Paul Charles Smith on Defining the New Weird

Blogger Paul Charles Smith has posted an in-depth discussion about the ambiguous "New Weird"--if there is such a sub-genre--which has risen to the surface the past few years mainly due to the editorial cohesion offered by The New Weird anthology. Smith, like the Vandermeers (Ann and Jeff were the editors of the anthology mentioned), seems to lean toward the idea that the New Weird exists. His article is an extended commentary, chronicling how and why this term has evolved the way it has. To understand what this fairly new concept is believed to be, it would be difficult to find a more comprehensive and intelligent entry than Smith's.

However, like others working with purportedly New Weird materials, Smith cannot totally prove this genre exists, though doing this is probably not his goal. For myself, the jury is still out. Although promoters and students of the New Weird undertake a valuable service by highlighting important authors forcing speculative fiction in new directions, and by rendering scholarly observations on contemporary weird literature, they fall short in divorcing the New Weird from the old.

Again, though, semantic battles over what New Weird actually means is half the issue. Nearly everyone would agree that weird fiction is experiencing a vast explosion in quality works. There are new weird authors and artists, but whether or not their new creations are sufficiently weird enough to be classified as a distinctive genre remains to be seen. That's not to say this couldn't be generally agreed upon at some point. After all, most weird fiction today is recognized as being Gothic literature's distinctive offspring, as well as a niche operator within the nebulous "horror" field.

While questions about a detached New Weird won't be resolved for some time, discussion about it is likely to gain prominence in the coming years. Marketers will continue to use the phrase, and critics will try to demarcate new literary civilizations as foundations for a better understanding of certain writers. Anyone looking to keep up with weird fiction's future is encouraged to check out Mr. Smith's article. It's an easily accessible tool for understanding the New Weird controversy so that individuals can begin focusing their own thoughts on this matter.

-Grim Blogger