[Diamond18]

I've read Tolkien's letters, but I've not read that many biographies or other such information on other authors, to be able to know just how they went about crafting their stories. I know that in Tales from Earthsea, Ursula K. LeGuin put together a sort of exposé on her world of Earthsea, which wasn't to the extent of something like HoME, but still showed a lot of thought and consideration that went into her world.

Speaking as as writer (not that I'd ever let you forget it, eh?), I know that it is important to know more about your characters and their world, than you put forth in the story. So being able to explain and 'jusitfy' certain things in one's story isn't, I think, exclusive to Tolkien. I've often found myself boring other people to death with all the many behind-the-scenes history and seemingly trivial facts I've got stored in my brain for possible use. And even if it doesn't get used, it's still valuable in the subtext of a story, giving it hidden depths and layers.

So, I think that the kind of detailed appendix fodder Tolkien created, is something actually common to any serious writer who really wants to have a good book. That said, I don't think anyone has taken it to the same level he did. I.E., it's rare to find that quantity of background work in your average piece of fiction. But any author, I think, will be able to chew your ear off about their story, if you let them. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

If Tolkien was less of a detail man/genius/linguist, Lord of the Rings certainly wouldn't be as good as it is. But I'm not sure I'd go as far as saying that it wouldn't still be a great work. It wouldn't go as deep, we probably wouldn't have forums discussing it, but I can still see it being something of a classic. The basic story itself, is wonderful. There is an immense amount of subplotting (not to mention all those Silmarillion allusions) which makes it all the more richer, as it is. But surely, the story of a little person saving the world against all odds, is a timeless idea and would have been just as powerful in and of itself, even if Tolkien was not quite the perfectionist he was. The story and world would be less, to be sure, but not nothing.

I may just be trying to be optimistic, of course, because I'm nowhere near the genius Tolkien was, but still hope to write a good yarn, even if I can't create languages, epic poems, and reams of historic tales, to go with it.

[ May 15, 2003: Message edited by: Diamond18 ]