You know, I think that deliberately making your novel "timeless" in an attempt for greatness is self-indulgent. Many of the great works of literature are not particularly timeless. Or rather, they're timeless in the sense that people have the same nature, regardless of external situations. But much of great literature actually does engage directly with the social mores and problems of its time.
Actually, I think "self-indulgent" describes a lot of how I feel about many modern literary novels. And why I'm not sure it's terrible if they're endangered. Books? Yes, I'm worried. I don't want books to go away. But what the current community dubs "literature"? Whatever.
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branchandroot
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Date: 2009-04-22 04:11 pm (UTC)Actually, I think "self-indulgent" describes a lot of how I feel about many modern literary novels. And why I'm not sure it's terrible if they're endangered. Books? Yes, I'm worried. I don't want books to go away. But what the current community dubs "literature"? Whatever.