Audiences to writing
Oct. 22nd, 2006 12:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dreaminghopeWhen I am out in public, especially if I am alone, I become very conscious of my own behaviour and how I could be viewed – even if I know that no one cares. I also become hyper-aware of other people's actions and how they conform to or differ from the norm.
I went to a couple of the International Writers Festival panels this weekend.
Yesterday was "From the Dark Side", where I joined![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
rythos42 to watch a panel of authors discuss writing about serial killers, psychopaths, and insane asylums. When the authors walked on to the stage, we all applauded. The authors read descriptions of a man murdering and burying a minister and a man being burned alive. I laughed at every opportunity offered; there were many. Those around me seemed to do the same.
Today was "Writing Life", which I attended alone. The writers, all contributors to the Writing Life anthology, spoke about writing when you have kids, doubting the value of writing, and the problems of marketing your writing. We didn't applaud when the writers walked on to the stage.
I don't know why we applauded for the authors at the first event I went to and not for the second. There were even some of the same authors on the two panels. Who makes the decision to clap or not to clap? I'm not the one who decides. If I was, we would have clapped for both panels; I like consistency.
The most interesting thing for me was when the writers started talking about feeling insecure about writing, as though it were not a worthwhile activity. One author spoke about watching a man digging a trough and thinking about how silly writing seems in comparison to the physical labour. Another spoke about being asked by her relatives: "So, you’re a writer; what's that get you?"
The audience responded most to that section of the discussion. When the time came for audience questions, most of them were actually comments from people talking about how books had changed lives or touched people they knew. They wanted to reassure these successful authors that what they are doing is important; responding to a writer's need for groupies.
There were two authors who received more applause then anyone else: a French novelist who struggled to read his book in English translation and to answer questions in a language that wasn't his own, and an author who spoke about her problems with public speaking and promoting her work. The audience reacted as a whole with compassion towards the person who was obviously trying very hard and the person who’s problem they could most easily relate to.
When the man who played Amos Hart in a production of Chicago came out for his curtain call, he got more applause then anyone else, even the biggest stars, in no small part because of his moving performance of "Mister Cellophane", which got a lot of applause as well.
I didn't really like the audience question portion of either panel. Both seemed to be dominated by people who wanted to sound smart. Most of them didn't even have questions: they had comments or rants ending with a lame "so, uh, do you agree?". The writers, luckily, managed to make their answers interesting, even if they didn't have much to do with what was asked.
I didn't like the moderator much of the first panel. Her questions got so long and complicated that the authors ended up just sort of staring at her. But the "Writing Life" moderator was much better. The writers were very interesting and fun both times, though.
Who decides how long to clap? It just seems to end on its own, except when it doesn't. I saw a modern dance performance in the Paris Opera House once, years ago. After every dance, the curtain would close, and the audience clapped and clapped and clapped until it developed its own rhythm and everyone seemed to be clapping in unison. It was eerie.
It's been a busy weekend so far, but I hope to actually get writing again tomorrow.
*Eden Robinson, author of Blood Sports.
I went to a couple of the International Writers Festival panels this weekend.
Yesterday was "From the Dark Side", where I joined
rythos42 to watch a panel of authors discuss writing about serial killers, psychopaths, and insane asylums. When the authors walked on to the stage, we all applauded. The authors read descriptions of a man murdering and burying a minister and a man being burned alive. I laughed at every opportunity offered; there were many. Those around me seemed to do the same.When I'm trying to get into the mood to write those [graphic torture scenes], I read writers who've already gone there. Those books become my touchstones. When I'm trying to get myself back out of that, I listen to Enya. Enya is good for coming back out of the dark.*
Today was "Writing Life", which I attended alone. The writers, all contributors to the Writing Life anthology, spoke about writing when you have kids, doubting the value of writing, and the problems of marketing your writing. We didn't applaud when the writers walked on to the stage.
I don't know why we applauded for the authors at the first event I went to and not for the second. There were even some of the same authors on the two panels. Who makes the decision to clap or not to clap? I'm not the one who decides. If I was, we would have clapped for both panels; I like consistency.
The most interesting thing for me was when the writers started talking about feeling insecure about writing, as though it were not a worthwhile activity. One author spoke about watching a man digging a trough and thinking about how silly writing seems in comparison to the physical labour. Another spoke about being asked by her relatives: "So, you’re a writer; what's that get you?"
The audience responded most to that section of the discussion. When the time came for audience questions, most of them were actually comments from people talking about how books had changed lives or touched people they knew. They wanted to reassure these successful authors that what they are doing is important; responding to a writer's need for groupies.
