“50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked

“Everyone knows that writers love to write about writers. In fact, if an
alien had to guess which profession was most common on earth based on
our media alone—well, honestly it would probably be Detective, or Cop or
something, but Writer would be up there too. So which fictional writers
should we most avidly promote to our future alien overlords? I have no
idea, but here I’ve taken a look at 50 favorite writers from film,
literature and TV (and their many intersections). I’ve limited the list
to fictional writers of literature—that is, I have excluded both
journalists (yes, even Rory) and screenwriters. This is really only
because I had to draw the line somewhere or wind up writing this list
for the rest of time, and no one wants that, least of all my family. I
also excluded biopics and other works in which real-world authors appear
with their real-world names, though if a fictional character is simply
based on a real writer, I found that to be admissible. As far as the
rankings go, well, it’s not always easy to tell who is a good writer and
who isn’t, especially when we’re talking about imaginary abilities.
Besides, most fictional writers are either extremely bad or extremely
good—at least according to their creators. Let’s just say I’ve gone with
my gut.”

George McFly was ranked much higher than I thought he would be. Castle
was appropriate.

Gabrielle, Xena: Warrior Princess was an author ?

Lynn

In article <ucp6hh$34a99$1@dont-email.me>,
Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> wrote:
>“50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
> https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
>
>“Everyone knows that writers love to write about writers. In fact, if an
>alien had to guess which profession was most common on earth based on
>our media alone—well, honestly it would probably be Detective, or Cop or
>something, but Writer would be up there too. So which fictional writers
>should we most avidly promote to our future alien overlords? I have no
>idea, but here I’ve taken a look at 50 favorite writers from film,
>literature and TV (and their many intersections). I’ve limited the list
>to fictional writers of literature—that is, I have excluded both
>journalists (yes, even Rory) and screenwriters. This is really only
>because I had to draw the line somewhere or wind up writing this list
>for the rest of time, and no one wants that, least of all my family. I
>also excluded biopics and other works in which real-world authors appear
>with their real-world names, though if a fictional character is simply
>based on a real writer, I found that to be admissible. As far as the
>rankings go, well, it’s not always easy to tell who is a good writer and
>who isn’t, especially when we’re talking about imaginary abilities.
>Besides, most fictional writers are either extremely bad or extremely
>good—at least according to their creators. Let’s just say I’ve gone with
>my gut.”
>
>George McFly was ranked much higher than I thought he would be. Castle
>was appropriate.
>
>Gabrielle, Xena: Warrior Princess was an author ?
>

Yes, very much so. Often a plot point. (Although Xena didn't always show
her scrolls the proper respect, especially when there were no handy leaves
on nearby bushes).
--
columbiaclosings.com
What's not in Columbia anymore..

Lynn McGuire wrote:
> “50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
> https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
>
> “Everyone knows that writers love to write about writers. In fact, if an
> alien had to guess which profession was most common on earth based on
> our media alone—well, honestly it would probably be Detective, or Cop or
> something, but Writer would be up there too. So which fictional writers
> should we most avidly promote to our future alien overlords? I have no
> idea, but here I’ve taken a look at 50 favorite writers from film,
> literature and TV (and their many intersections). I’ve limited the list
> to fictional writers of literature—that is, I have excluded both
> journalists (yes, even Rory) and screenwriters. This is really only
> because I had to draw the line somewhere or wind up writing this list
> for the rest of time, and no one wants that, least of all my family. I
> also excluded biopics and other works in which real-world authors appear
> with their real-world names, though if a fictional character is simply
> based on a real writer, I found that to be admissible. As far as the
> rankings go, well, it’s not always easy to tell who is a good writer and
> who isn’t, especially when we’re talking about imaginary abilities.
> Besides, most fictional writers are either extremely bad or extremely
> good—at least according to their creators. Let’s just say I’ve gone with
> my gut.”
>
> George McFly was ranked much higher than I thought he would be. Castle
> was appropriate.
>
> Gabrielle, Xena: Warrior Princess was an author ?

The notion of a writer who writes about a Detective and a Writer springs
forth fully formed faster than a Karen and a Wojak fling flops.

At least one writer, it seems, also loves to play the part of a writer.
Levinson and Link created _Columbo_ (missing from the list) before they
launched _Murder, She Wrote_ (number 3 on the list).
Mickey Spillane appears as prolific author Alan Mallory in an
episode with the double entendre title: "Publish or Perish." The lovely
Mariette Hartley plays a script doctor whose edits play a pivotal role.
Hartley becomes a blackmailing belly dancer in a later episode
called "Try and Catch Me," where she plays an assistant to author
Abigail Mitchell (Ruth Gordon). Then there's "Murder by the Book" where
author Ken Franklin's fiction finally bites him in the end.

