So Why The List of Writers In Writing?
March 15th 2008 06:40
The List
It seems that every time I start a new book (or watch a film - films, after all, originate from writers), I am introduced to Character X (or Y or Z) and, lo and behold, they're a writer!
OK, so we all know the old adage "write what you know" and I guess this is why writers are writing about writers. But it has caused me to wonder - are writers representing the world accurately or are they skewing the vision somewhat??
In other words, are there really that many writers out there?
Of course, these days, with the exponential growth of blogging and other electronic writing, I may have to concede that the world really is full of writers. But alas, it's too late. I now have a full blown pre-occupation with Writers In Writing.
Hence this blog.
My original idea was to create a blog which would become an extensive list of books and films which feature a writer(s) as a character. Unfortunately I suffer from a condition recognised and labelled by one of our masters, Patrick Süskind - he of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer fame.
Mr Süskind wrote of his personal affliction with this same condition in Three Stories and a Reflection. The condition is called Amnesia in Litteris,and here is his amazing description,
'Those two red volumes, the thick ones with red ribbons, I'm sure I know them, they're as familiar as old furniture, I've read them, I lived in those volumes for weeks, and not very long ago; what are they, what is the title? The Possessed. I see. Interesting. And the author? F.M. Dostoevsky. Hm. Yes, I seem to have a vague recollection; the whole thing takes place in the nineteenth century, I believe, and in the second volume someone shoots himself with a pistol. More than that I couldn't say.
'I sink back into the chair at my desk. This is a disgrace. It's a scandal. I've been able to read for thirty years now, and I've read quite a bit, if not much, and all that's left is the very vague recollection that in the second volume of a thousand-page novel someone or other kills himself with a pistol. Thirty years of reading in vain! Thousands of hours of my childhood and my youth and my manhood spent reading, and nothing is retained except a great forgetting.' 'Three Stories and a Reflection', Patrick Süskind
So, the upshot of this is that I know there are many, many books and films out there with writers as characters because I've probably read them. I just can't remember most of them.
My plan, therefore, is this. As I read/watch I shall record my discoveries here and start the creation of The List. Suggestions will always be welcome.
The payoff is threefold.
1. I get to record (and hopefully remember!) what I'm reading/watching;
and
2. I receive some great suggestions for books to read and films to watch;
and
3. I get to create The List and find out once and for all if writers really are over-represented in writing.
Or if I'm just mental?
Stay tuned for future blogs where I'll tell you The Rules and talk about the book I'm reading now which has a writer as a character as well as the last book which also had a writer as a narrator but which can't be included. I'll also mention the book I read before that which I think had a writer as a character but I've nearly forgotten it -that was about three weeks ago which is probably about the time the amnesia in litteris sets in!
It seems that every time I start a new book (or watch a film - films, after all, originate from writers), I am introduced to Character X (or Y or Z) and, lo and behold, they're a writer!
OK, so we all know the old adage "write what you know" and I guess this is why writers are writing about writers. But it has caused me to wonder - are writers representing the world accurately or are they skewing the vision somewhat??
In other words, are there really that many writers out there?
Of course, these days, with the exponential growth of blogging and other electronic writing, I may have to concede that the world really is full of writers. But alas, it's too late. I now have a full blown pre-occupation with Writers In Writing.
Hence this blog.
My original idea was to create a blog which would become an extensive list of books and films which feature a writer(s) as a character. Unfortunately I suffer from a condition recognised and labelled by one of our masters, Patrick Süskind - he of Perfume: The Story of a Murderer fame.
Mr Süskind wrote of his personal affliction with this same condition in Three Stories and a Reflection. The condition is called Amnesia in Litteris,and here is his amazing description,
'Those two red volumes, the thick ones with red ribbons, I'm sure I know them, they're as familiar as old furniture, I've read them, I lived in those volumes for weeks, and not very long ago; what are they, what is the title? The Possessed. I see. Interesting. And the author? F.M. Dostoevsky. Hm. Yes, I seem to have a vague recollection; the whole thing takes place in the nineteenth century, I believe, and in the second volume someone shoots himself with a pistol. More than that I couldn't say.
'I sink back into the chair at my desk. This is a disgrace. It's a scandal. I've been able to read for thirty years now, and I've read quite a bit, if not much, and all that's left is the very vague recollection that in the second volume of a thousand-page novel someone or other kills himself with a pistol. Thirty years of reading in vain! Thousands of hours of my childhood and my youth and my manhood spent reading, and nothing is retained except a great forgetting.' 'Three Stories and a Reflection', Patrick Süskind
So, the upshot of this is that I know there are many, many books and films out there with writers as characters because I've probably read them. I just can't remember most of them.
My plan, therefore, is this. As I read/watch I shall record my discoveries here and start the creation of The List. Suggestions will always be welcome.
The payoff is threefold.
1. I get to record (and hopefully remember!) what I'm reading/watching;
and
2. I receive some great suggestions for books to read and films to watch;
and
3. I get to create The List and find out once and for all if writers really are over-represented in writing.
Or if I'm just mental?
Stay tuned for future blogs where I'll tell you The Rules and talk about the book I'm reading now which has a writer as a character as well as the last book which also had a writer as a narrator but which can't be included. I'll also mention the book I read before that which I think had a writer as a character but I've nearly forgotten it -that was about three weeks ago which is probably about the time the amnesia in litteris sets in!
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Comment by Joanne Fedler
Secret Writers Business
One of my all time favourite movies, which despite when it was made, has not aged - is Throw Momma from The Train, with a writer (Billy Crystal) as the main character and Danny De Vito as the little guy. And some horrible momma they found somewhere.
Jo
Comment by Jayne Kearney
Writers In Writing (and other writing)
This is a film which I remember being released but have never seen. Another one for The List!
Jayne
Comment by postmoderncritic
Postmodern Critic
Daily Inspirations
Relativity Watch
Padsoc