ATTM:JMS is the reincarnation of......

[b5jms-owner at cs.columbia.edu]

Subject: ATTM:JMS is the reincarnation of......
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 No. | DATE        |  FROM
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+  1: Apr 21, 1996: KKKKatie <Kate at carterce.demon.co.uk>
*  2: Apr 22, 1996: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)

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From: KKKKatie <Kate at carterce.demon.co.uk>
Lines: 81

JMS IS THE REINCARNATION OF.....

Charles Dickens.

	Now, I don't believe in reincarnation, however I have noticed
a number of quite startling similarities between JMS and CD which, if not
evidence of reincarnation, is perhaps evidence that certain psychological 
types and types of personal history lead to people who produce certain 
kinds of work.

	I first noticed the similarity during the discussion of the number 
of episodes Joe has written and it struck me then that, rather than 
attempting to find television writers with similar credits, a more accurate 
comparison might be with CD who wrote his novels in weekly or monthly 
instalments.

	After that the list of similarities began to grow:-

1.  Both produce works with enormous casts of characters in which comedy 
and tragedy are closely linked.
2.  Both producing episodic works to a plan, although this is only true of 
CD's later, greater works.
3.  Both producing episodic works with surprisingly little writing done 
in advance of it being required.
4.  Both willing to walk away from projects, even if that loses them money, 
in order to maintain control.
5.  Both willing to enter into correspondence with their readers/viewers
6.  Both using that dialogue as a source of encouragement and, for want 
of a better word, support.
7.  Both spending far too much time arguing with people not worth arguing 
with in order (as they see it) to protect their reputations and that of 
their work.
7.  (And this is the really spooky one) Both *literally* visualising the 
story as it unfolds.
8.  (Nearly as spooky) Both having a photographic memory for names and 
faces. I was at Wolf in the UK and I can vouch for the accuracy of Joe's 
memories. CD had a similar memory, particularly of his childhood and early 
years.
9.  Both willing to take a monetary loss for the sake of maintaining the 
quality and integrity of their work (CD made little or nothing on A 
Christmas Carol)
10. Both *very* insistent on the artist's rights under copyright.
11. (Working from memory of a speech by Joe at Wolf last year) Both 
believing in the power and importance of "will power" as a vital component 
to effort and achievement and both perhaps tending to under-estimate how 
difficult that is for some people.
12. Both working from a powerful but not dogmatic moral sense. - I saw a 
very characteristic "Be nice to one another" post the other day which 
could have come from either of them.
13. Both supporting what appears to be a huge work load and an enormous 
correspondence.
14. Neither prepared to reveal the end of their stories in advance (So, Joe, 
who do you think killed Edwin Drood?)
15. I also believe that, given his love of the popular theatre of the day, 
had he been born in this time CD would have written at least partly for 
television.
16. Both had unsettled childhoods with a history of parental debt.
17. Both started in journalism.
18. Both apparently having no compunction in repeating the praise others 
give to their work.

There are more but I'll leave it there

	Now, much as I enjoy Babylon5, I don't think (sorry Joe) that it 
can really be compared to some of the greatest novels the world has ever 
seen, however, of its medium, it is undoubtedly a very, very superior 
example indeed.

So........

<cue Twilight Zone music>

Catherine - looking forward to this year's WOLF 359

PS Joe, if you read this, would you agree with me that Gromit was robbed
of the Best Actor Oscar?
-- 
They told me the thing just couldn't be done
With a smile I went right to it
I tackled the thing that couldn't be done
And found that I couldn't do it.

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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Lines: 7

So I guess this means I should cancel my plans for writing "A Tale of Two
Kitties"....


 jms



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