There were two authors who received more applause then anyone else: a French novelist who struggled to read his book in English translation and to answer questions in a language that wasn't his own, and an author who spoke about her problems with public speaking and promoting her work. The audience reacted as a whole with compassion towards the person who was obviously trying very hard and the person who’s problem they could most easily relate to.
Cellophane
Mister Cellophane
Should have been my name
Mister Cellophane
'Cause you can look right through me
Walk right by me
And never know I'm there
When the man who played Amos Hart in a production of Chicago came out for his curtain call, he got more applause then anyone else, even the biggest stars, in no small part because of his moving performance of "Mister Cellophane", which got a lot of applause as well.
I didn't really like the audience question portion of either panel. Both seemed to be dominated by people who wanted to sound smart. Most of them didn't even have questions: they had comments or rants ending with a lame "so, uh, do you agree?". The writers, luckily, managed to make their answers interesting, even if they didn't have much to do with what was asked.
I didn't like the moderator much of the first panel. Her questions got so long and complicated that the authors ended up just sort of staring at her. But the "Writing Life" moderator was much better. The writers were very interesting and fun both times, though.
Who decides how long to clap? It just seems to end on its own, except when it doesn't. I saw a modern dance performance in the Paris Opera House once, years ago. After every dance, the curtain would close, and the audience clapped and clapped and clapped until it developed its own rhythm and everyone seemed to be clapping in unison. It was eerie.
It's been a busy weekend so far, but I hope to actually get writing again tomorrow.
*Eden Robinson, author of Blood Sports.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-10-23 02:18 pm (UTC)I have some notes from my panels that I want to share...no time right now though. The mystery panel that afternoon was less helpful than I would have thought. The best I got out of it was "How do you keep the readers guessing?" "Well...I have a team of people read over my novel to tell me." Oh duuuuuh, OF COURSE you do. Had hoped for something a little more insightful than that.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-24 02:28 am (UTC)I didn't take any notes at all; I had my pen and paper ready at "Writing Life", but I never remembered to write anything.
"Writing Life" was a good panel. I am going to buy the anthology when I have money again, because I really enjoyed the pieces they read. Unfortunately, they didn't have any copies at the panel (I think they sold out), so I couldn't justify an impulse purchase I couldn't really afford last weekend. Once I get a copy, I'll lend it to you if you'd like. I think you will find it interesting.
What I found really interesting is that several of the writers, before reading their essays about writing, felt the need to disclaim that they hadn't thought about having to read it out loud to an audience. Fiction writers reading non-fiction pieces... it seemed like the essays were actually more personal to them then their novels.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-24 04:50 am (UTC)'Who decides to clap' is anyone at all who starts it. Everyone follows like sheep. Try it sometime. I guess I don't pay much attention to others' versions of the writing life. I work toward different ends than do most others. Namely, not to earn money, and accordingly I don't much care how others handle it.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 12:51 am (UTC)It seems so mysterious because I never start things like that in crowds. I'm always afraid no one else will join the clapping. It seems like it should more complicated then "someone decided to clap", but that must be all there is to it.
It is interesting that none of the authors talked about money, except to note the occasional lack thereof. It seems that they all, in this case, wrote despite a lack of money rather then for money. They do all earn money at it, but they may very well have been able to earn more doing something else.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-25 05:37 pm (UTC)***When I am out in public, especially if I am alone, I become very conscious of my own behaviour and how I could be viewed – even if I know that no one cares. I also become hyper-aware of other people's actions and how they conform to or differ from the norm.***
This is something I've been thinking about a lot. In many ways I feel I'm the exact opposite. I don't particularly care what peeps, especially those I don't know, think about me. And while I enjoy people watching, it's only extreme differences that interest me. In other words, the crazy guy trying to talk to birds or the girl with the fluorescent blue hair wearing the business suit.
Now, I don't find this helpful in of itself. It's only when I try to analyze WHY I feel this way do any useful patterns emerge.
Much of the reason why I think I don't worry terribly what others think is because I was raised with a lot of emphasis on caring about what people thought about me. If not outright popularity, I was taught that being liked was very important. As a result, I think I’ve swung the other way by not caring.
***Today was "Writing Life", which I attended alone. The writers, all contributors to the Writing Life anthology, spoke about writing when you have kids, doubting the value of writing, and the problems of marketing your writing. We didn't applaud when the writers walked on to the stage.***
That’s progress, there.
Back in the old days, they would have shot the messenger.
Now they just don’t clap. (-‘
***The most interesting thing for me was when the writers started talking about feeling insecure about writing, as though it were not a worthwhile activity. One author spoke about watching a man digging a trough and thinking about how silly writing seems in comparison to the physical labour. Another spoke about being asked by her relatives: "So, you’re a writer; what's that get you?" ***
Funny, just this weekend we were at a coffeehouse and a guy who was friends with a girl I knew stopped by our table. He was one of those rare writers who had actually written a novel (a category you can now include yourself ;-)
He said that he was now facing the ‘hard part’ which was getting the novel out there.
