I want to do several things in this Koch/Lorca chapter.
1) Convey that passion and excitement that Koch felt for Lorca.
2) ... my own excitement for the subject matter.
3) Develop the overall argument in a convincing way, integrating it with the other chapters of the book. Have smooth transitions from one part to the next so that the whole chapter is relatively seamless.
4) Vertical integration: an apt fit between individual observations and the overall argument of both chapter and book as a whole. Individual observations must all be both precise and interesting in and of themselves and also supportive of the argument.
5) Pique the interest of various constituencies: Lorquista, Kochistas, specialist in American poetry generally who aren't necessarily interested in Koch, "general readers." Imagine the possible response of different kinds of readers to each part of the chapter. Leave out the parts that people will skip over.
6) All this and good-looking prose too.
And do all this eight times for each of the chapters of the book.
Question: Does the same voice/tone/style work for each of those audiences--specifically, for the specialists and for the general readers?
ResponderEliminarThis may reflect back to your much earlier conversation about art catalogs--but I'm asking as a general reader with an interest in Lorca and Koch, as well as Frank O'Hara.
Well that's the problem, isn't it? I'm not dumbing it down at all for anyone (I hope) but still making it accessible. Obviously some things I have to explain to certain audience might make other parts of the audience impatient, but I'm aiming for a scholarly but still "general" public.
ResponderEliminar