ladybusiness | (Reply)

From: (Anonymous)

I also run into stories, particularly science fiction ones, where my brain makes a big giant NOPE DO NOT UNDERSTAND. (There's also a particular problem I have in that the visual and verbal parts of my brain seem entirely unconnected, so stories and books that demand that you "see" a lot of things to understand the action receive similar nopes.) In fact, with one of my favorite short fiction authors, I love about half her stories and the other half leave me scratching my head with a total lack of understanding of what I've just read.

We're in a field with a whole bunch of really smart people, who have different tide pools of knowledge. So I think this is probably very common. I myself run into at least one and usually a couple of stories in a given anthology where I'm all "???" I admire your dedication because I just nope.

Two things, though. One is that I was having a conversation just earlier today about how if the playing field were actually level, I'd be reading less... uninsightful... criticism by men on giant sites, and a handful of certain people would have regular paying gigs at said giant sites. You were among the names mentioned, to assent.

The other is -- would you be interested in being a part of a short fiction discussion group? Because I think that is something that could be a lot of fun and maybe is sorely needed. I'd have no idea where such a thing could be started, nor organized (I can barely organize lunch), but I could definitely serve as a filter in finding stories in zines to read and discuss. Maybe two a month, selected for commonalities of structure, theme, etc.?

Let me know if you'd be interested -- I think that is a very good idea and you are onto something!

--Cecily, not signed in