Scotland writers: too depressing for words?

Edinburgh-based literary agent Jenny Brown would like to see a few changes to the kind of books written by Scottish writers:

THE row over whether Scotland is a country populated by inward-looking people who celebrate failure and revel in a "culture of poverty" took another twist yesterday when a leading literary agent said Scottish writing was dour, dark and in need of sexing up.

Jenny Brown, a former director of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: "In an age where readers are looking for feel-good novels, Scotland excels at feel-bad books."

She said the black comedy of contemporary Scottish novels – when even sex was "dark, perverted" – could be one reason they don’t get made into films. "We would probably do well to cultivate other novelists with voices who are putting forward an alternative picture."

Naturally, such comments did not inspire shiny happy responses, one publishing honcho has a different take on things:

Bob McDevitt, who heads the new Scottish office of publishing giant Hodder Headline, said authors written off as "grim and gritty" are often very funny.

"Their characters are unemployed, dispossessed, drug-addicted, divorced, but there is still a modern sense of humour".

"I am sick of look-a-likes," he said. "What I keep seeing are Highland farces like Monarch of the Glen, Edinburgh detectives with a drink problem, or literary, druggy, Irvine Welsh-styled pastiches. What I want is original writing, not people saying Ian Rankin has done well, let’s copy him."

I’m especially interested to see what some folks have to say about this.

UPDATE: Charlie Williams had loads more to say about it, and is far more pointed.