Rudy Rucker's Transrealist Manifesto

(Warning: the above link is to a PDF document, not an HTML page)

I think I may have mentioned before that "Rudeboy" Rucker is my favorite underrated author. This manifesto of his is old news by many folks reckoning, but I just came across it, and it illuminates for me, much of what I love about his writing, and some of my own opinions about crafting a creative work which has versimmilitude and does not feel contrived.

The Transrealist artist cannot predict the finished form of his or her work. The Transrealist novel grows organically, like life itself. The author can only choose characters and setting, introduce this or that particular fantastic element, and aim for certain key scenes. Ideally, a Transrealist novel is written in oscurity, and without an outline. If the author knows precisely how his or her book will develop, then the reader will divine this. A predictable book is of no interest. Nevertheless, the book must be coherent. Granted, life does not often make sense. But people will not read a book which has no plot.