat of a good impression because that chef never knows when a secret food critic might pop in at the restaurant.
It's not his/her primary job but it's still a part of his job. Even the best chefs in the world are going to want a little recognition at some point, which means they cannot always hide in the kitchen.
Mat, I went to the forum and considered starting a topic but I couldn't figure out what I wanted to call it. I thought about "Literary Writers and their Readers," or "For Whom Do Literary Writers Write?"
I find your description of the writer's job fascinating but I think as soon as a writer steps in to the public square by blogging or doing readings or whatever that writers becomes a salesperson, whether they want to admit it or not.
An editor once told the story of an author who sold less books when the author when on book tour because the author was not really personable so they kept that person off the road and continued to sell books.
Victor, anon's initial comment didn't bother me because what I read was a question from someone engaged in the story and who had some type of investment in it, which I find wonderful. Why would he/she even care? Just toss the book. But, no, he wanted to engage and that's important.
Now the challenge is to respond in a way that strokes that engagement. It doesn't necessarily mean telling the end of the story, but it could be asking a provoking question to get the reader thinking.
One more thing. . .
While every author wants positive strokes, every author has to be ready for the positive and negative. I tell myself that if everybody who reads my book loves it, then my distribution wasn't wide enough.:)
Wow! This set of comments was quite something. I thought they would be about london.
I think it's interesting that artists & writers are so often required to do signings & readings when MOST of them (us?:-) are reclusive people for the most part.
I also know that in my own experience as an artist - there is MUCH about my own work that I can't answer because I feel I am simply a conduit used by the Creator to get the peice to earth, like an out of body experience. Much as I imagine I will feel when I bear a child - I can only answer very limited snippets of how i felt as I was on the "ride" of the birthing process.
I DO attend signings & readings because I like the memory of hearing the actual writer's voice as I re-read their work.
I am also learning how much of a challenge it can be to maintain that pleasant balance of a personality that is necessary for the public side of life for an artist. don't know how friendly & agreeable i'll be after "giving birth" - but i'll keep ya posted. lol!
thank u all for this lesson.
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