17 votes

Invisible Ink: At the CIA’s creative writing group

4 comments

  1. [2]
    Wolf_359
    Link
    That was a fascinating little read. Well worth a few minutes. Why was this through work though? I'm assuming any meetings they have with writers have to be vetted or something maybe? Or perhaps it...

    That was a fascinating little read. Well worth a few minutes.

    Why was this through work though? I'm assuming any meetings they have with writers have to be vetted or something maybe? Or perhaps it was an employee wellness thing? I just can't figure out why he had to go to Langley to speak to them rather than consulting on an individual basis, or why the CIA would agree to it if it's just for their travel blogs and such.

    Gotta be a reason.

    5 votes
    1. updawg
      Link Parent
      The CIA is often considered to be the best employer in the federal government, so that probably goes a long way to answering that.

      The CIA is often considered to be the best employer in the federal government, so that probably goes a long way to answering that.

      1 vote
  2. feanne
    Link
    I enjoyed reading this, thanks for sharing! Just reminded me that one of my favorite sci fi authors, Paul Linebarger, kept his pen name (Cordwainer Smith) and fiction work a secret until his death...

    I enjoyed reading this, thanks for sharing!

    While we waited for our food, the writer of dystopian sci-fi confirmed that if you work for the CIA, lawyers have to vet anything you publish.

    Just reminded me that one of my favorite sci fi authors, Paul Linebarger, kept his pen name (Cordwainer Smith) and fiction work a secret until his death in 1966 because he didn't want people in his industry to know about it! (Aside from sci fi, he wrote a book on psychological warfare which was apparently used as a textbook by the US army and CIA.)

    3 votes
  3. updawg
    Link
    Seems kinda weird that he was invited to an all expenses paid retreat by the Saudis but was shocked that Americans a few miles from his home knew who she was. I found this funny. Also funny that...

    Seems kinda weird that he was invited to an all expenses paid retreat by the Saudis but was shocked that Americans a few miles from his home knew who she was.

    There was a hall of presidential portraits with notes from commanders in chief to the Secret Service, all of them written in elegant fountain pen, except for Donald Trump’s, which was written in Sharpie and said “I’M SO PROUD OF YOU!”

    I found this funny. Also funny that you can see it as disrespectful or cutting through the crap. I don't see it as disrespectful because I'm not sure Trump has the capacity to be better.

    Given that almost no one’s allowed inside Langley and the people who work for the CIA aren’t supposed to advertise it, it was, like with the museum, a bit of a mystery who the gift shop was for.

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/magazine/meet-the-man-behind-the-cia-gift-shop-the-nations-most-secretive-swag-shop/2019/11/27/5eb27776-e39a-4fa8-a127-7fa987acbc3a_story.html

    3 votes