ATTN:JMS: writing and literary theory

[B5JMS Poster]

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From: Maia  Bernstein <mb210 at columbia.edu>
Date: 8 Mar 2000 14:51:36 -0700
Lines: 14

Joe,
	You have a degree in literature, don't you?  I'm curious: to what
extent has knowledge of literary *theory* (as opposed to having read
widely) influenced/not influnced/been crucial for/been irrelevant to
your writing?

Thanks,
Maia Bernstein

--pondering the relationship in my own life between studying literary
theory and writing literature




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From: jmsatb5 at aol.com (Jms at B5)
Date: 9 Mar 2000 22:18:01 -0700
Lines: 31

>You have a degree in literature, don't you?  

Not really.  I have a Bachelor's degree in Clinical Psychology with a minor in
Philosophy, and a second Bachelor's in Sociology with a minor in Literature.

> I'm curious: to what
>extent has knowledge of literary *theory* (as opposed to having read
>widely) influenced/not influnced/been crucial for/been irrelevant to
>your writing?

Totally irrelevant.  I find most literary theory dry, academic, and useless. 
It's there to provide academicians a platform to stand on in trying to
interpret fiction, but at the other end of the keyboard, there's not a bit of
it that I've found useful (though obviously your mileage may vary).

I've always encouraged fledgling writers that if they want to actually *work*
as writers they should get a degree in ANYthing other than literature.

 jms

(jmsatb5 at aol.com)
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http://www.thestation.com
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