Wright Thompson says "Zip it!"

And then this:

A shameless attempt to big-time. Completely uncalled for.

This line is the last resort of those who have run out of arguments. You can do better than that.

 

It just amazes me how this group of writers and other editorial types--people who deal in creativity and ideas--continually demands concensus on what is 'good' or 'bad.'

 

No, he really <i>can't</i> do much better than that. Been watching him pull the same lame shit for years.

 

I hate to keep posting on this thread, because I don't want to keep stirring the pot. But I had to respond to this.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not looking for consensus. I hardly ever do, especially around here. In this thread, and any thread like it on which I've posted, I'm looking for the opposite of consensus.

I wanted to hear people's opinions about the story, whether they thought it worked. I already know how I feel, and I'm not looking for converts.

I think that goes for just about everybody in this discussion, though Mizzougrad probably would prefer a consensus in which everyone likes the same 10 guys he regularly praises and hates all the ignorant hacks at small papers.

 

I was speaking in general, not to you specifically. Threads like this can be so useful to writers who have the willingness to hear WHY someone liked something they hated, or hated something they loved. I liked the Thompson story, didn't see the cease-and-desist angle at all, didn't think it was overwritten. But the fact that others saw it differently is interesting to me....that's all, it's not personal, it's just interesting.

 

To you, 21, and maybe to me, it's not personal, it's just interesting. But to far too many people around here it is about Wright Thompson, not about what he wrote.
I thought the piece was fine ... not great, not bad, but good... and it gave me some info I hadn't heard about the LSU case.

But mostly, aren't we just getting tired of the "Wright Thomspon is a f'ing stud/Wright Thomspon is overrated" BS that goes on here all the time?
If Joe Schmoe had written this piece, Winger wouldn't have posted it and Mizzou wouldn't have resorted to his juvenile insults about anyone who doesn't kiss Wright Thompson's ass.

 

As a guy who thought the Elvis Grbac effort was pathetic, I don't see the same problem here. He's painting a picture, and there's no indication that he's wimping out from talking to the subject. What I get is that even with people leaving notes, presumably in support, she's either hiding out elsewhere or not coming to the door.

The story's fine. Not his best, but this isn't the sort of story that lends itself to somebody looking their best.

MW, I like a lot of your posts, but you really seem to be stretching this time. And again, this comes as somebody who doesn't think Wright walks on water.

 

This type of sensitive story generally works better when someone swoops in rather than from a local perspective, and while the writing reached a bit, I thought it was worthwhile. The assistant angle was sharply reported, as opposed to the SVU stakeout in the driveway.

 

Re: Wright Thompson says \"Zip it!\"

Second to last. The last resort is his prep agate dig. Because anyone who ever dares to sully his hands by taking a prep agate call is less of a journalist and writer, remember?

 

yeah, but does he have the Wright stuff?

 

Posnanski, Schmosnanski...we need to start analyzing Whitlock's stories.

 

It's a good story, and I'm not a big fan of narrative leads. I just think,

Fewer words, more information, no loss of flow. Very minor change, but it improves the story because it immediately gives you a visual mental image of the scene he's describing, of Joe Spano talking to Ed Harris.

To a number of readers, Kranz is a readily identifiable figure, either because they frequently saw him on TV back in the day, or because they subsequently learned about him through the "Apollo 13" movie or the show about the mission that's been on the History channel or Discovery.

Certainly not ripping on talented young writers, which he obviously is. I'm not familiar with him or his work but let's be truthful here, grinders like me don't get hired for gigs like this.

That still doesn't mean we don't have something to offer that can help make a good story better.