Dennis Cass Wants You To Be More Awesome

A reader writes:

At the risk of another over my head, costume-filled, insidery, confusing to poor dumbheads like me riddle–
What ever happened to that whole “there’s a better way to get published than querying” thing???

This question is a holdover from the old site, and I’m happy to see it resurface. I will start working this idea in the coming weeks. First, in order to bring our new readers up to the proverbial speed, here is the “costume-filled” parable I wrote about getting in:

Three days before Halloween you learn there will be a surprise Big Event at a small, intimate theater in your town. Tickets are free, provided you’re wearing a costume. Of course, they can’t let in everyone, so your Erotic Space Vampire is going to have to make the grade. There’s also a rumor that the people with the absolutely best costumes will be rewarded with special all-access passes. You want.

You have very little time to get your costume together, but you do your best to make it look as tight, as professional (and as fun) as possible. Thanks to some Big Event blogs, you’ve heard some rumors about what the bouncers like and don’t like. You do your best to adjust your costume accordingly, but your Erotic Space Vampire look is still uniquely you. Fingers crossed.

The big night arrives. When you arrive at the theater, you are first struck by the sheer number of people who are lined up outside. Wow. You knew this Big Event was going to be popular, but you had no idea.

First reaction: mild relief. There are some pretty bad costumes. People with sheets over their heads with holes cut in them. People with store-bought sh*t. There are even some people who aren’t in costume at all, who are obviously just wishing. Suckers.

Second reaction: mild panic. There are also some pretty amazing costumes. Elaborate costumes that you would never have dreamed would work. Basic, traditional costumes (including some classic, widow’s-peaked vampires) that are so beautifully executed that they almost seem real.

Third reaction: total panic. What’s up with all the other Erotic Space Vampires? You thought you’d be the only person with that point of view, but there are in fact several. Some are sexier than you. Others really amp up the space element. One person even brought a friend, whom they pretend to feast on. You wish you’d thought of that.

No matter. What’s done is done and all you can do is wait. Now you have time to really look around. You notice that in addition to the front door, there are several other ways to get into the Big Event.

There is a service entrance where the tech crew and support staff are busy getting things ready.

There are journalists and media types covering the Big Event. They seem to come and go as they please.

There is also a side entrance manned by a bouncer with a clipboard. Some of the people entering through the side are in costume, but others are not. You have no idea who they are, but they seem to walk right in.

Pretty soon it’s your turn to be judged. You walk up to the bouncer at the main entrance. He briefly looks you over (in your mind too briefly considering how hard you worked on your costume and how much you want to go inside) and says . . . .

***

Here’s the question:

If you knew the Big Event was going to happen in a year, would you still put your time, effort and emotional energy into your costume, or would you explore alternative methods of gaining access?

What if the show were five years away? How about ten?

I spent a good deal of Wednesday and Thursday reading and digesting bad news about the book business. (For a nice roundup of what Galley Cat called “Black Wednesday” check out this post from New York Magazine.) I want you to know how DCWYTBMA is going to handle the crisis.

After a lot of thought I’ve decided that the answer is not much. This site has always been dedicated to you doing exceptional work, finding a large audience, and doing it in a way that preserves your dignity and celebrates your humanity. The economy may make this mandate more of a challenge, but then again, it may not. What are a few layoffs to an already impossible dream?

The bottom line is that no one knows how this will all turn out. The only thing that’s certain is that in hindsight the guesses that were right will look like the obvious choice. Epic romances written in light verse with a dash of time travel thrown in? [Slaps forehead.] Why didn’t I see that? Order will emerge out of the chaos, but you can’t tame the chaos. That’s why they call it chaos.

Let’s continue to focus on the basics:

1. Taking risks
2. Maximizing the strengths of a genre or form
3. Executing the fundamentals
4. Serving your audience
5. Building and supporting a community of like-minded artists

I feel like these core concepts are essential enough to be relevant no matter what the state of the book business is. I also feel like they’re flexible enough to be useful should we be forced to stop writing books and start programming literary holograms.

So keep reading and commenting and sending me links and questions. Barring something catastrophic, I will continue to be here for you.

Computer-driven abstract animation from 1985. I had no idea the future has such a rich past.

If this interests you, then you will want to read this interview with artist Larry Cuba.

If this speaks to you, then you will want to visit the website of the electronic visualization laboratory.

It’s that time of year. Everywhere around the world writers and editors at newspapers and magazines are looking forward to taking time off for the holidays. But the world (and its news- and feature-generating qualities) does not rest. How, then, do you effectively stop working while continuing to appear pulse-taking and hot-button pushing?

Enter the round-up.

Check out this peppy little number from the London Times. The writer called some experts, asked some generic questions about the future of art, and then edited it all down for space and clarity. Deadline met. Time to shop.

Does this mean articles like this are of no use?

It does not mean that.

What it means is that you can do this yourself. Reach out to your own network of creative souls, extract their thoughts and feelings and dreams about the future of their craft, and then synthesize your own conclusions. Given how up-for-grabs our culture is right now, it may be easier to start a school of thought than to follow one.