Since I get the book2book daily emails about the book trade, I regularly see articles and blogs on the Guardian website such as this one; a standard rumination on the increasing prevalence of long dedications and acknowledgments. This one isn’t annoying really, but it’s Monday morning and I can find something to complain about in most things at this time… It’s worth pointing out there are some that are downright offensive to people of my ilk (saying things like, SFF shouldn’t be called literature and they shouldn’t be allowed even to use the term “novel” because it depreciates the value of “real” writers and their dull, pointless and plotless novels which are, of course, the highest form of art) but I’m sure I’ll come to one of those in the coming months. I do seem to remember reading a couple of How Others See Us in Interzone where Joanne Harris had come out with similar opinions. No prizes for guessing which bandwagon she’s jumped on with her latest book…
However, the tone of the blog was very much one of “our great art being cheapened by mentioning those outside our ivory towers” which is a rather sad thing to see. Presumably there are some writers who prefer complete isolation and don’t want to hear opinions from readers or have anyone else involved in the creation of their art, but the majority have actual functioning emotions and are capable of acting like human beings. Any writer is the product of their environment and I don’t see why anyone should complain that acknowledging that environment cheapens the work. I don’t think it does, and if it does then the work has been relying on a foundation of BS, PR or both.
Right, understaffed in the office today so I might have to pretend to work for a bit now. What a chore my life is… sigh. But at least I have friends to thank ;0)