(warning, possible flamebait ahead >;-> ) --- Jon_Lincicum at stream.com wrote: >>> Like so many creative writing exercises, for every good joke, you're going to get 4 or 5 lame ones (if you're lucky). Hence, the process of editing out the boring or (let's face it) stupid jokes in favor of the more refined and/or punchy ones. I don't think this is a flaw in thinking--just a matter of getting from the brainstorming part of creation into the refining part. I understand that Steve spends time editing his books before he publishes them. Who knows how many lame sword jokes he went through on scratch paper before he found the three or four that we've seen in the books? There are probably piles and piles of pages that he's written that we'll never see--and believe me, we're probably much better off for it. <<< As opposed to, say, Piers Anthony. -- Mark A. Mandel, proprietor, Cracks and Shards http://www.cracksandshards.com a Steven Brust fan website __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com