#I like to think that if terry pratchett were still alive he'd be doing the same and tearing jkr to shreds

[cephalopod-celabrator]

J. K. Rowling and Neil Gaiman are such a funny contrast to me, like Rowling: Oh, and by the way, I put gay characters in my books. People: Is there anything... showing that? Rowling: No. Also trans women don't deserve respect People: wtf Gaiman: Here are some immortals that transcend all human concepts of gender and attraction who use a variety of pronouns, and also some clearly canon human queers. People: Are the immortals queer? Gaiman: That is an entirely valid way to view them. Other people: Ugh, pushing a modern woke agenda. It used to be- Gaiman: Fuck you

#j.k. rowling #neil gaiman #fuck jkr #queer #desire of the endless #good omens #sandman #queer pride #protect trans lives #I like to think that if terry pratchett were still alive he'd be doing the same and tearing jkr to shreds

[petermorwood]

I always feel like I learn so much from your Discworld and Pterry posts. Do you happen to know of anything in the way of a blog or lectures that he may have done? I'm reading Guards! Guards! and I'd love any insight to how he did his writing. I know of A Slip of the Keyboard, is there anything else? Thanks!

You've already mentioned "A Slip of the Keyboard" - which for those who don't already know is a collection of Terry's non-fiction. It was compiled and published during his lifetime, so he'd definitely have had input on what was and wasn't included.

You might get additional information by asking at @terryandrob (the official account) on Twitter; meanwhile there are various interviews, talks and lectures on YouTube, but (AFAIK, anyway) there were never any special "Here's how I do it" videos.

I don't think he ever had a blog, however the L-Space website has a collection of information including quotes (NB that some are quite old), and writer Patrick Rothfuss cites an interview Terry had with The Onion back in 1995, which includes this gem:

Pratchett: I had a decent lunch, and I’m feeling quite amiable. That’s why you’re still alive. I think you’d have to explain to me why you’ve asked that question.

Terry always seemed to regard his private opinions and his public book-touring, interview-guesting persona as two things best kept separate (this changed post-Alzheimers, with good reason). But as @neil-gaiman pointed out on more than one occasion, he was never just a twinkly-eyed silver-bearded pixie who wrote funny stories, even though some sectors of press and public never grasped this and some haven’t yet.

Terry was a man whose writing was fuelled by anger at stupidities large and small; a reason why I’ve often suspected that had he lived to write Discworld novels inspired by the past and present few years, we would have an unlimited energy source to match solar.

But since that anger was balanced by his sense of humour, Discworld books can be handled without heatproof tongs, and Terry didn’t drown the interviewer in whatever drinks they were having.

Would someone actually “drown” in a banana daiquiri or is it so thick that the operative verb is “choke”? Enquiring minds etc. :-P

Instead he went on to explain why the question vexed him, and we, including the interviewer I hope, learned something as a result.

Hope this helps!

#GNU Terry Pratchett #writing #writer advice