A Conservative Journey Through Literary America – Part 8: The Way Forward
by Matt PattersonThis series of essays was not intended to be a laundry list of conservative literary authors – laundry lists are always boring and never helpful. Instead, they were intended to be an investigation only, examining the dearth of conservatives in literature with an eye toward discovering the reason for this curious state of affairs and formulating a course for its possible correction.
As to the first, we have reached a tentative answer: A combination of temperament and values in the conservative mind combine to make the writing life both less suitable for, and less attractive to, conservatives. The question remains: What is to be done?
Let us state the obvious first – conservatives who are so inclined must write, write often, and write well. But that is not enough. They must submit their work to literary magazines, publishing houses and agencies, large and small, again and again if need be. Getting your work to market is a long, disappointing slog, with no guarantee of success for even the best of work. Liberal writers know this and engage the process nonetheless; conservatives must do likewise.
But what to write? Some will argue that conservatives should write material with explicit conservative themes. This, I think, would be a mistake. While explicit themes have their place, over-reliance on them would make conservative authors niche artists who preach to the converted only (or at least mostly).
Far better, in my view, to write the best stories possible without worrying too much about politics – a good story, told well, will garner readers from across the political spectrum. Conservative values will nonetheless naturally shine through, and will be all the more powerful for their subtlety.
And finally, conservatives who despond over the lack of conservatism in the arts need to look to the next generation: Do we teach our children that conservatism and the arts are not incompatible? Were we so taught by our parents? Do we encourage artistic gifts in our kids when and if they arise? If values are at the heart of the matter, then the only way conservatives will compete in the literary world (or any art) is if we change how we view and value the arts, and that kind of change can only begin in the home.
In closing, I would like to thank the readers that stuck with me through the end of this series. And I would especially like to thank John Nolte, Andrew Breitbart, and Big Hollywood for taking a chance on this long and discursive journey, and for all their efforts to advance conservatism in the arts.
For conservatives to triumph politically, we must compete culturally. That means not just commenting on art – but making some.
Let’s get to work.
[Ed. note: You can read a new chapter of this eight-part series every Saturday and Sunday morning. Previous chapters –Part one, two, three, four, five, six. and seven.]
Matt Patterson is a columnist and commentator whose work has appeared in The Washington Examiner, The Baltimore Sun, and Pajamas Media. He is the author of “Union of Hearts: The Abraham Lincoln & Ann Rutledge Story.” His email is mpatterson.column@gmail.com
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36 Comments
I heartily applaud your series Matt and found it to be well worthwhile. In my case, my children are well grown but I do agree with the notion of looking to the future. In particular, parents must be constantly on guard against the teachers who often work hard to brain-wash the young,
Excellent series, Matt.
"Poetic Possibility"____Fragmentation and multiplication-__It's not really nothing more__Than a series of symbols__In isolation-__Regardless of what is said__By those__Who have simply taught__The triumph of the imagination.____It involves__A lot more than that,__Or watch me__Pull a rabbit out of my hat-____Especially considering-__Those who have long,__Or quite suddenly-__Grasped the completely poetic possibility__Of knowing something's there-__Even though__At the exact same moment,__They also know__It's something that they cannot see:____And therein lies the key.__
We recently had a discussion about this at our blog, in the context of Christian fiction.
Was it C.S. Lewis who said that the world doesn’t need more Christian books, but more Christian authors? Or something like that. In other words, your values permeate everything you create. So a good writer who is a serious Christian will produce literature that is “good” in both senses.
(Continued)
I’m going to trot out my Lord of the Rings mania. Tolkien wrote a book that is absolutely steeped in Christian belief (and in places his own particular “brand” of Christianity, Catholicism.) It is embedded inextricably in the story, the characters, their motives, and their dialogue. And if you blink, you’ll miss it, because it’s not a “Christian” work. It’s a true work. And as such, it appeals to all readers, even those who are not Catholics, or other Christians, or believers at all. It calls to us in a way that humans have been constructed to hear, saying, “Come, let me tell you a true story.”
The same applies to conservatism.
If art is ultimately about expressing, communicating, and conveying, then to me, we are back to man creating meaning and substance; pointing a way to a meaningful experience through life by way of one's art.
If that is so, then I think you have just done that.
Thanks
Okay! I promise I'll work on editing my novel today!
I've been working on a book on and off for about a year. I don't think I'll ever get it published, in the unlikely event that I finish it, but I guess that's what Lulu and iUniverse are for.
I've been working on a book on and off for about a year. I don't think I'll ever get it published, in the unlikely event that I finish it, but I guess that's what Lulu and iUniverse are for.
Watch out — self-publishing has a bad stigma attached to it.
http://www.superheronation.com/2009/03/07/why-fir...
