I don’t miss the culture . . . but I do miss you
For the past three weeks I haven’t read a blog, listened to the news or picked up The New Yorker. The Sunday Times has been used entirely to light coals. My ass has been completely unplugged and I have to confess that for all my love of music, books, TV and film I haven’t missed our culture one bit.
But I have missed you. There were moments (like while eating a fudge-covered Belgian waffle on a stick at the Minnesota State Fair) when I thought about spiking this blog. But then I thought of you, dearest, gentlest, sassiest Reader and I knew I had to come back.
Giving up feelings great . . . but it never lasts for long
I was also severely burned out when I went into the break. I was burned out on writing and reading, but I was especially burned out on keeping up.
This happens to me once in a while, when the Dream in all its dreaminess feels like a crushing, cement pillow instead of a fluffy, lifting pillow. The only solution is to quit, which I did. And I meant it. Until I didn’t.
Now I’m back working on the novel, teaching, this blog, etc. and it feels good.
(Sidebar: I’ve never been a fan of the writer who says he HAS TO WRITE. Because if you were abducted by an alien race who took you back to their planet and forced you to mine peanut butter, then guess what? You’d f*ckin’ mine peanut butter.)
I’m bored with the state of the industry . . . but I’m still 100% committed helping you
A writer friend recently sent me this amazing and spine-tingling article by the amazing and spine-tingling Daniel Menaker. It’s perhaps the best article I’ve ever read about why publishing is broken, but it’s also the thousandth, and frankly I’m sick of hearing about it.
I also realized during my paragraph partying that I really enjoy working on the page. It’s perhaps the one aspect of what we do that’s immune to all the other nonsense that passes for our industry.
I’ll continue to give career advice, but if you notice a shift toward craft please don’t be alarmed.
That said, I have a backlog of questions to answer. Best get to it.
Shift toward craft? Count me in.
So how did the ribs turn out?
Phew – glad it feels good to be back. We missed you…..!
Yes, yay on craft!!
I’m so glad you came back. I was a little worried that your blog had gone dark. I’m down with more craft. Industries go up and down, fads fade, but I believe that there will always be an audience for something creative that has quality and value.
I like explorting the intersection of craft and market, actually. I did a workshop on short stories on Saturday at a conference and when I told my little bright-faced audience that quicker and shorter often works better for online publications, they dimmed slightly.
Not getting it.
We’ll keep plugging along though.
You’re needed. Welcome home!
The Daniel Menaker article seems devastating. How does the aspiring “professional” writer sustain motivation in the light of this reality? Just ignore it? How do you lift your head off the “cement pillow”? Do you think the game is even more difficult for the writer who has experienced the first book published and tasted that sense of possiblity?
Thanks for the kind words, people. It really is good to be back. More craft-y posts after I clean out the DCWYTBMA closet. I owe some posts.