He talked about the troubles he’s facing getting a publisher
But he says that even once he crosses that hurdle, he’s still got the ‘hard part’ ahead of him. Even if he gets a publisher, he still has to market the thing. It’s like being a rock star or a politican. There’s the tireless effort of pounding the pavement, promoting the book and getting the word out there.
Still, for all the work involved, it has to be worth it.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 03:26 am (UTC)I can definitely see how that could happen. I think too much emphasis on the importance of being liked either makes people extremely self-conscious or makes them go the other way.
I didn't get any particular messages about popularity, at least not that I can remember. I just tend to be very anxious and nervous in public and around strangers, so I react by wanting to blend in... in behaviour, anyway. Interestingly enough, that doesn't always extend to how I look; I used to shave my head.
Listening to the authors who've been there and done that made me glad I've got so many long and challenging steps between me and marketing. I don't like public speaking; I don't like crowds; I don't like talking to strangers. If I get to publication one today, I'll have to get over those things, I guess.
It will be worth it.
no subject
Date: 2006-10-26 05:20 pm (UTC)It will be worth it. ***
I get the feeling that once you reach this point, your excitement and enthusiasm for what you're doing will be greater than any worries you have about the other stuff.
In other words, I think you'll do just fine. (-:
no subject
Date: 2006-10-27 03:55 am (UTC)"Still, for all the work involved, it has to be worth it"?
Date: 2006-10-26 06:43 am (UTC)Either it is for the money to be earned, I guess, or the renown to be gained. Maybe both. Yet you, for one, disclaim caring about others' opinion of you, so renown could hardly make such a difference to you.
I write because I just like to express myself in ways that please me. I want others to read it. And also be pleased, of course, but it does not revolve around money, and I have no wish to be a publisher's 'employee'. Needing money is a separate thing and I've no wish to entangle my writing by it. That only leads, eventually, to warpage. And then having to hustle it (whether to publisher or potential readers) would eventually disillusion me about the entire writing project.
No, writing is a pure personal satisfaction to me, to be shared as freely as possible with others, and I would rather leave it that way. Long ago, I lusted for money and renown, and learned these things I'm talking about.
Re: "Still, for all the work involved, it has to be worth it"?
Date: 2006-10-26 05:49 pm (UTC)I'm taking your final comment first just because I think it sums up a lot of my feelings. I find the process to be an end to itself. I find there's something magical in the process of creating my own world through writing. It's about as close to godlike as we mere mortals are apt to acheive.
***Either it is for the money to be earned, I guess, or the renown to be gained. Maybe both. Yet you, for one, disclaim caring about others' opinion of you, so renown could hardly make such a difference to you. ***
Not terribly, no.
This is not to say that I totally disregard others. It's just that I'm very selective as to what I take to heart. Well thought out and intelligent comments and critiques are welcome and I'd be lying if I said that I didn't relish them. They're just not as important to me as the process itself.
To make an analogy, I used to do theater; mostly improv comedy. Unlike many others in the field, I didn't really care so much about the applause. However if someone were to tell me what they particularly liked or disliked about my performance then I'd be excited to hear it.
Even more important than that was the thrill of being up on stage that was totally unconnected (for me, at least) to any audience reaction. It was a total rush for me. I don't do drugs and don't drink much but this was a huge buzz for me. Once the performance ended, the rush was over for me even if the crowd was cheering enthusiastically.
As everything has a flip side, I found the improvisors and actors who lived for the applaudse seemed to be more driven. Many (though certainly not all) were very insecure people who literally needed to approval of others to motivate themselves. This need, however, pushed them harder than my motivators did. While I imagine many with their mindset end up broken and disheartened, they are probably more likely to become famous than someone with my mindset.
The same is probably true for a lot of writers.
Re: "Still, for all the work involved, it has to be worth it"?
Date: 2006-10-27 03:54 am (UTC)I don't see it as serving the publisher (though they do benefit as well), but as continued service to the story. If you've written something you believe in, you should want to get the word out there. Marketing is the method by which you compete with the hundreds (thousands?) of other new books to get your story into the hands of people who will love it.
That is admirable. However, the greatest opportunity to get a novel out there if through the publishing industry. Self-publishing, web publishing, publishing-on-demand... these just don't have the potential to get your story out as far.
Not to sound too much like a flaky artist, but "one must serve ones muse", which includes sharing the result of inspiration as far as possible. And that includes marketing.