How and why literary feuds are played up for all they’re worth. Everyone’s aware it’s done for publicity so doesn’t it lose its value as well as making folk concerned look rather petty?
Where all the scam “services” come from and, so often, where they disappear to, taking money with them!
How hackers have enough time on their hands to do what they do.
Why there are times when the ideas pour out of me and other times when I have to work at it more. I’d prefer a steady flow!
Why Jane Austen named the heroine of Mansfield Park the way she did. If ever there was a case of an author being caught out by the change in the meaning of words over the centuries, she is it. I mean Fanny as a name - really? Practically anything would’ve been better - Gertrude, Patience, Sarah. I must admit Fanny Price is not my favourite - she seems too passive for me.
How P.G. Wodehouse managed to be so consistently funny. Not that this matters too much. I’m just glad he did.
Why short stories are looked down for being “easy”. This is almost certainly said by people who have never tried writing them. What they forget is especially in writing to a strict word count, that takes discipline. The whole idea of a short story is to focus one idea. It’s intense writing while the novel you can expand your ideas.
Why markets for short stories are vanishing as with pressures on time that practically everybody feels these days surely these are the perfect fiction for those who still like to read and have to do it in a hurry!
How the new lady in charge of BBC Radio 4 could ever think it a good idea to reduce the short story slots in favour of yet more news! It is a mad idea. People want to escape the news and short stories are a great way of doing so!