Comments - THE AUDACITY OF AUTHORS - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T14:32:16Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profiles/comment/feed?attachedTo=537324%3ABlogPost%3A248561&xn_auth=noI think you don't get to be a…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-04-02:537324:Comment:2814292011-04-02T03:34:44.773ZPepper Smithhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Reefrunner
I think you don't get to be a good author without a combination of arrogance and humility. The arrogance is what keeps you moving forward, in spite of efforts to convince you to give it up. The humility comes with the realization that there's more than native talent involved, and that you need others to help you see your errors and correct them. Without the humility, you can't learn the skills you need to become a really great author, because you're convinced you're already great and don't…
I think you don't get to be a good author without a combination of arrogance and humility. The arrogance is what keeps you moving forward, in spite of efforts to convince you to give it up. The humility comes with the realization that there's more than native talent involved, and that you need others to help you see your errors and correct them. Without the humility, you can't learn the skills you need to become a really great author, because you're convinced you're already great and don't need to improve. Humility isn't a weakness. Arrogance unchecked by humility will hold you back. Really interesting read, Sunn…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-04-02:537324:Comment:2813652011-04-02T00:48:32.833ZBenjamin Sobieckhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/BenjaminSobieck
<p>Really interesting read, Sunny, thanks for posting it.</p>
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<p>I agree with Dana that there is a certain "arrogance" that's needed. I see it as a touch more assertive than "confident."</p>
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<p>I don't actually keep a tally, but I do try to balance myself out. For every one time I promote myself, I promote two other people. There's plenty of reasons to be a fan of other people as much as yourself.</p>
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<p>Of course, humility is in my genes, being Minnesotan and all.…</p>
<p>Really interesting read, Sunny, thanks for posting it.</p>
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<p>I agree with Dana that there is a certain "arrogance" that's needed. I see it as a touch more assertive than "confident."</p>
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<p>I don't actually keep a tally, but I do try to balance myself out. For every one time I promote myself, I promote two other people. There's plenty of reasons to be a fan of other people as much as yourself.</p>
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<p>Of course, humility is in my genes, being Minnesotan and all. Did you hear the one about the arrogant Minnesotan? He stared at someone <em>else</em>'s shoes.</p> A musician friend of mine cam…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2011-04-02:537324:Comment:2814062011-04-02T00:12:31.616ZDana Kinghttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DanaKing
<p>A musician friend of mine came up with the phrase "musical arrogance" when describing the attitude one needed to become a great musician. Good players play a passage and convey the attitude, "This is how I think it goes." With great players it's, "This is how it goes." The truly great can take direction, molding the phrase to the conductor's liking, and you'll still hear their sound ("voice" for a writer) come through.</p>
<p>Any writer worth reading needs some of that, of course. If you…</p>
<p>A musician friend of mine came up with the phrase "musical arrogance" when describing the attitude one needed to become a great musician. Good players play a passage and convey the attitude, "This is how I think it goes." With great players it's, "This is how it goes." The truly great can take direction, molding the phrase to the conductor's liking, and you'll still hear their sound ("voice" for a writer) come through.</p>
<p>Any writer worth reading needs some of that, of course. If you don't think your story is uniquely worth telling, why should anyone else read it. There's a limit, though. Even the great writers you noted did not write for the ages; they wrote for a living. (As did Mozart and Bach.) The concept of writing for posterity seems to be a 20th Century conceit, and, unfortunately, this level of arrogance can show in a book as pretentious.</p>
<p>That's speaking professionally. Any author (musician, businessman, politician) who can't leave his professional arrogance at the door when dealing interpersonally may well earn the title of asshole, and wear it proudly.</p>