ENERGY

Well folks, it's been a curious batch of months, even the past week has been filled with life changes. Yet one small thing absorbed all my energy: I encountered a psychic vampire on a matter that is fairly trivial, but it rattled me, it really rattled me and I gave it so much power tho I tried not to, believe me. It's funny, I had so major things happen this week, but empathy and respect were so much a part of these events that it didn't freak me out. Then this one minor little teeny thing in a teeny town in a teeny country happens, anger enters into it, and kabloooie! It sucked up my energy....HOWEVER! It caused me to face some fears and think deeply about things. It's been a few days of talking (venting) with some great people and thinking things out. When certain emotional matters weigh on me, talk can also turn to creative professional practices.
Some of my previous, recent posts veer into whiny turf, I do my best to steer clear of self-pity (a tough thing to do these past few months) and naturally don't always succeed. I'm focusing on why something doesn't make it or might not make it. Trying to find a solution or a way to increase the creative odds. I wrote those last few posts with the unstated understanding of why something I do would make it. I can't enter into victim framework/cycle. As one pal put it, some folks can't even get out of bed due to fear, let alone put themselves out there and be creative. So be grateful for the creative gift and put it to use.
Current need: 'making the industry take notice.'In other words, 'making it.'
I feel good about this new project that I am starting on. Is it a creative breakthrough? We'll know if it sticks to the wall.
In one book I read, written in 1991, the writer was going off about the phrase 'interdisciplinary' and how stupid/lofty it was because, well, most people do have other interests. Unfortunately that term has to come into play more and more because there are plenty of people who are easily confused, they find some frustrating need to ask, "What's your focus?" As a boy, whether writing, drawing, performing or making music, it was all from the same creative place. As an adult I feel the same way. So maybe answering the question with "Being creative" or "Interdisciplinary" isn't so bad.
It's direct.
I'll say it again.
It's direct.
Be direct.
Some advice I have gotten is to gear all your talents to that one thing, have those talents help each other out on that thing.
So I decided to make a book, been refining the ole pitch. Got lots of writing.
Then the amazingly helpful ole pal Marc Bell said, send your lil hand-drawn home-spun Y2K Compatible self-help booklets and olllllld Bunyon zines to that publisher you've been eyeing. I poo-pooed him a bit. I censored myself. I thought that they'd want pure prose, typed out stories, text text text. Then I stopped for a second. My peers are getting books published that are chockful of drawings. These lil mags of mine at their best synthesize humour, drawing, and writing in a strong way that reads true to what I do. When they succeed, they merge talents and if I include a strong universal theme that is happening in my life (by life I mean the best selling genre of humourous creative non-fiction) it could work. I just need to refine it and use my strengths. Much of my stand-up story-telling is dealing with that as well and that could be used to promote it when (not IF) I am touring the book. And maybe there's a way to have music enter the picture too. Throw that in the marketing part of the book proposal.Will the book give me vast riches? Doubtful. How many rich authors do you know? Yes, I want it to make money and I am open to vast riches. But a book can lead to further opportunities as well.
Blogs are thinking aloud, I'm yammering about me, it's my blog, but hopefully this is of some use to you as well. Or it could just be the nonsensical natterings of a crazy person.
Some pseudonymous soul recently countered in the comments section with, "You're not marketable." The crazy thing is that I've been reading so much, biographies et al, about artists who marched to the beat of their own drum who had to hear that statement for years on end (ie, Chester Gould, Willie Nelson, Matt Groening)then finally something hit for them.
Time to back all that up with some more work, a few pages are done, more need to get done and be better....
The funny thing is that I moved to a new city to make things happen for me career-wise and people can make books no matter where one resides. I will still use and be open to the opportunities that this city can provide me with and, of course, all of you sweethearts that I encounter. I mean, I won't use you. I mean, I'll be there for you. I mean. Oh never mind, you know what I mean.