And Booklocker and Booksurge and a hundred thousand boutique and POD presses, Jake – just make it good, and get an outside editor. Put bits of your book online, show it to friends and to other writers. Tell a ripping good story about real people, market the hell out of it, make it available as a e-book or Kindle edition and the readers will come.
I've already done four books, all historical novels set on the Western frontier – all full of drama and romance and adventure. (To Truckee's Trail, and the Adelsverein Trilogy) What could be more dramatic than the old West, with wagon trains and cattle drives, Texas Rangers, the Civil War and the coming of European immigrants to the wild Texas frontier – but I've also managed to weave in respect for religious beliefs, the value of family and community, and what a bold and daring experiment the American venture was, nothing overtly conservative or religious, but it's all there.
Celia Hayes
Thanks. Good job!
"Far better, in my view, to write the best stories possible without worrying too much about politics – a good story, told well, will garner readers from across the political spectrum. Conservative values will nonetheless naturally shine through, and will be all the more powerful for their subtlety."
Truer words were never spoken.
This is why I read a lot of "fantasy/sci fi". There are many "conservative" books and authors which can be found in this genre, and there are some absolutely brilliant literary gems that are not consumed in the "mainstream" because of the Genre label. All Fiction books are "fantasy." But I suppose because of the clear lines of Good vs Evil often found in these Genres it would be hard to be a liberal author. In fact, I can always tell when the author is very liberal because the story ends up being cynical and unfulfilling, even if it is inventive and imaginative.
The other thing is that often in many novels, the author can end up making points for conservative ideals, even if they are not aware of it. But I often find myself reading the novel and seeing how a liberal could take away the same thing, although in their mind, reinforce their own liberalism. At the end of the day, it is the Reader's perception that ultimately matters, and this is why a good story is Universal.
Key word, "read". Reading is something not encouraged enough in the yutes either. We started early with our two, and when my sister had our first boy in the family, I encouraged her to constantly read to him. He is now going into first grade, and LOVES to read. We have kids today who spend way too much time on the net, playing video games, and watching really bad television programs.
Another way to encourage writing, and hopefully good writers is to give the crumb crunchers journals to write in as soon as they can write. This translates to better writing skills, and also verbal skills in how to communicate with others. Even if kids do not pursue writing as a profession, no mater what they become, they will have to communicate in their professions by writing and verbal skills.
"For conservatives to triumph politically, we must compete culturally. That means not just commenting on art – but making some."
Words to remember and to live by.
Thank you Matt for this exceptional series. When the discussion of 'why' Big Hollywood is so important, one only need point to articles such as the ones you've written over these past weeks. As a man who has been fortunate to work as an actor over many years, along the way discovering other passions as photography, creating various art pieces as well, I could not agree with you more. Being able to share my work with family, friends and strangers, on the road, has made it all the more satisfying.
Just keep doing your work, following your passions in life and things seem to take care of themselves at the end of the day.
Continued success, good health to you Matt.
No offense, Jim, but if you insist that your stories have clear lines of Good and Evil, you're likely going to end up with a bad story. There's a reason why Satan is the most interesting character in Paradise Lost, and why Shakespeare's villains are so well remembered, and it's because all of those authors knew that simple definitions of Good and Evil fail as literature (frankly, simple designations fail as psychology, politics, and human endeavors as well). Think of Captain Ahab from Moby Dick. Is he good? Evil? No: he's far too complicated, and as a result, people are still reading Moby Dick 150 years later.
I'd also stay away from "you can always tell"-type readings, too. You would never guess what kind of people Wallace Stevens and TS Eliot were in real life on the basis of their poetry.
Terry Goodkind springs immediately to mind. Though there are others in all the "genres."
Tell a good story, make your characters real people, and conservatism is the natural result—intended or not.
Conservatives read? Who would have thunk?
You never know, Jake. Your comments from way back in the "Dirty Harry's Place" days always have struck me as especially thoughtful and well-written.
Keep trying to get published. I don't know if you write fiction or non-fiction, but writing a good short story or getting an essay or article published in a small journal could be a first step to gaining attention for a longer work.
Which book? Or are you speaking of all his work?
I've been reading and re-reading Tolkien's work since I was 10 and even at that age I recognized the heavy religous influence. I attended Catholic Schools for 12 yrs so I was probably a little more in tune with the religous aspect at that age then most kids.
The thing is that after all these years I still do not know much about Mr.Tolkien. (political leanings, religion, etc…) Laziness on my part has kept me from learning more about the author, but I would be very suprised if he was not some form of conservative.
You are correct about his work being "absolutely steeped in Christian belief" but as you also said blink and you will miss it……I think liberals would be suprised by this if they actually took the time read the books and not just fawn over the movies (which are good, but minus the religious aspect!?) .
how witty
Wizard's First Rule is so anti-communist! It made me smile.
