Funny comments at Miss Snark's
Check out the comments on this entry in the crapometer. Given that the author is fourteen it's hilarious to see all these commentor falling all over themselves to say she doesn't sound like a teenager. My favorite one is the one who says the character has to sound a lot bitchier to sound realistic. Wow!! Way to let your prejudices show.
Just for a second let's replace the word teenager with the word black - so we have people saying that in order to sound authentically black you have to sound bitchier, black people don't say "fab," they don't say stereo, etc. Of course then the complaints about the word "locks" doesn't work because I have several black friends who use locks as a diminutive for dreadlocks, but you get the idea.
Why would these commentors be stuffing adolescents into little boxes and saying they do do this or they don't do that? The first step in being cruel to someone is to make them an other. It's hard to be mean to someone who's part of your tribe so you have to make them not one of us. Then when something bad happens to them you can shrug and talk about how you take care of your own. Maybe those Smiths hit their wives but us Jones treat them with respect. That tribe over there puts their elders on the ice floe but we go to ours for wisdom. But at the same time you make no move to help Mrs. Smith or Grandpa Other Tribe because he's no longer your problem.
(Many) adults hate and or are wildly jealous of kids and take every chance they get to lash out at them. By making them other and pretending that a) the kid will never be their age and b) they were never the kid's age they can be very comfortable making laws that say things like all teenagers have to be inside by ten o clock or only one child can be inside the 7/11 at a time.
Imagine making those same rules for a member of AARP and think how far you'd get.
Labels: ageism, Miss Snark, prejudice
posted by Georgiana @ 7:52 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
Well, here I was laughing over the fact that someone posted a comment on my crapometer entry complaining that my character didn't sound at all 12 years old (when the text clearly states that he is 14), and then I read your post and realize I didn't read carefully enough to find out that the author of that was only 14 years old! Funny! The joke's on me!
However, if the author truly is 14, then s/he might be trying to sound older. Many of my students do a "fake" narrator thing when they write, trying to imitate adult authors.
Ah, well. It's obvious that a lot of us need to read more carefully.
Anyway, I wanted to thank you for both of your comments on my crapometer entry (Confessions of an Average Half-Vampire.) I did indeed read both of them, and I am pleased to know your 14-year-old was hooked. Many of my own students argue over who gets to check out one of the 11 copies of the manuscript that circulate at the school where I teach each time one is returned, but I thought it might be just due to the novelty of having one's teacher messing about with fiction writing. It's refreshing to find that a kid who doesn't know me wants to read the book.
I am also MOST honored by your comment that "when" the book is published you'd like to know. wow. Thanks for your vote of confidence. I will most certainly inform you if that ever happens, but I haven't even queried an agent yet, so it could be a while.
Thanks again!
I think you're absolutely right, the 14 year old author is trying to sound more mature - or perhaps just normally writes above their grade level and is having a little trouble letting go of being formal.
You're more than welcome for the compliments; you well deserved them.
I wish you the best of luck and I hope you don't wait too long before sending pages to agents or editors. I tend to get overwhelmed and not send things out but if the part you posted is the weakest of the book it is most definitely ready for the world.
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