ON FAME

"Jared Leto said that fame doesn’t change you, it changes everyone around you. While I’m not the centre of attention here (and fuck, the times I have, it’s never been fun), I do become aware of the people around me and their transparency. They fail to hide it. I’ve experienced being a target of the tabloids, finding moments I thought I was in safe hands splattered all over the internet, being pushed and shoved, or watching others get pushed and shoved by paparazzi just to get what they think they’re entitled to."

- James Lowe (boyfriend of singer Lorde)

REJECTION LETTERS SENT TO FAMOUS PEOPLE

Via

I have a copy of Lolita - a solid honest to goodness paper copy, not an eBook. I bought it new, so I can have it hanging around, because I love it. I'm not just saying that in the way that some people say they love James Joyce's Ulysses, so I can say I love a complicated monster of a book. I'm not saying it's my favorite - the way some people have a favorite animal. I'm not saying it's the best book of all time, a life-changing experience (so is going to prison), or some other sweeping statement. It's more a combination of elements (language, content, author choices, style) that come together to give you everything you've ever wanted. Completely subjective.

To name one thing: I like Nabokov's sense of humor. It's there in the words, the feel of someone having a lot of fun. Have you ever hung around people when they love what they do? It's bliss. 

Coming to the point - it blows my mind a little to know someone rejected this. I would love to have had a hand in publishing Lolita. The closest I hope to come to greatness is probably reflected greatness - standing next to someone great, and hoping it rubs off. Sad, I know. This publisher had a chance to be associated with Lolita...and declined. A little mind blowing. 

Another sad story: here's U2's rejection letter. You can find more letters here.

WRITING PICTURE PROMPT NO. 3

On a sunny day, you've been ringing the doorbell to your friend's apartment for a good ten minutes. There's been no answer. Turning to leave, you notice a white car parked perpendicularly across the way. What catches your eye is the pattern of water against the door, it moves with the breeze. But there has been no rain. As you look at the door, a shape emerges. You move in closer, to inspect. What do you find?

ON DOUBT

Source

Do you believe in the existence of an internal compass? It's the closest thing to a writer's spirituality - you have to have faith that it exists, without any physical proof. You just have to believe, because without it, you have no guide, no point of reference, just options. There are too many options, or none. To make a choice, you have to believe sometimes, that you know what you're doing, you have to trust in your creative instincts, and set aside the doubt.

PHOTOGRAPHER ZACK SECKLER, BOTSWANA EXHIBITION

I like a bit of green in my day. It sets the mind at ease. These photographs are from Zack Seckler's Botswana exhibition, which was going on in New York back in February. He took them from a low flying plane, which is something I wish I could do. You have possibly seconds to compose and create your shot. It sounds exciting, and infuses each shot with a living, breathing quality. Every shot is an action shot. 

FUN LINKS

Music
Artifact the Film
In 2008, the band 30 Seconds to Mars was sued by their own record label for $30 million dollars. This is a pretty entertaining documentary about the raw deal musicians get when they get screwed by sign with a major record label. No more guilt about downloading that album, eh?

Publishing
Self-Publishing Changed My Life, But My Publisher Grew My Sales
So...the epic battle between the forces of Self publishing v. Traditional publishing continues!

Creativity
Advice From Artists on How to Overcome Creative Block, Handle Criticism, and Nurture Your Sense of Self Worth
Here's a collection of advice from established authors, good to look at when you're feeling bummed, need to pick your self-worth out of the toilet and so on. Those days come and go.

Facebook
The End of Facebook
Now that Facebook is in the business of making money, they're no longer in the business of providing you with a forum to reach your audience of followers. If you use Facebook to promote yourself or your business, this is worth a look.

Free Stuff
550 Free Audiobooks
I've probably posted this before, but since that was awhile go, here it is again. Free stuff!

SHINER WOODBLOCK PRINTS

Here's a good idea from Shiner. If you take a lot of Instagram photos, Shiner will mount them on pine blocks, each 3.5"x 3.5"x .75."

All images via Shiner.

THE CONTRADICTION OF SILENCE: SHORT FILM FROM CHOREOGRAPHER ALEXANDER EKMAN

The Contradiction of Silence from Bolon on Vimeo.

MENTAL OBSTACLES

There is a mental audience inside every writer, every artist, every person that creates. This is something that I believe exists, like a literary Santa Claus. I think it's a part of human nature to create an audience, and this…is a problem.

Ever pandered to an audience? It's reflexive. They like something, you give them more. They don't like it, you stop. Cause and effect. Here's what my mental audience is like: it fluctuates a lot - sometimes it's people I know, sometimes members of my family, sometimes it's co-workers, and sometimes it's just a mass of faceless strangers, but the quality they have in common, is that they are complete @$$holes. If you've read Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott, I believe she referred to a radio station running through her head called K-F*cked. You see where I'm going with this?

The easiest way to keep writing, to keep going, is to clear the audience out. That's why I emphasize simplicity. That's what I got from the Dalai Lama talk.* So you don't write while considering what other people will think, you choose your one goal (singular), and move towards it. You screen everything else out. I like the quote above: your goal is to create beauty, and no one else matters. The clearer the mind, the easier the goal is to reach. 

* The Dalai Lama post on Happiness, where he distilled happiness into really simple ideas: focusing on others, being part of a community. And you're done. If you meet him, he's one happy guy. 

A PICTURE FOR THE WEEKEND NO. 29

I thought I would try to end the week on a calming note. I like the colors here, the two tiny people on the hill. Honestly, though, it's not all that high.