SLPAD - modest to a fault

[Michael Bailey]

Note on pagination - I’m not going to worry much about it


Shorter quote:
“there are some mighty tiresome passages here, juvenile and delinquent too.
At the same time, my best hope is that, pretentious, goofy and
ill-considered as they get now and then, these stories will still be of use
with all their flaws intact, as illustrative of typical problems in
entry-level fiction, and cautionary about some practices which younger
writers might prefer to avoid.”


Basically, is this praising with loud damn or what?

Also - positioning this as a “what not to do” guide to younger writers -
what kind of tactic is this for an introduction?


It’s like, ok - we’re leaving the flaws intact

- so there are presumably some parts that aren’t flaws

- but his “best hope” is that the stories <taken as a whole> will be of use
as “illustrative of…problems…and cautionary about…practices which younger
writers might prefer to avoid.”


Is he being funny - because that’s one way to read it. If these stories are
points on a curve that traces through _V._, _CoL49_, and _GR_ then…
how come “avoid?”
So like I’m sitting here going “yeah right, he’s got his tongue in his
cheek”

Or y’know, maybe those 11 years between GR and SL were fraught with dubiety
& that’s what he really thinks - or did when he wrote it.