Did JRRT encourage new ME stories?

[davem]

Originally Posted by Sauron the White

I would think that unless the Estate does get a very good professional writer to perform such an undertaking and provides them with guidance and direction, the chances of an artistic failure are increased. Bit of a self fulfilling prophecy then to speculate than anybody who writes a Middle-earth tale would produce garbage.

I actually never said it was impossible for someone to make a decent effort, & that judged as a story it could be good. My point is that it wouldn't be Tolkien - it wouldn't be genuine. It would be simply a good fantasy novel using names & places invented by Tolkien - but if you think that that would be enough for it to stand alongside Tolkien's writings as part of the Legendarium you simply don't get it.

I simply am astounded how people can accurately look into the future and say with firm conviction and certainty that if anyone ever writes a real book (not fan fiction) about Middle-earth that it will be worthless crap. Sure, that is a possibility. But so is a real possibility that it could be good and enjoyable.

Yes, yes, & nobody can disprove that an infinite number of monkeys with an infinite number of typewriters given an infinite amount of time wouldn't produce the complete works of Shakespeare.

You're right. Its not logically impossible. I just think that if we're going to have a sensible discussion on this we need more support for our arguments than 'Well, you can't prove 'X' won't happen one day.'