Liz · Williams: · journal

matociquala

http://www.richardkmorgan.com/article_soundfury.htm

I have a lot of sympathy with Richard, although personally speaking, I've had very few disagreements with my fellow SF writers and most have been kind, supportive and friendly (although I will admit to poking the New Weird with a big pin in a TTA editorial).

(Besides, anyone who is accustomed to the generosity of spirit inherent in pagan circles will bust a gut laughing at the notion that SF writers are in any way a bitter, wrangling crew - at least none of the authors I know have daubed my front door with menstrual blood. At least, not yet).

However, the disconcerting thing is that it is generally understood amongst the British literary establishment that 'you Sci Fi people are so nice. All we ever do is bitch and back stab.'

Er. Oh dear.

Speaking not from direct personal experience, I am obviously aware that some folk do get embroiled in major rows. Richard feels that crime writers don't do it at all and he may well be right - all the ones I've ever met have been delightful. There is a lamentable tendency for some in our genre to take the whole thing with deadly seriousness - we may be writing 'cutting edge' material or we may not, but we still don't get listened to by governments (or at least, generally not the ones whom one would want governments to listen to). And people may direct vitriolic diatribes against each other on paper, but remain on perfectly good terms when they meet (as in academia).

In the main, I think we've just got to get on with the writing. I don't attach to any particular 'movement' personally - sometimes I want to read something difficult and gloomy set in a decaying London underpass and sometimes I want to sit on a train with a big fat book about space cruisers or Celtic priestesses. Or indeed, a tie-in novel.