An author central to the action also appears in _Who'll Stop the Rain_,
a 1978 movie eponymous with the song. Agonist Antheil (Anthony Zerbe)
critiques John Converse's play and affronts its antihero analog to Ray
Hicks (Nick Nolte). Antheil belittles both antiheroes as "jellyfish."

Danke,

--
Don.......My cat's )\._.,--....,'``. https://crcomp.net/reviews.php
telltale tall tail /, _.. \ _\ (`._ ,. Walk humbly with thy God.
tells tall tales.. `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.' Make 1984 fiction again.

On Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 12:11:13 PM UTC-4, Don wrote:
> Lynn McGuire wrote:
> > “50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
> > https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
> >

https://lithub.com/50-fictional-writers-ranked/

> > “Everyone knows that [snip]

I like Sam Clay more than Grady Tripp.

Don't forget the author of "The Janus Contract" and
"Under a Yellow Sun" - Clark Kent!

https://www.comics.org/issue/56239/cover/4/

--
Kevin R

On Friday, September 1, 2023 at 11:18:46 AM UTC-4, Kevrob wrote:
> On Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 12:11:13 PM UTC-4, Don wrote:
> > Lynn McGuire wrote:
> > > “50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
> > > https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
> > >
> https://lithub.com/50-fictional-writers-ranked/
>
> > > “Everyone knows that [snip]
>
> I like Sam Clay more than Grady Tripp.
>
> Don't forget the author of "The Janus Contract" and
> "Under a Yellow Sun" - Clark Kent!
>
> https://www.comics.org/issue/56239/cover/4/
>
> --
> Kevin R

Where does Kilgore Trout fit in? He's fictional, but he
has at least one actual published novel.

pt

On 2023-08-30 10:56 p.m., Lynn McGuire wrote:
> “50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
>    https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
>
> “Everyone knows that writers love to write about writers. In fact, if an
> alien had to guess which profession was most common on earth based on
> our media alone—well, honestly it would probably be Detective, or Cop or
> something, but Writer would be up there too. So which fictional writers
> should we most avidly promote to our future alien overlords? I have no
> idea, but here I’ve taken a look at 50 favorite writers from film,
> literature and TV (and their many intersections). I’ve limited the list
> to fictional writers of literature—that is, I have excluded both
> journalists (yes, even Rory) and screenwriters. This is really only
> because I had to draw the line somewhere or wind up writing this list
> for the rest of time, and no one wants that, least of all my family. I
> also excluded biopics and other works in which real-world authors appear
> with their real-world names, though if a fictional character is simply
> based on a real writer, I found that to be admissible. As far as the
> rankings go, well, it’s not always easy to tell who is a good writer and
> who isn’t, especially when we’re talking about imaginary abilities.
> Besides, most fictional writers are either extremely bad or extremely
> good—at least according to their creators. Let’s just say I’ve gone with
> my gut.”
>
> George McFly was ranked much higher than I thought he would be.  Castle
> was appropriate.
>
> Gabrielle, Xena: Warrior Princess was an author ?
>
> Lynn

Two variables. How successful the author was in the story, and how much
the list maker liked the work they were in. What was Kimball Kinnison's
pen name when he wrote his parody of pulp science fiction?

On 2023-09-01 10:24 a.m., pete...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Friday, September 1, 2023 at 11:18:46 AM UTC-4, Kevrob wrote:
>> On Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 12:11:13 PM UTC-4, Don wrote:
>>> Lynn McGuire wrote:
>>>> “50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
>>>> https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
>>>>
>> https://lithub.com/50-fictional-writers-ranked/
>>
>>>> “Everyone knows that [snip]
>>
>> I like Sam Clay more than Grady Tripp.
>>
>> Don't forget the author of "The Janus Contract" and
>> "Under a Yellow Sun" - Clark Kent!
>>
>> https://www.comics.org/issue/56239/cover/4/
>>
>> --
>> Kevin R
>
> Where does Kilgore Trout fit in? He's fictional, but he
> has at least one actual published novel.

So does Castle.

On 02/09/2023 19.32, David Johnston wrote:
> On 2023-08-30 10:56 p.m., Lynn McGuire wrote:
>> “50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
>>     https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
>>
>> “Everyone knows that writers love to write about writers.

>   What was Kimball Kinnison's pen name when he wrote his parody of pulp science fiction?

Sybly White.

--
Michael F. Stemper
This sentence no verb.

