Comments on: Learning an important writing lesson early on http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:39:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Darmok http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/comment-page-1/#comment-540 Darmok Mon, 26 Mar 2007 04:36:42 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/#comment-540 Ah, I'm not familiar with that <em>The Mote in God's Eye</em>; perhaps I should read it. I do tend to agree with you. One of my English teachers used to always remark that the purpose of literature was to explore the human condition. I used to think it was an generalization at the time, but now that I think about it, it seems to be largely true. Ah, I’m not familiar with that The Mote in God’s Eye; perhaps I should read it.

I do tend to agree with you. One of my English teachers used to always remark that the purpose of literature was to explore the human condition. I used to think it was an generalization at the time, but now that I think about it, it seems to be largely true.

]]> By: Cyde Weys http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/comment-page-1/#comment-538 Cyde Weys Sun, 25 Mar 2007 19:22:01 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/#comment-538 That's the kind of thing I'm thinking just simply wouldn't work. That there is nothing really like it is probably good anecdotal evidence that such a thing isn't possible. Sure, there are aliens whose motives are incomprehensible (say, the Moties in <i>The Mote In God's Eye</i>), but the principal characters in that book are humans who are trying to decipher this alien race. I can't see something being successful coming from the POV of the truly alien race. That’s the kind of thing I’m thinking just simply wouldn’t work. That there is nothing really like it is probably good anecdotal evidence that such a thing isn’t possible. Sure, there are aliens whose motives are incomprehensible (say, the Moties in The Mote In God’s Eye), but the principal characters in that book are humans who are trying to decipher this alien race. I can’t see something being successful coming from the POV of the truly alien race.

]]> By: Darmok http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/comment-page-1/#comment-532 Darmok Sun, 25 Mar 2007 05:28:53 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/#comment-532 Right, and of course, they end up interacting with humans. As a side note: is it possible for human authors to write about aliens that are not understandable by humans? Of course not in the extreme, but it would be neat to read about aliens with a very different psychology than ours. Right, and of course, they end up interacting with humans.

As a side note: is it possible for human authors to write about aliens that are not understandable by humans? Of course not in the extreme, but it would be neat to read about aliens with a very different psychology than ours.

]]> By: Cyde Weys http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/comment-page-1/#comment-521 Cyde Weys Sat, 24 Mar 2007 14:43:36 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/#comment-521 Yes, I've read that book, and it was one of the things I was thinking about when I wrote the exceptions section that included non-humans with human-like motivations. That book was still very readable because, even though the aliens didn't have the form of humans, they were understandable by humans. Yes, I’ve read that book, and it was one of the things I was thinking about when I wrote the exceptions section that included non-humans with human-like motivations. That book was still very readable because, even though the aliens didn’t have the form of humans, they were understandable by humans.

]]> By: Darmok http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/comment-page-1/#comment-515 Darmok Sat, 24 Mar 2007 06:48:22 +0000 http://www.cydeweys.com/blog/index.php/2007/03/23/learning-an-important-writing-lesson-early-on/#comment-515 Have you ever read Asimov's <em>The Gods Themselves</em>? While it, too, is dominated by human characters, a significant portion of the book takes place on an alien world. It's one of the few (or only) stories I can think of that deals, at least for a time, exclusively with a very non-human alien. Have you ever read Asimov’s The Gods Themselves? While it, too, is dominated by human characters, a significant portion of the book takes place on an alien world. It’s one of the few (or only) stories I can think of that deals, at least for a time, exclusively with a very non-human alien.

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