I think I could piss out a good imitation of Pynchon in a year

>>8441128
>I think I could piss out a good imitation of Pynchon in a year or two
>I think I could

You and everyone else who's read him. But chances are none of us could. It's the effortlessness that forms the most impressive aspect of his style.

No the style is not timeless. It will age about as well as Dickens (I.e for the most part, like milk), simply because it is so wrapped up in its zeitgeist. Some of Gravity's Rainbow already comes off as a little naff and dated. This isnt really a bad thing though and happens to all authors to some extent. There are plenty of folk, here and elsewhere who love Dickensian prose and plenty of people in fifty to a hundred years time who will similarly love Pynchonian prose.

>>8441155
*seeming* effortlessness

>>8441160
Yeah

>>8441155
>>8441160
I should have been more clear, I don't think I could imitate the main aspect of his work, the way the whole impression shifts into place, but some thematic elements, detours and reminiscenses.

I also don't think that his works come off as dated because his latest one is all about appropriating a certain moment in time that very few people can coincide with in the manner depicted, that is late 90s net culture. That is to say, he already answered that question by producing works that are insta-dated. Mason and Dixon went all the way back.

>>8441175
I think to a large extent what you're talking about is influence rather than imitation. Some writers are more fruitful sources of influence than others and I feel like Pynchon is one of these authors that it's fruitful for young writers to try and imitate precisely because they feel they can but ultimately can't, and in the process develop their own style.

>>8441186
good weigh in thank you. i agree, that's the sort of thing i was hoping for.

>>8441186
>I feel like Pynchon is one of these authors that it's fruitful for young writers to try and imitate precisely because they feel they can but ultimately can't, and in the process develop their own style.
This has been very much the case for me, ı tried imitating him once and ended up with something completely different but which ı nonetheless liked.