A Lit Movement?
PRO
There's not a doubt in my mind that those in charge of our literature are wrecking it. Whatever their successes, the art is being marginalized. They're not giving the public what it wants. Literary products are badly flawed. We're a long way from a golden age of American literature. This leaves openings.
CON
For myself, I wonder if I any longer want anything to do with the art. I'd be better off selling cars.
The problem is writers themselves. I can't begin to express the depth of my disappointment when I was trying to promote some of them. By and large-- with exceptions, of course-- writers are egoistic, self-defeating, timid, undependable, unimaginative when it comes to marketing and with no conception of how business works in the real world but considering themselves experts regardless. (Mainstream writers, utter phonies to a person, are worse.) Good luck to those who attempt to work with writers!
EXAMPLE
One example of what I mean is that many of the writers I was strenuously making noise for and about had complete scorn for me. A host of them considered me "not a writer"-- from Ann to Finch, Grover, Noah, Tim Hall, and others. (A great motivator for my own work!) I'd rather do p.r., but, er, I'm also a writer.
(See http://www.happyamericawriting.blogspot.com/ )
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3 comments:
I'm obviously being too tough on the writers I've dealt with. I had many many many of my own faults-- many of the writers put up with a lot. I know, though, how close we came to real breakthrough. The opportunity for a new lit movement is still out there-- it's doable, with the right mix and mindset.
p.s. Poets are the writers I had most trouble with. They're disagreeable, disharmonious, unorganizable and unreliable by nature.
I trust that assessment isn't too harsh!
I've promoted writers, musicians, painters, and all kinds of artists. Sadly at this point in time, there is not really much cooperation among them.
Indie artists of all kinds have got to be less complacent and more cooperative for much to get done.
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