Caitlin Horrocks: When Bad Stories Go Good (July 2013)

Caitlin Horrocks talks about stories that wear their “bad ideas” proudly, requiring clichés to be redeemed, craft commandments to be broken, challenging or bizarre subjects to be tackled. Readers recognize the possibility of disaster in these stories, and cheer when the author emerges unscathed. Stories by Todd James Pierce, Bonnie Jo Campbell, Suan Sontag, and Chris Drangle are examined for techniques or approaches that help risky stories succeed.