JCB's Ruminations on the Craft of Fiction #67
September 2, 2021
I had occasion to revisit Ursula K. Le Guin’s 1973 essay "From Elfland to Poughkeepsie," and I thought I would comment on something she says. In the essay, she argues for the stylistic qualities that make up the best prose in fantasy stories, and defends a comparison she makes of some ordinary mortal with the stylistic masters of the genre. She writes,
"In art, the best is the standard. When you hear a new violinist, you do not compare him to the kid next door; you compare him to Stern and Heifetz. If he falls short, you will not blame him for it, but you will know what he falls short of. And if he is a real violinist, he knows it too. In art, 'good enough' is not good enough."
It’s always confusing to encounter a would-be writer who does not read. I’m forced to wonder why in the world someone would want to write if they don’t read. How can they fully grasp what they’re trying to do? When we read, we see that it’s possible to say something important or to tell a compelling story, and some people discover that they too have something to say or a story to tell. On the other hand, if we don’t read, we’re not aware of what’s possible, of what can be achieved, and we’re not going to be able to say anything interesting or make our story compelling. I take from Le Guin’s point the advice to seek out the very best, those within the genre or niche in which we’re trying to work whose art has achieved the most. Read them to see how far what is possible can actually reach, the heights to which it is possible to go. Even if we choose not to try to surmount that peak, we will benefit from understanding the mountain we’re climbing. Ultimately, I think, glimpsing the heights should be as a beacon for striving, and our every effort, even in the beginning, can be toward ascending, ever higher.