Yes Siree! Book learnin' is fun………………….
It's that danged addin' an subtractin' all us back-wood hill folk kain't do………….
Interesting series, but why the focus on "literature" and not just "fiction?" Because popular fiction is what shapes the culture, far more than the Great Books shoved at us in english class. This week's New York Times hardcover bestseller list is stocked with mysteries, thrillers, romances and vampires. Not a big "L" literary work among 'em. Newsflash: most people read…for fun. Most budding writers have day jobs, and squeeze in their writing in the wee hours before the kids got up or after they went to bed. Many have careers in other fields before scratching that writing itch and turning out a book. It's about hard work, sweat and determination, and sticking to a task until you succeed, values that it seems to me conservatives often like to claim exclusively. I read across a variety of genres but I don't bother to evaluate or even think about the author's politics. If it's a good story, I'll pick up another. And another. If it's a pedantic treatise, I'll drop it faster than a moldy cupcake. (confession: Atlas Shrugged has been glaring at me balefully from the nightstand for months. Dear God, I try but that thing is CHLOROFORM! Bring on Anita Blake!) There's no magic formula (aside from Oprah's blessing) to make a book a sure fire bestseller. As other said in this thread, write what you love and success will follow.
Thank you for saying this!
I hear ya! Now to get cracking on that novel…I hope I can complete it…
I was speaking specifically about The Lord of the Rings, because that's the book I'm most familiar with.
Tolkien's parents both died when he and his younger brother were still children. He was raised by a Roman Catholic priest, and he remained Catholic his whole life—one of his sons became a priest.
Here's a story that tells you a lot about him. He fell in love with the woman who would become his wife while he was at college. His guardian, the priest, forbade him to see her because she'd interfere with his studies. He wrote her one letter explaining this and dropped all contact. The day he graduated, he went to her and proposed.
Read "The Letters of J.R.R. Tolkien" and you get a good view of the man. I was most impressed with his response to the German publisher who wanted him to certify he was not a Jew before they'd publish the translation of The Hobbit. The letters he wrote in answer to fans are fascinating for anyone who loved LOTR.
Satan is surely the most interesting character in Paradise Lost, but that doesn't mean he's a mixture of good and evil. He's evil. Iago is evil. Claudius is evil. Macbeth and his wife are evil.
Or maybe I should say, all those characters function within the story as "the bad guy."
I think you're mistaking "realistic" for "morally ambiguous."
Thank you very much for the information.
This puts many of his other works into a better context. "The Silmirillion" is one you should read. Be warned though it is not an easy read. It delves far deeper into Tolkien's world than the LOTR or The Hobbit. I think you will be very suprised by it……..
I cringe every time I see a derisive comment about how the Great Books are "shoved" at you in school. There's a reason why these books are considered great, and even genre writers should take the time and put forth the effort to figure out *why* they're great. Even Stephen King reads Ian McEwan and Cormac McCarthy, in addition to genre fiction.
Know what's on the Tolkiens' tombstones?
"Beren" and "Luthien."
Take it from a guy who loves to read and will someday write non-fiction history, journals suck. If you have boys and make them write in journals, you will turn them off. When I took the ACT, my english score dragged me way down on the total, I hated english. Guess what? In the 12 years after high school spent reading vast quanties my english skills have caught up. A love of reading will, in time, cover any weaknesses.
Persistence is key, but it's not whining to point out that the odds are stacked against any writer who creates morally good characters in interesting plots.
Today's market divides (like films) into roughly two categories: 'serious' literature with grim characters in grim, plotless novels and 'entertaining' books about crude, crass, juvenile nonsense of interest to virtually no one. There are exceptions, but rarely.
A 'serious' novel about a Latina transgendered professor of eco-anthropology battling the evil forces of 'big business' to save the rain forest in Africa would go over well. An 'entertaining' novel about some dippy ex-housewife searching the world's desert locations for the perfect tan, dripping with cynicism to suggest that humans can never be anything better than this creature, might also get a favorable consideration.
But even such lightweight but skilled writers like Ken Follett and Jeffrey Archer would probably never get published if they were starting out today, unless they had personal connections.
If there's a literary agent alive who is not a nihilist, left-wing, or post-modern I've yet to run across him or her after five years of serious searching.
I agree with you, Mike. Perhaps I worded my original comment poorly. But it's worth noting that all of those characters are also the most interesting and *appealing* characters in their respective poems and plays. MacBeth is downright sympathetic at various points.
I think we're saying the same thing then.
A realistic (and therefore to some degree sympathetic) villain's purpose is to be defeated. I agree that if your villain (or your hero) is portrayed one-dimensionally, you haven't told a good story.
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