tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6265859646680791397.post6600854832713927445..comments2023-12-15T17:44:30.163-07:00Comments on Hayden's Ferry Review: Contributor Spotlight: Alan Stewart CarlHFRhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16665203051008950989noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6265859646680791397.post-25742311150187209042011-01-25T14:19:36.826-07:002011-01-25T14:19:36.826-07:00Glad to see some discussion on the responsibilitie...Glad to see some discussion on the responsibilities of writers (and artists) to engage with the world. I'm troubled by the prevalence and mis-use of the "personal is political" claim, wrenched from the jaws of feminism and misapplied to justify self-absorbed, insular artwork. Thrilled to think carefully about how privilege (since as Gay points out, we are all privileged here to someE. Menahttp://www.alluringlyshort.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6265859646680791397.post-1721989681803773862011-01-22T11:53:54.844-07:002011-01-22T11:53:54.844-07:00If you want navel-gazing upper-middle class white ...If you want navel-gazing upper-middle class white male perspective, look no further than: http://www.amazon.com/Slide-Novel-Kyle-Beachy/dp/0385341857<br /><br />But seriously, good points have been made here. Honesty is important. Perspective is also extremely important. We're never going to get a Dostoevsky out of skateboarding popular white kids from the suburbs of St. Louis, but you can Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6265859646680791397.post-15170035193692919012011-01-11T12:06:05.483-07:002011-01-11T12:06:05.483-07:00I'd agree that no voice is irrelevant, but I t...I'd agree that no voice is irrelevant, but I think a story can be. In fact, I think one of the hardest things about fiction is making it relevant (i.e. necessary). We all have something vital to say, but expressing it isn't easy.<br /><br />What I'm trying to say is: relevance -- in this particular context -- is a matter of connecting the self to something larger. So without that Alan Stewart Carlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03871726398477453494noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6265859646680791397.post-88317341357136880832011-01-07T10:53:04.275-07:002011-01-07T10:53:04.275-07:00I think this is so interesting. On the one hand, I...I think this is so interesting. On the one hand, I think the most important thing a writer can do is be completely honest. That means no posturing, no writing about certain topics for the sake of checking them off of a "relevancy" list. On the other hand, honesty means taking risks, and pushing art into new territory. The thing about fiction is it's always about people, Beth Stapleshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04653293779806440706noreply@blogger.com