In article <fs8nfd$aia$1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>,
Anthony Nance <nance@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>Ken from Chicago <kwicker1b_nospam@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
>> We've often seen critically and commercially successful authors run
smack
>> into a wall, the dreaded writer's block, or, in many ways, worse,
coasting
>> into a rut, a valley, churning out fluff while banking on one's
reputation
>> of previously good to great work.
>>
>> But what about those who've fallen into a valley--and yet risen out of
it?
>> Those who've had long gaps in their writing career only to resurge as
good
>> if not greater than ever? Those who've fallen off their authorial
horses,
>> but gotten up, shook themselves off and climbed back in the writing
saddle
>> again?
>
>I think this will be a tough one, and I'll be interested to see what
>examples arise here, if any. As a knee-jerk guess, it seems that
>whatever led to the lull could also prevent improvement, or even
>a (tem****ary) return to form.
>
>Dorothy cited Asimov's story "Gold". Asimov also had an earlier
>period where he published very little sf (approximately 1966-72),
>but _The Gods Themselves_ is how he "came back" to sf.
Yes, well, I sort of count and don't count _The Gods Themselves._
The middle third, with the really alien aliens (who, of course,
reappear in "Gold") is top-notch. The first and third sections
are IMO unreadable.
Which is why I don't own a copy of the book, but I do have a copy
of the issue of _If_ in which the middle third was published. :)
Dorothy J. Heydt
Albany, California
djheydt@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
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