Thank you. I also fixed up my Substack account, yesterday. I think I might be writing under my pen name that I used a long time ago. Will let you know.
Yes, I've said many times that this idea that writers must support each other comes from writing teachers, professors, etc. and the reason is that they know that there aren't enough readers to satisfy all these 'writers,' and so they tell them that in order to 'grow a readership,' they must support each other.
The other thing that annoys the hell out of me is that while one can teach literacy, one cannot teach someone to be a creative writer. It's a talent, and it requires a combination of several innate skills, including imagination, analysis, an ear for rhythm (language), and more.
In the 60s, a study was done of all bestselling authors. They were all gifted - 140 and above. One cannot teach a talent. One can teach a skill to a certain level, and that's about it. People with natural talents will always outshine people who don't.
Lastly, the nonsense about character driven being superior to plot driven is nonsense. Commercial fiction outsells literary fiction any day of the week. About 18 months ago, I read a story in the Guardian that literary publishers were closing their doors because their books didn't sell. Well, of course, not.
And one does not have to 'grow a character' or have unhappy depressing things happen toa character to have the character have depth. One can tell simple stories without that.
Oh, there are a lot of 'lastly's' over here. This, too - literary prizes don't make a book good. The actual prize is always for a book that deals with certain issues, and the people on literary committees (including the Nobel prize committee) always consult with academia.
In my humble opinion, having attending several courses at college in the genre, I have yet to meet a professor who can write. The old adage is true - those who can, do, and those who can't, teach. :)
Rant, over. :)
In a way, although I have invested a lot on this platform, sometimes, it's simply time to move on.