In article <ud0k7q$jgll$1@dont-email.me>,
David Johnston <davidjohnston29@yahoo.com> wrote:
>Two variables. How successful the author was in the story, and how much
>the list maker liked the work they were in. What was Kimball Kinnison's
>pen name when he wrote his parody of pulp science fiction?

(Hal Heydt)
Sybly Whyte in _Children of the Lens_. It was a ficticious
identity maintained by the Patrol. Kinnison used it while
investigating the expected abduction of the president of Radelix.

On Saturday, September 2, 2023 at 9:36:08 PM UTC-4, Dorothy J Heydt wrote:
> In article <ud0k7q$jgll$1...@dont-email.me>,
> David Johnston <davidjo...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >Two variables. How successful the author was in the story, and how much
> >the list maker liked the work they were in. What was Kimball Kinnison's
> >pen name when he wrote his parody of pulp science fiction?
> (Hal Heydt)
> Sybly Whyte in _Children of the Lens_. It was a ficticious
> identity maintained by the Patrol. Kinnison used it while
> investigating the expected abduction of the president of Radelix.

Let's not forget the great philospher Oolon Colluphid.

https://hitchhikers.fandom.com/wiki/Oolon_Colluphid

--
Kevin R

On Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 12:56:23 AM UTC-4, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> “50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
> https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked

William Ashbless was so famous he appeared in the books of two different authors.

Don wrote:
> Lynn McGuire wrote:
>> "50 Fictional Writers, Ranked"
>> https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
>>
>> "Everyone knows that writers love to write about writers. In fact, if an
>> alien had to guess which profession was most common on earth based on
>> our media alone???well, honestly it would probably be Detective, or Cop or
>> something, but Writer would be up there too. So which fictional writers
>> should we most avidly promote to our future alien overlords? I have no
>> idea, but here I???ve taken a look at 50 favorite writers from film,
>> literature and TV (and their many intersections). I???ve limited the list
>> to fictional writers of literature???that is, I have excluded both
>> journalists (yes, even Rory) and screenwriters. This is really only
>> because I had to draw the line somewhere or wind up writing this list
>> for the rest of time, and no one wants that, least of all my family. I
>> also excluded biopics and other works in which real-world authors appear
>> with their real-world names, though if a fictional character is simply
>> based on a real writer, I found that to be admissible.??As far as the
>> rankings go, well, it???s not always easy to tell who is a good writer and
>> who isn???t, especially when we???re talking about imaginary abilities.
>> Besides, most fictional writers are either extremely bad or extremely
>> good???at least??according to their creators. Let???s just say I???ve gone wi
th
>> my gut.???
>>
>> George McFly was ranked much higher than I thought he would be. Castle
>> was appropriate.
>>
>> Gabrielle, Xena: Warrior Princess was an author ?
>
> The notion of a writer who writes about a Detective and a Writer springs
> forth fully formed faster than a Karen and a Wojak fling flops.
>
> At least one writer, it seems, also loves to play the part of a writer.
> Levinson and Link created _Columbo_ (missing from the list) before they
> launched _Murder, She Wrote_ (number 3 on the list).
> Mickey Spillane appears as prolific author Alan Mallory in an
> episode with the double entendre title: "Publish or Perish." The lovely
> Mariette Hartley plays a script doctor whose edits play a pivotal role.
> Hartley becomes a blackmailing belly dancer in a later episode
> called "Try and Catch Me," where she plays an assistant to author
> Abigail Mitchell (Ruth Gordon). Then there's "Murder by the Book" where
> author Ken Franklin's fiction finally bites him in the end.
>
> An author central to the action also appears in _Who'll Stop the Rain_,
> a 1978 movie eponymous with the song. Agonist Antheil (Anthony Zerbe)
> critiques John Converse's play and affronts its antihero analog to Ray
> Hicks (Nick Nolte). Antheil belittles both antiheroes as "jellyfish."

*** slight spoilers below ***


_Radio Free Albemuth_ (PKD) takes it a level or two higher. The story
emerges ex nihilo from the egoistic fever swamp where autobiography
meets fiction writer. It's narrated in first person by the recursive
Philip K Dick character within:

"Your books are hard to understand. They may have been
misinterpreted, especially after Harlan Ellison wrote what
he wrote about you. Your books are so - well, they're nuts."
"I guess so," I said.
Nicholas said, "Really Phil, you write the strangest books
of anybody in the US, really psychotic books, books about crazy
people and people on drugs, freaks and misfits of every
description; in fact, of the kind never before described. You
can't blame the government for being curious about the kind of
person who would write such books, can you? I mean, your main
character is always outside the system, a loser who finally
somehow - "
"Et tu, Nicholas," I said, with real outrage.
"Sorry, Phil, but - well, why can't you write about normal
people, the way other authors do? Normal people with normal
interests who do normal things. Instead, when your books open,
there is this misfit holding down some miserable low job, and
he takes drugs and his girlfriend is in a mental institution
but he still loves her - "

The story includes a sketch of how PKD writes - the mechanics of it:

I went to my typewriter, put paper in it, and began to
compose the autobiographical sketch.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

I, Philip K. Dick, being of sound mind and reasonably good health,
wish to admit to being a high official for a period covering many
years of the organization known to its enemies as Aramchek.

