My Nebula Essay (because I did promise)

[ellenkushner]

As Constant Readers of this LJ may remember, my novel The Privilege of the Sword (now available in inexpensive pocket edition!) was nominated for a Nebula Award from SFWA this year, which was an enormous thrill. In May, I got all dressed up and went to the Awards Banquet (and if there had been a Best Dressed award, I bet I would have gotten that). I also had to write a Personal Essay about my book for the SFWA Bulletin, to be published at the Banquet.

Here is my report on the Event itself.

Here is me being all angsty about writing my Nebula Personal Essay.

And now, at last, as promised: here is the Essay itself, in all its possibly lame glory:

I didn’t know what the hell to call this novel. Its longtime working title was First Disguise, which was out of the question if only because it is almost impossible to say aloud, which is hard on the sales reps. But I like finding catchy phrases in my novels and turning them into titles. It’s a fine old tradition. That one comes from a line early in the book where the teenage narrator envisions her future: “First disguise; then revelation!” She turns out to be entirely wrong, and so was I. The book is about transformation.

But then, I’m not really a theorist. When scholars ask me intelligent questions about the thematic underpinnings of my work, I usually look them in the eye and say, “That’s your job. I just write ‘em.” I remember I was thinking at that time that the book would have sort of a Shakespearean undertone, with people putting on guises – of costume or manner – that simultaneously hide who they think they are and reveal their true natures despite themselves. I love that, and I think it’s true: when we put on a costume is often when we tell the world the most about the way we see ourselves. I think it’s one reason we choose to write fantasy: in the fanciful disguise of Other Lands and Mythic Beings, we can sneak up on and reveal the deepest truths of our world underneath the mask.

But in this novel, the guises and disguises are imposed on the characters by necessity or the will of others, or even by the dictates of society. Society in my novels is pretty much always a major player. In this case, I needed to set up a society in which a nicely-brought-up, conventional upper-class girl expects to find security through marriage and dependence on her male relatives. I wanted to explore what it would take to turn her into a confident, independent-minded person -- resisting it all the way, but getting there in the end.

Halfway through the book I got that awful feeling you get when you realize it was all a huge mistake. What was I thinking?! We live in a post-feminist age when girls know perfectly well that they can have careers and wear pants and fight their own battles! What kind of useless retro crap was I working so hard on here to create – the Great American Fantasy Novel of 1815?

It was too late to turn back. So I went on. I was enjoying this book, at least. That counted for something. And I’ve found that, as usual, my own strengths and purpose were disguised in a welter of plot and structure and character. They are slowly being revealed to me by readers, one by one, who explain to me how and why what I wrote matters to them today – and by you, my very dear and respected colleagues, who in nominating the book for the Nebula have given me an honor I treasure very deeply.

So in the end, I chose the title The Privilege of the Sword -- from a 17th century political ballad about violence vs. intellect: “Lay by your pleading/ Law lies a’bleeding/ Burn all your studies now and throw away your reading….”

I call it TPOTS (pronounced “teapots”) for short.

Comments

[swan-tower.livejournal.com]

I'm all for the importance of society in fantasy fiction. We're so fond, in America, of the idea that people are Individuals and Not Bound By The System (at least, our heroes aren't) -- we don't even see the ways that is a reflection of our society, just as much as (say) Artemisia's expectations and desires are a reflection of her society. We're also very bad, as a culture, at sympathizing with characters who aren't Individuals Not Bound By The System. (Resolving a conflict by having a character bow to societal pressure and conform would feel unsatisfying to a lot of readers.)

Me, I like writing stories where the resolution comes about by working within the social system rather than breaking it. Sometimes it needs breaking, and those can be good stories too, but I like writing the other kind, too.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

A very interesting distinction. Thanks!

[follyfibble.livejournal.com]

I love your essay btw --
What kind of useless retro crap was I working so hard on here to create – the Great American Fantasy Novel of 1815?

was just laugh out loud brilliant. As usual.

One question:
Your quote:
“Lay by your pleading/ Law lies a’bleeding/ Burn all your studies now and throw away your reading….”

