Best American Toss-Off
May. 29th, 2007 10:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thedarkagesWriting the Great American Novel requires time, talent, and dedication. Pick two.
But thanks to a simple act of trademark registration, those who sprint rather than run marathons can hope to write the Best American Short Story. Travel Story, Spiritual Story, Science & Nature Story, Essay, Mystery Story, or Non-required Story.
I have no hopes for becoming a Great American or a Best American. (The search for more superlatives is reminiscent of the contention between New York's uniformed services: New York's Finest (NYPD), New York's Bravest (NYFD), and New York's Strongest (NYSD)) All I have is a stupid idea about a young boy who uses nuts to perform mathematical calculations -- at first physical nuts, then nuts in the head. He's probably about seven years old, lives in the Bronx back when it wasn't a deathtrap, wears flannel shirts, and is on first-name terms with the squirrels in his local park. And there isn't one damn reason why he should live to walk this earth. He's a cliché. End of story.
But thanks to a simple act of trademark registration, those who sprint rather than run marathons can hope to write the Best American Short Story. Travel Story, Spiritual Story, Science & Nature Story, Essay, Mystery Story, or Non-required Story.
I have no hopes for becoming a Great American or a Best American. (The search for more superlatives is reminiscent of the contention between New York's uniformed services: New York's Finest (NYPD), New York's Bravest (NYFD), and New York's Strongest (NYSD)) All I have is a stupid idea about a young boy who uses nuts to perform mathematical calculations -- at first physical nuts, then nuts in the head. He's probably about seven years old, lives in the Bronx back when it wasn't a deathtrap, wears flannel shirts, and is on first-name terms with the squirrels in his local park. And there isn't one damn reason why he should live to walk this earth. He's a cliché. End of story.
