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ellen_datlow Oct. 11th, 2007 01:40 pm)
ellen_datlow Oct. 11th, 2007 01:40 pm)Several people have asked me to discuss the process, but more I think would like to know the thinking process that goes into my book. I can't speak for other Year's Best editors--we all have our own different ways of working and of course, different tastes.
What I'll attempt to do periodically, is post a few of my mini-reviews of novels/collections/anthologies/magazines and maybe even non-fiction titles that I'm reading and making notes on during the year. And I will try to answer questions about why something worked for me...
I am NOT a critic, I'm not even any kind of expert on horror's history. I just have read over the past 21 years, and continue read a lot of horror short stories and know what I do and don't like. I may not always be able to define the why of my judgment.
I'm certainly open to arguments as to why someone else thinks I missed the boat on something...the only problem with that is that I may just say--well it didn't work for me or I hated it ;-) and the latter is something I'd rather NOT do. I will not trash anything in public, although I reserve the right to give negative criticism on occasion.
One thing I'll add, is that YBFH is an ongoing project--I rarely take a break between the last and next volume. I'm constantly taking notes on what I've read. I've stopped mentioning every magazine I read but instead mention the top maybe ten in genre and those that while not in-genre can be counted on to have some good dark fiction, at least once in awhile.
I'll start posting some of my 2007 notes in the next entry.
What I'll attempt to do periodically, is post a few of my mini-reviews of novels/collections/anthologies/magazines and maybe even non-fiction titles that I'm reading and making notes on during the year. And I will try to answer questions about why something worked for me...
I am NOT a critic, I'm not even any kind of expert on horror's history. I just have read over the past 21 years, and continue read a lot of horror short stories and know what I do and don't like. I may not always be able to define the why of my judgment.
I'm certainly open to arguments as to why someone else thinks I missed the boat on something...the only problem with that is that I may just say--well it didn't work for me or I hated it ;-) and the latter is something I'd rather NOT do. I will not trash anything in public, although I reserve the right to give negative criticism on occasion.
One thing I'll add, is that YBFH is an ongoing project--I rarely take a break between the last and next volume. I'm constantly taking notes on what I've read. I've stopped mentioning every magazine I read but instead mention the top maybe ten in genre and those that while not in-genre can be counted on to have some good dark fiction, at least once in awhile.
I'll start posting some of my 2007 notes in the next entry.
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