The reading was great, even though it was overcrowded and loud so I couldn't always hear what he was saying. I took notes as best I could typing on my phone.
On world building:
When asked about the size of the cities (in The City & The City) he says he knows, but "doesn't want to domesticate the setting" by revealing details like that.
"I draw the maps, but then I leave blank spaces." Some things about the setting he doesn't define, and some things he intentionally holds back. "We should really resist filling in the spaces on the maps."
Something that we as geeks do is wanting to explore everything about a world. But sometimes, giving a sequel spoils it a bit.
He's had dreams about being in his own fictional cities, and that's the "most unspeakably cool thing."
The idea for the setting of a book comes to him before the plot. Then come the set of events that have to happen, and the narrative makes a path through the events.
"The fantastic in general is related to religious writing," seeing the city behind the city and seeing bigger patterns in everything. He mentions The Da Vinci Code as an example of this drive. "It's an approach that's problematic in life, but not in fiction."
"The logic of the separation of the cities is not a fantastic logic. It's a completely everyday logic, a realistic logic, just a little bit extrapolated."
On writing:
"It's a paradox of noir that honorable and noble people are so because they refuse to confront the bigger issues."
The author as a character "can come across as incredibly mannered and twee and erudite." But it can also be used well -- he mentions the writer character in Canterbury Tales.
"We need to expand our idea of what is political fiction." The City & The City is a very political book, even though the protagonist is an apolitical man. Political fiction doesn't need to make a political point or involve political activists as characters. "The place for me to make a political argument is not in fiction. The point of fiction is to create a good story and keep people turning pages. If I wanted to make a political argument I'd write nonfiction."
Projects:
They're working on a role playing game based on something from his books (I missed which world it's related to) and he's very excited about it.
He's writing a "big fat fantasy book" that's more like Perdido Street Station than City&City. There's also a science fiction novel that's almost ready to go. There are people that want writers to always write the same thing. They liked the first book, so they come back for more. He's hoping readers will follow him through different genres, even though they have no obligation to.
Posted by blueworld
On world building:
When asked about the size of the cities (in The City & The City) he says he knows, but "doesn't want to domesticate the setting" by revealing details like that.
"I draw the maps, but then I leave blank spaces." Some things about the setting he doesn't define, and some things he intentionally holds back. "We should really resist filling in the spaces on the maps."
Something that we as geeks do is wanting to explore everything about a world. But sometimes, giving a sequel spoils it a bit.
He's had dreams about being in his own fictional cities, and that's the "most unspeakably cool thing."
The idea for the setting of a book comes to him before the plot. Then come the set of events that have to happen, and the narrative makes a path through the events.
"The fantastic in general is related to religious writing," seeing the city behind the city and seeing bigger patterns in everything. He mentions The Da Vinci Code as an example of this drive. "It's an approach that's problematic in life, but not in fiction."
"The logic of the separation of the cities is not a fantastic logic. It's a completely everyday logic, a realistic logic, just a little bit extrapolated."
On writing:
"It's a paradox of noir that honorable and noble people are so because they refuse to confront the bigger issues."
The author as a character "can come across as incredibly mannered and twee and erudite." But it can also be used well -- he mentions the writer character in Canterbury Tales.
"We need to expand our idea of what is political fiction." The City & The City is a very political book, even though the protagonist is an apolitical man. Political fiction doesn't need to make a political point or involve political activists as characters. "The place for me to make a political argument is not in fiction. The point of fiction is to create a good story and keep people turning pages. If I wanted to make a political argument I'd write nonfiction."
Projects:
They're working on a role playing game based on something from his books (I missed which world it's related to) and he's very excited about it.
He's writing a "big fat fantasy book" that's more like Perdido Street Station than City&City. There's also a science fiction novel that's almost ready to go. There are people that want writers to always write the same thing. They liked the first book, so they come back for more. He's hoping readers will follow him through different genres, even though they have no obligation to.
Posted by blueworld