Could you tell me where/who it's from? Just curiosity. (but quite a bit of it now)

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

I'll put the link to the original up above.

I also refer to it lovingly & give a little background (and another link) in this past post:

http://ellen-kushner.livejournal.com/93199.html

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

and Martin Carthy's 1988 (modern political) version is transcribed (almost accurately) here;
http://www.garrygillard.net/carthy/songs/dominion.html

You can also find the song online if you search "Carthy Dominion Sword"

[sboydtaylor.livejournal.com]

It's fun to see inside the seams of a novel: to see where the ideas come from, what themes were imagined; what themes actually dominated.

Thanks for sharing! I'd love to hear more deep thoughts about art. :)

Deep Thoughts about Art

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

...and I wish I could deliver them to you - but if you read my post "The Dog Ate My Nebula Essay" you will see that it is utter agony for me to get this stuff down in writing. I'll talk about it by the hour, but that's different. I am sorry. But maybe I'll get another important deadline someday, and manage to squeeze out some more. Anyhow, thanks for the encouragement.

Re: Deep Thoughts about Art

[handworn.livejournal.com]

Ever thought about doing a voice post? Though I guess that would be kind of a busman's holiday for you, o radio person.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Actually, I talked a lot about writing the novel in a series of interviews I did this past summer when it came out. You may be able to uncover some nuggets there - links are all at:

http://www.sff.net/people/kushnerSherman/Kushner/online.html

[sboydtaylor.livejournal.com]

That would be just the type of stuff I was looking for. Thanks! :)

[hangedwoman.livejournal.com]

Aw, I remember you angsting about this, but you did just fine. :D Thanks for sharing it.

And I'm sorry I missed your post on the Awards Banquet, but yes, I would have given you Best Dressed.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Phew - thanks!

[yaoi-in-exile.livejournal.com]

*squeals, applauds happily* That was great, Ms. Kushner! It's like watching a home video of little TPOTS growing up! *tears* :3

TPOTS *is* very important for women, of course. I don't think it's old-fashioned at all. And that's only if you're trying to project a message about today's world. In the world of the story, hidden-message-less, it's a tremendous story of female accomplishment. Katherine's really the first predominant female heroine the Riverside!verse has had, ever!

We're all proud, tickled pink and cheering! :D

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

You comfort me in your smartness. You see things so clearly - and, even better, you express them clearly, too! By the time you're even half my age you will undoubtedly be able to write a kickin' essay that will be the wonder of the multitudes without hardly any angst at all!

[keilexandra]

Yay for teapots! :D So what about TFOTK, what cutsy nickname does it get?

[yaoi-in-exile.livejournal.com]

Well, what does it *sound* like? >3 *purrs*

[keilexandra]

...you tell me. :D

[yaoi-in-exile.livejournal.com]

......I'll tell you at Alpha. XDDD!

[ninstorage.livejournal.com]

"I didn’t know what the hell to call this novel."

Best essay opening I've read all year!

Also, even in the so-called post-feminist age there's a need for books like this. Especially in the genre, or genres. So, three cheers for teapots!

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

The funny thing about that opening line was that it came to me immediately - then I tried to make the essay be about something else, and that's when things got ugly - it was only when I returned to the original framing device (what to call the novel) that the whole thing fell into place. So, Thanks!

[ninstorage.livejournal.com]

I am very glad you returned to the original idea! It made the essay something you WANT to read, kind of hooks you from the beginning.

Forgot to add above ^: I dig what you said about masks.

[orbitalmechanic.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this! I too think that TPOTS is entirely relevant and important for women today. I wrote a little (http://orbitalmechanic.livejournal.com/133060.html) about that when I read it, which basically comes down to: there's an anti-feminist (to me) feeling right now that the world of pretty and dresses and attractiveness is very powerful, which for many young attractive middle-class women it is. For a moment, for certain things. I loved that Katherine wanted that, and we got to see why it would be truly attractive, and then got to see its ugly underbelly.

[ellen-kushner.livejournal.com]

Thank you for letting me see this!