Eventually a government agent wants Phil to fink a friend:

I said hello, told her who I was, and then explained that I
had tied myself up in knots trying to write my statement about
Nicholas. "Maybe," I said, "it's because I know so much about
him. More than anyone else does. It's hard to know what to put
down and what not to. After all, I want a good grade." I figured
that would get her.
"I'm certain you can do it,' Vivian Kaplan said. "You are a
professional writer; why, housewives and mechanics are getting
the knack of it."
"Maybe it is precisely because I am a professional writer,"
I said.
"Meaning what?"
"Well, I am a fiction writer. I'm used to making things up."
Vivian said, "You're not to make anything up on these
documents, Phil."

Near the story's end the government agent discloses Phil's fate:

"He's not part of Aramchek," Vivian said. To me she said,
"We will keep you alive, Phil; we will release books under
your name which we will write. For several years we have been
preparing them; they already exist. Your style is easy to
imitate. You will be allowed to speak in public, enough to
confirm them as your books. Or shall we shoot you?"

Danke,

--
Don.......My cat's )\._.,--....,'``. https://crcomp.net/reviews.php
telltale tall tail /, _.. \ _\ (`._ ,. Walk humbly with thy God.
tells tall tales.. `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.' Make 1984 fiction again.

On Thursday, September 7, 2023 at 9:50:09 PM UTC-4, art...@yahoo.com wrote:
> On Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 12:56:23 AM UTC-4, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> > “50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
> > https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
> William Ashbless was so famous he appeared in the books of two different authors.

I believe there is one French-speaking woman who believed he was real, owing entirely
to my incompetence in French.

William Hyde

On 8/30/23 21:56, Lynn McGuire wrote:
> “50 Fictional Writers, Ranked”
>    https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
>
> “Everyone knows that writers love to write about writers. In fact, if an
> alien had to guess which profession was most common on earth based on
> our media alone—well, honestly it would probably be Detective, or Cop or
> something, but Writer would be up there too. So which fictional writers
> should we most avidly promote to our future alien overlords? I have no
> idea, but here I’ve taken a look at 50 favorite writers from film,
> literature and TV (and their many intersections). I’ve limited the list
> to fictional writers of literature—that is, I have excluded both
> journalists (yes, even Rory) and screenwriters. This is really only
> because I had to draw the line somewhere or wind up writing this list
> for the rest of time, and no one wants that, least of all my family. I
> also excluded biopics and other works in which real-world authors appear
> with their real-world names, though if a fictional character is simply
> based on a real writer, I found that to be admissible. As far as the
> rankings go, well, it’s not always easy to tell who is a good writer and
> who isn’t, especially when we’re talking about imaginary abilities.
> Besides, most fictional writers are either extremely bad or extremely
> good—at least according to their creators. Let’s just say I’ve gone with
> my gut.”
>
> George McFly was ranked much higher than I thought he would be.  Castle
> was appropriate.
>
> Gabrielle, Xena: Warrior Princess was an author ?
>
> Lynn
It may be a bit of a stretch, but he could have mentioned Croaker from
The Black Company.
--
Dave Scruggs
Captain, Boulder Creek Fire (Retired)
Sr. Software Engineer (Retired, mostly)

On Fri, 1 Sep 2023 09:24:15 -0700 (PDT), "pete...@gmail.com"
<petertrei@gmail.com> wrote:

>On Friday, September 1, 2023 at 11:18:46=E2=80=AFAM UTC-4, Kevrob wrote:
>> On Thursday, August 31, 2023 at 12:11:13=E2=80=AFPM UTC-4, Don wrote:
>> > Lynn McGuire wrote:=20
>> > > 50 Fictional Writers, Ranked
>> > > https://getpocket.com/explore/item/50-fictional-writers-ranked
>> > >
>> https://lithub.com/50-fictional-writers-ranked/

Glad to see Jimmy Shive-Overly on the list, but he should be ranked
way higher, just for his pretentious literary references alone.

Anyone who hasn't watched You're the Worst and has access to a
streaming service that carries it, do youself a favor and give it a
try. Funniest TV show I've seen in the last couple decades.

-- Bob