ALAN Taylor, Managing Editor of the Scotsman, writes that Scotland's literary stock has rarely been higher yet publishers here are only interested in tourist-trap pap, etc (May 30).
I spend about #10 a week on Scottish non-fiction of quality as I no longer have faith in librarians stocking it or people like Taylor promoting it. Many librarians, editors, educators, and others of influence have a bias towards fiction and poetry against other forms of writing, and show an admiration for a youthful, arrogant, inexperienced, and nihilistic junk culture to the neglect of quality in the arts.
Madonna showed how to manipulate the media, by calling a press conference, lifting her skirt for the cameras, cashing in on the hysteria, and running off with the cash before the mugs had time to open the sealed ''book''.
It was Alan Taylor's Scotsman (February 15, 1997) that made its front-page headline ''Trainspotting author floats plan for Leith sin city''. This was an insult to Scotland, a once quality newspaper, and the good citizens of Leith who have transformed a run-down area.
I have explored Scotland from Ben Nevis to Pilton and I do not believe that the Scots are a nation of anarchic morons and junkies, but they are being conditioned to be so by powerful people. I will welcome the Scottish Parliament looking at the arts scene with urgency.
Last year I cancelled the Scotsman and ordered The Herald as I want to read about Scotland and not Taylor's unremarkable holidays in Tuscany. While some are churning out 2000 words of ''literature'' before lunch in their kitchens, some of us can be tramping eight miles across a moor to check out a feature for a few lines in a travel book. We certainly don't do it for the money for we shall not make any while people like Taylor mould opinion.
Ken Andrew,
17 Bellrock Avenue, Prestwick. May 30.
ALAN Taylor (May 30) is mistaken. Many writers do not write for money, easily shown since they do not make any. They may receive small sums but these do not cover the cost of writing, still less providing a living. Were it not for job or pension, they would be unable to do it. And some of them are good. Robin Jenkins is a good example: many fine books published, not much money paid to him.
Why does he do it? Because he can. Because he sees that his novels are worthy. Because he is developing as a novelist. Because he is adding to his country's good literature. Money does not enter into it, except as an aid to this process, by defraying some of the costs. But even if he earned nothing, he would write the books just the same.
How do I know? Because this is my own position, except I have published fewer books. But then I have published a few articles. Even in Alan Taylor's own newspaper. The days of the idealist are not dead. Some of us still try to do our best, regardless of market, money, or anything else.
William Scott,
23 Argyle Place,
Rothesay, Isle of Bute. May 30.
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