Hi Trinity, I wanted to thank you for your honest review. You point out some very important shortcomings in the story, and the writing. I wish I had done a better job, because that "boys club" feeling you mentioned is the last thing I would ever want to perpetuate. Truly. That's not who I am.
I actually struggled a lot with these subjects, constantly wondering if I had any business writing about an experience outside of my own (say, the experience of a woman, a Chilean-born Spanish speaker, a Native American, etc)... and at the same time, worrying that if I DIDN'T try to write those characters and perspectives, that I would be excluding them from the narrative altogether. I still don't know what the write answer is, but I know some people do it a lot better than I do, so there's a lot of room to grow and learn.
One thing I'll point out, in case you're interested, is that the goal of the story was not so much for ME as the author to use the female characters as objects, but for the protagonist to. I was trying to capture a certain personality in the climbing world, a sort of archetype that it sounds like you are very familiar with (as am I). John Mercer makes many life decisions that I, myself, would not make, and would certainly never advocate for. What are we to make of a man who uses EVERYTHING as an object on his journey (not just women, but friends, family, colleagues, and even the place he loves most deeply)? I guess my hope is that by taking a good look at John Mercer, we can all take a better look at ourselves. Maybe see our own blind spots a little better. Especially as people participating in the outdoor industry, as climbers, as self-dubbed conservationists.
Anyway, again, I'm not here to argue, but to thank you for the honest review. I hope your comment will provide people another lens through which to see all kinds of shortcomings: Mercer's, mine, and the climbing/writing industry en masse.
I actually struggled a lot with these subjects, constantly wondering if I had any business writing about an experience outside of my own (say, the experience of a woman, a Chilean-born Spanish speaker, a Native American, etc)... and at the same time, worrying that if I DIDN'T try to write those characters and perspectives, that I would be excluding them from the narrative altogether. I still don't know what the write answer is, but I know some people do it a lot better than I do, so there's a lot of room to grow and learn.
One thing I'll point out, in case you're interested, is that the goal of the story was not so much for ME as the author to use the female characters as objects, but for the protagonist to. I was trying to capture a certain personality in the climbing world, a sort of archetype that it sounds like you are very familiar with (as am I). John Mercer makes many life decisions that I, myself, would not make, and would certainly never advocate for. What are we to make of a man who uses EVERYTHING as an object on his journey (not just women, but friends, family, colleagues, and even the place he loves most deeply)? I guess my hope is that by taking a good look at John Mercer, we can all take a better look at ourselves. Maybe see our own blind spots a little better. Especially as people participating in the outdoor industry, as climbers, as self-dubbed conservationists.
Anyway, again, I'm not here to argue, but to thank you for the honest review. I hope your comment will provide people another lens through which to see all kinds of shortcomings: Mercer's, mine, and the climbing/writing industry en masse.
Take care,
Chris