Alchemist
July 27th, 2010, 02:10 PM
How much do you know about fantasy (or sf)? I am posting this in the fantasy board but feel free to discuss where you fall in relation to sf, if it is different. I couldn't think of a clever acronym, but we'll just call this the Fantasy Knowledge Scale. Take my descriptions loosely; you may find that you fit some of one tier and some of another--just try to average it out (NOTE: I've used John Clute's name half-humorously as a kind of barometer--thus the second, joking, name; don't take it too seriously, please).
Oh yeah, if you think of a good name for this let me know and I will change it.
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THE FANTASY KNOWLEDGE SCALE, aka THE CLUTOMETER
Novice - You're just starting. Maybe you saw Lord of the Rings or read Harry Potter and want to read some fantasy books. You haven't decided whether you like it or not, but are curious.
Apprentice - You're a casual fan of fantasy. You've read some of the classics and/or more popular authors such as Tolkien, Brooks, Lewis, Rowling, Jordan (or in sf, Herbert, Clarke, Heinlein, Bradbury, etc). Or you might have found your way into the field through another avenue like horror or a fantastic literary author like Michael Chabon. You've read dozens of fantasy novels but probably not more than a hundred, and you don't have a sense of the history or field as a whole. The name "John Clute" is meaningless to you. You might have an inkling to write a book someday.
Journeyman - You're a serious fan, probably life-long. You've read hundreds of books and have a solid sense of the field, although don't necessarily know the history beyond the broad-strokes or have a sense of who wrote when. You read for pleasure and only what suits your interest. You probably don't know who John Clute is, although you might have checked out one of his Encyclopedias for ideas of books to read. This is probably when you decide to either write a book or leave it to your betters.
Scholar - You're both a diehard fan and a serious student of the field. You may not have read more than a Journeyman, but you know more about what you haven't read--you have a sense of the history of the field and could place most authors somewhere along the timeline, with at least a general idea how the genre has evolved. You haven't read everything but you hope to gradually fill out the holes in your knowledge and strive for Mastery, to some degree at least. John Clute becomes a source of awe (or disgust), his work a major reference point; you almost certainly own at least the two Encyclopedias at this point, maybe some of his review compilations. You find yourself buying books on genre history and criticism. You may start thinking about writing a book on some aspect of the field. You may have a blog or some other way to communicate and discuss your ideas.
Master - You're an authority of the field. You've filled out the holes in your knowledge and have read almost all of the classics and at least one book by almost every significant author, and many others besides. Those classics or authors that you haven't read is by conscious choice and taste, although you have read many books that you didn't enjoy because you felt you should. Clute is like an elder statesman that you refer to although don't always agree with. You either write a book on the field or are working on ideas for one, or you decide not to and focus on your own collection and knowledge.
Sage - You've transcended even the authority of mastery and know more about the field than anyone you know, whether in person or via the computer. You could easily teach a graduate program on the field. There is almost certainly no non-vanity published authors that you haven't heard of and you've pretty much read something by almost everyone. John Clute? Phaw! You are beyond Clute. You are the book on fantasy and/or sf.
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I'd call myself a Scholar in both fantasy and sf, although have read more fantasy. I am more serious about writing fantasy than reading and researching it, but I also love reading and am constantly trying to expand my knowledge of the field. I hope to read at least something by most "significant" authors, except those I try and don't like. I will probably never attain Sagehood but Mastery could be a possibility at some point, but I'm still years away.
Oh yeah, if you think of a good name for this let me know and I will change it.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE FANTASY KNOWLEDGE SCALE, aka THE CLUTOMETER
Novice - You're just starting. Maybe you saw Lord of the Rings or read Harry Potter and want to read some fantasy books. You haven't decided whether you like it or not, but are curious.
Apprentice - You're a casual fan of fantasy. You've read some of the classics and/or more popular authors such as Tolkien, Brooks, Lewis, Rowling, Jordan (or in sf, Herbert, Clarke, Heinlein, Bradbury, etc). Or you might have found your way into the field through another avenue like horror or a fantastic literary author like Michael Chabon. You've read dozens of fantasy novels but probably not more than a hundred, and you don't have a sense of the history or field as a whole. The name "John Clute" is meaningless to you. You might have an inkling to write a book someday.
Journeyman - You're a serious fan, probably life-long. You've read hundreds of books and have a solid sense of the field, although don't necessarily know the history beyond the broad-strokes or have a sense of who wrote when. You read for pleasure and only what suits your interest. You probably don't know who John Clute is, although you might have checked out one of his Encyclopedias for ideas of books to read. This is probably when you decide to either write a book or leave it to your betters.
Scholar - You're both a diehard fan and a serious student of the field. You may not have read more than a Journeyman, but you know more about what you haven't read--you have a sense of the history of the field and could place most authors somewhere along the timeline, with at least a general idea how the genre has evolved. You haven't read everything but you hope to gradually fill out the holes in your knowledge and strive for Mastery, to some degree at least. John Clute becomes a source of awe (or disgust), his work a major reference point; you almost certainly own at least the two Encyclopedias at this point, maybe some of his review compilations. You find yourself buying books on genre history and criticism. You may start thinking about writing a book on some aspect of the field. You may have a blog or some other way to communicate and discuss your ideas.
Master - You're an authority of the field. You've filled out the holes in your knowledge and have read almost all of the classics and at least one book by almost every significant author, and many others besides. Those classics or authors that you haven't read is by conscious choice and taste, although you have read many books that you didn't enjoy because you felt you should. Clute is like an elder statesman that you refer to although don't always agree with. You either write a book on the field or are working on ideas for one, or you decide not to and focus on your own collection and knowledge.
Sage - You've transcended even the authority of mastery and know more about the field than anyone you know, whether in person or via the computer. You could easily teach a graduate program on the field. There is almost certainly no non-vanity published authors that you haven't heard of and you've pretty much read something by almost everyone. John Clute? Phaw! You are beyond Clute. You are the book on fantasy and/or sf.
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I'd call myself a Scholar in both fantasy and sf, although have read more fantasy. I am more serious about writing fantasy than reading and researching it, but I also love reading and am constantly trying to expand my knowledge of the field. I hope to read at least something by most "significant" authors, except those I try and don't like. I will probably never attain Sagehood but Mastery could be a possibility at some point, but I'm still years away.