Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

So, John Steinbeck and his editor walk into a bar. . . (disclaimer: I'm making this up) and John's editor says, "John, it's so bor-ing being your editor. I mean, you've written the Great American novel, you've won the Pulitzer, you've fought for the poor man, you've made your fiction read like non-fiction and your non-fiction read like fiction."

John lights a smoke, takes a slug of beer, grunts. Reports from the war hum from a radio at the bar and his editor finds the courage to continue.

"Well. So, maybe, you know, it would be funny (ha ha ha), if you could take a story, a legend you know, and make it real. Take a legend, maybe from an ancient people, and make it a vehicle for the entire human condition. Throw in all of the good stuff: light versus dark, good versus evil, man versus man, man versus God. Add a few archetypes, some symbolism, a few more themes. Keep your characters limited AND, oh, yeah, here's the real kicker. . . keep it under 100 pages."

John looks up from his beer, wonders if he can hear a score on the game. He looks over briefly at the editor.

"Yeah. I'll do her. Got any more cigarettes?"