I've heard more than one person say that they'd really like to read LDS "Literary Fiction", but there isn't any.
What exactly does that mean? What is the definition for "Literary Fiction"? Isn't all fiction literary? Isn't all writing literary to an extent?
Here's the one "definition" that I've found (you really can find anything on Wikipedia!):
Literary fiction is a term that has come into common usage since around 1970, principally to distinguish serious fiction (that is, work with claims to literary merit) from the many types of genre fiction and popular fiction (i.e., paraliterature). In broad terms, literary fiction focuses more on style, psychological depth, and character, whereas mainstream commercial fiction (the page-turner) focuses more on narrative and plot.
Literary fiction includes works written as short story, novella, novel and novel sequence. In the world of comic writing, graphic novels are sometimes considered literary fiction, as represented by Cerebus.
What distinguishes literary fiction from other genres is subjective, and as in other artistic media, genres may overlap. Literary fiction is generally characterized as distinctive based on its content and style.
Whoa. So literary fiction isn't it's own genre? So what keeps our LDS works being published right now from being LitFic? Are we not serious enough? Oh, come on - the Work and the Glory was serious enough for anyone (downright ponderous for me).
If comic books can be considered Literary Fiction, how are we (LDS authors) falling short of the mark???
So here's my thought - let's all get together, make a list of everything that would have to be included to make it LitFic, and I'll compile it. We'll submit it under some odd pseudonym, like Milton Dante Hemingway, and see if we can break through this LitFicBrick wall.
What exactly does that mean? What is the definition for "Literary Fiction"? Isn't all fiction literary? Isn't all writing literary to an extent?
Here's the one "definition" that I've found (you really can find anything on Wikipedia!):
Literary fiction is a term that has come into common usage since around 1970, principally to distinguish serious fiction (that is, work with claims to literary merit) from the many types of genre fiction and popular fiction (i.e., paraliterature). In broad terms, literary fiction focuses more on style, psychological depth, and character, whereas mainstream commercial fiction (the page-turner) focuses more on narrative and plot.
Literary fiction includes works written as short story, novella, novel and novel sequence. In the world of comic writing, graphic novels are sometimes considered literary fiction, as represented by Cerebus.
What distinguishes literary fiction from other genres is subjective, and as in other artistic media, genres may overlap. Literary fiction is generally characterized as distinctive based on its content and style.
Whoa. So literary fiction isn't it's own genre? So what keeps our LDS works being published right now from being LitFic? Are we not serious enough? Oh, come on - the Work and the Glory was serious enough for anyone (downright ponderous for me).
If comic books can be considered Literary Fiction, how are we (LDS authors) falling short of the mark???
So here's my thought - let's all get together, make a list of everything that would have to be included to make it LitFic, and I'll compile it. We'll submit it under some odd pseudonym, like Milton Dante Hemingway, and see if we can break through this LitFicBrick wall.
4 Comments:
Here's what I've noticed about "literary fiction" today: must be brave, startling, original; must have beautiful language that makes you weep; doesn't have to make sense to the ordinary mortal. :-)
Weston,
Hey, I like your idea and love the pseudonym you created. I say let's get that list compiled. :)
By the way, thanks for stopping by Write Up My Alley, and commenting.
Shakespeare, in his day, was considered downright bad in many ways even though his plays were very popular. They were not considered to be literary works, especially since they appealed to the common man as well as aristocracy. Hmmm . . . doesn't sound too different today does it? Basically literary critics trashed Shakespeare's plays--they certainly were NOT considered to be pieces of literature.
HA HA HA. Yeah. So maybe in a few hundred years Harry Potter is going to be considered some of the best literature that came out of our century??? Who knows.
Oh, I gosh! I HOPE NOT!
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