Delany's About Writing: Seven Essays. Four Letters, and Five Interviews --- A Rare Science Fiction Novel Escape

----- Samuel R. Delany, Acclaimed Science Fiction Novelist

----- About Writing, a how to on what you might understand on science fiction and to write your own epic

----- Dhalgren Theory, an upcoming Persian novel of science fiction

Delany is a science fiction novelist of screen legend who has an awesome and concise novel of interviews and letters that I screen on Dhalgren theory for a narrative on science fiction epics from times before, how we might do them, and how you can maybe look at the next science fiction epics that are coming out. My novel soon coming up, Dhalgren theory, isa  fun look at genre breaking science fiction narrative. 

Delany’s About Writing:

How to write escapist fiction, from a science fiction master

Seven Essays, Four Letters, and Five Interviews

A science fiction writer shows his talents in other fields

Intensely

Samuel R. Delany, currently a professor of English and Creative Writing at Temple University, has been an icon of science fiction literature for years. For a while, his career was solely found in his novels.

In About Writing, he tackles what makes a writer who he really is, and has notes on how to get rewarded the most for the simple act of reading. Paramount among the pages is Delany’s genius with thoughts, ideas and words.

In the beginning of the book, Delany writes that there are good writers and talented writers. Often the talented writers are the ones you would least expect. Delany offers an example of a woman with low English scores in schol, but had immense talent when it came to stories.

Delany notes that inspiration is a writers greatest asset, and that art which doesn’t entertain disappears.  He gives a list of works written for writers that had a deep effect on him; for instance, Ezra Pound’s ABC of Reading.

Delany offers many valuable lessons for writers in his book. He subscribes to Gertrude Stein’s thought that, when deciding to choose a new paragraph, a writer should get all the emotions down into one paragraph and when you run out of words begin a new one. This is helpful advice for aspiring writers, and it continues.

He does make some content mistakes, by choosing to give every detail and listing things. This can be forgiven because the ideas in the text are sound. When Delany gives examples of writers who influenced him it takes up a page; some readers could find this dull.

Delany offers explanations on technique and what to avoid in fiction. He believes most published writing is illogical, and the same for TV shows, action movies, and comics – the stories do not develop.

Delany strikes some chords when he writes that stories should be about money or how to acquire it.

He explains his experiences in the renowned Clarion Writers Workshop (a workshop for short story writers of the Sci-Fi and fantasy, formerly at Michigan State University,  now to be in California). He offers some of the exercises he gave at these classes.

Perhaps the most stark example from this book, came from when Delany offered his first essay. In this essay he brought out an excellent metaphor on painting that applies to writing: “The eye is what need to learn; not the hand.”

He also offers what is needed from a writer in terms of description. A writer’s main job with characterization is what needs to be described more and what speaks for itself.

There is also plenty of background information on Delany given in his essays. As an African American homosexual writer, his background is sure to fascinate any reader.

In the fifth essay, Delany discusses what to do about doubts when writing fiction. Sometimes abandoning a story might be a major mistake. Another option to rejuvenate writing is to take all the characteristics of a scene and write down what the character might notice.

In essence, Delany keeps everything simple; and for a master of the craft to do so – when he could just as easily over-complicate – is a refreshing moment. “Without this moment,” he says of good writing, “this series of moments, this concatenation of doubts about language shattered by language the text is only a document of time passed with some paper, of time spent pondering a passage through a dream.” He does, obviously, show is genius constantly.

He writes that not every is suitable to be a writer. If you can’t learn how to write interesting text and subtext then maybe you should find another profession. And the inner critic needs to be small but sharp.

All sound advice from a successful writer. About Writing is a perfect entry for any dedicated writer into thinking beyond just putting words to paper, but making them shine. As Delany might say, there is enough bad fiction for all of us, so your chances of being a writer might be better than you think.