/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.13126003]

Are 20-something-year-olds capable of writing great literature? If not, why?

[Anonymous No.13126034]

Yes, but they're even less likely than average which is already unlikely. You can't write about people if don't know who you are, and most don't know who they are until they're out of the "fast" stage of life, at least a few years into their career with no major changes constantly happening. So in your 30s, when yo'ure able to stop being an introspective worrywort whose world shifts every five seconds, and just observe things.

[Anonymous No.13126097]

There are some examples of great lit by young people, but it's extremely rare. Usually, it takes a long time to hone your skills, it takes a long time to develop a voice, and it takes a long time to put together a great work. Plus the "life experience/maturity" issue.
It's possible, but the idea that "the literary establishment" is just biased against young writers is utter bullshit uttered by idiots who don't know enough to see that the stuff they love is garbage.

[Anonymous No.13126261]

One's twenties, especially one's early twenties, are best spent familiarizing oneself with serious literature as a tradition and privately experimenting with writing and rhetoric. Especially if an aspiring writer read as a child and adolescent, he should at that age be well-equipped to read difficult things, and if he is not, he can only become so by practice. By the time he is thirty he should have enough life experiences and literary references and stylistic nuances fermentingly accumulated in his heart to have a running chance at writing something passable. Publishing popularly as a teenager or twenty-something is impressive, even if it's a situation similar to Eragon, but it's also often equally an embarrassment in all future writing, especially if it's a situation similar to Eragon. Also bear in mind that it's easier to write something passable at a young age if you are extremely unambitious in your writing, like Hemingway.

[Anonymous No.13126273]

Maybe but I'd personally never read a book by anyone younger than 30.

[Anonymous No.13126320]

>>13126261
The only thing I remember about weapon is how fucking disgusting the food sounded

[Anonymous No.13126330]

I think that if a person gives himself completely to his interests he's capable of anything desu

[Anonymous No.13126337]

>>13126320
>weapon
Eragon*

[Anonymous No.13126397]

>>13126330
Based and pineconepilled.

[Anonymous No.13126715]

Fitzgerald wrote This Side of Paradise at 23 I think. Is it his best work? No, but it’s still quite good. This is also the guy who would have a hand in defining American literature forever. It can be done, but it’s exceedingly, exceedingly rare.

[Anonymous No.13126745]

>>13126715
Too bad American literature is second rate at best, my guy.

[Anonymous No.13126764]

>>13126745
being second among hundreds of other national literary traditions is p good desu

[Anonymous No.13126806]

I think Goethe was like 23 when he wrote Young Werther

[Anonymous No.13126819]

Anyone might write great literature. It happens less likely among young people because they have less experience, so they're down an advantage. No different than how an untalented person, or an autist are less likely to write great literature. They're all down a tool that could help them and they need more of everything else to compensate.

[Anonymous No.13126859]

>tfw 27
Three short years and I can finally get on with writing my epic erotic urban fantasy that will make it into history books.
A true artist always waits.

[Anonymous No.13126905]

I think the 20s are just to define your style, this is true of composers and music too, perhaps other forms of expression and art.

I mean of course we have different kind of careers: some people only perhaps write in their 20s and quit etc.

I don't know. With many of my favorite musicians who started early they peaked somewhere between their late 20s, early 30s and late 30s. After that they usually mellowed down or just rehashed something or just became plain old boring.

I would say the best stuff happens between 27-39 given that the artist/writer/producer in question has been doing it from early on

[Anonymous No.13126955]

[Anonymous No.13127159]

[Anonymous No.13127291]

>>13126806
Goethe also had an iq of 220 and an extremely polished and privileged upbringing and schooling. We're talking about regular intelligent young people here.

[Anonymous No.13127493]

>>13126745
Second to whom? Russia? France? Anglo? The fact that we play ball with those giants is a testament to what a great nation this is

[Anonymous No.13127982]

>>13126806
>tfw

[Anonymous No.13128035]

>>13126003
Yes, but it’s exceedingly rare

[Anonymous No.13128045]

>>13126745
Third rate*

[Anonymous No.13128293]

>>13126715
Goethe wrote Werther with 25, but that's an exception