The War of Art by Dammyboy Philosophaster

   Scythrop Glowry on Jan 13 07:34:10

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I can't help myself. This must be written.

I'm sure the common man finds this book most encouraging, for it tells him that one of the most important things to being a writer is knowing how to be miserable--and there's few things the common man knows better how to do than to be miserable. Personally, I'm not the common man and I try very hard never to be miserable...so it's not very encouraging to me. I'm sure the common man is also very encouraged to hear that all you need to be professional is one public failure in your profession. Mr. Philosophaster seems to offer great encouragment to the superstitious and the pagan (not to mention someone mentally disabled or taking drugs) as well, for he seems to find lucky objects and a pagan invocation indespensible to his inspiration...on the other hand, my only respect for him comes from the fact that that invocation is from Homer's Odyssey. He must have been at some point well aquainted with my good friend Mr. Flosky, for there are a few chapters of his which ring highly of metaphysical nonsensicality. In other words, they don't make any sense and make him sound like a flowery fustian as well as a dammyboy.

To throw off any thin cloak of sarcasm and analyze honestly...

I had to put down that "vital gem" of "positive calm" even though it was helariously bad...because it hurt my inspiration and work ethic. I have thought of myself as a writer (incorrectly at the beginning, of course) since I was around eight years old. Since then (around seven years) I have written almost 600,000 words of fiction, including three mature, completed novels that I hope to publish and more than half of another which I am writing now. Dammyboy Philosophaster writes about identifying with one's work (including calling oneself a writer): "Resistance loves this. Resistance knows that the amateur composer will never write his symphony because he is overly invested its success and overterrified of its failure. The amateur takes it so seriously it paralyzes him." I have never been withheld by any such thing. Emily in Emily of New Moon (by L.M. Montgomery) believes she is a writer so strongly that she can't help but write. She would write even if she knew she would never be published...because she was a writer and she HAD to write. I didn't understand that when I read the Emily Books...but I understand it now. I have become professional and writing is as necessary to my well-being as getting enough exercise. I also couldn't write very much of anything if I didn't think I was a writer.

Writing is not for the Dammyboy Philosophasters who take writing as a kick in their guts (he used a less polite word). Writing is for those who love it like life itself. Who find their pride and joy in it (not their misery) almost every day since they become a writer. I know, because I love to write...I am a writer and I work hard at the grindstone because I want perfection and look on my best as my duty to the reader. And I try to write a chapter a day on average. I don't always manage it, but I don't let that discourage me...I just keep on writing. After all, it's the fuel to the flame of my soul. And that is the proper way to use fustian style.

#1

Suelinda Milsted on Jan 13, 2023 11:23 AM
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This take on the author's ideas of writing styles with a bit of the kind of giving a roast speech, like something you'd say to a comrade, is really all in good humor despite the jest on the subjects of miserable suffering. Because as the ideas suggest, we all do learn from our "miserable" successes or miserable failures. Simply because the strong intensity of either leave lasting survival lessons upon us... which heartly bring us back to life in most nessesary moments.

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#2

Scythrop Glowry on Jan 13, 2023 4:33 PM
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I admitt that this post does not coincide with the "objective" I stated for this group...however, this is a discussion of all things literary, and I think a book on how to write books, writer by an author and criticized by an author who tries to write real literature is literary.

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#3

Sue Obermeit on Jan 13, 2023 10:09 PM
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Where is the book so that I might have a look into it to see what it is about?

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#4

Scythrop Glowry on Jan 14, 2023 12:40 PM
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in response to comment_17_3

I will bring it over next time I see you. Then you will understand 😌😉.

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#5

Scythrop Glowry on Jan 16, 2023 7:42 AM
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in response to comment_17_4

Oh, dear, I forgot to!

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