Dan Jorgensen's Blog, page 151

'Artistic expression for its own time'

 

“A theatre, a literature, an artistic expression that does not speak for its own time has no relevance.” – Dario Fo

Born on this date in 1926,  Fo often said he was “an idiot” who just happened to win the Nobel Prize.  But “brilliant” would be a more fitting description.   An Italian actor, playwright, director, songwriter, and political campaigner he was “arguably the most widely performed contemporary playwright in world theatre” during his lifetime.
A master of satire and irony, he grew up the son of a self-educated writing mother and day-laborer father who also was a traveling actor in the ancient Italian tradition of regional performance, lampooning local politicos and religious figures. “When I was a boy, unconsciously, spontaneously I learned the art of telling ironic stories,” he said.
Whether as an actor, writer or director, Fo found religion and politics to be “fertile ground” for his works.   “Every artistic expression is either influenced            by or adds something to politics,” he once wrote. 

Fo’s writings – translated into 30 languages – address issues ranging from dictatorial brutality to AIDS, religion, organized crime, and “military actions.”    His satire, he said, can be adapted to unjust situations throughout the world.    “Satire can always be found everywhere.  A people without love for satire is a dead people.” 

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A Writer's Moment: 'Artistic expression for its own time'

A Writer's Moment: 'Artistic expression for its own time':   “A theatre, a literature, an artistic expression that does not speak for its own time has no relevance.” – Dario Fo Born on this dat...

A Writer's Moment: 'Believeably involved, emotionally invested'

A Writer's Moment: 'Believeably involved, emotionally invested':   “In a mystery, the sleuth must be believably involved and emotionally invested in solving the crime.” – Diane Mott Davidson Mystery ...

'Believeably involved, emotionally invested'

 

“In a mystery, the sleuth must be believably involved and emotionally invested in solving the crime.” – Diane Mott Davidson

Mystery writer Davidson, born March 22, 1949, took a page (so to speak) out of author Robert B. Parker’s writing guide and decided to develop her ideas for mysteries around her two great loves – writing and recipes.  Thus, her novels use the theme of food and include several food or drink recipes within their pages.  On top of that, her clever titles are a play on food or drink words, like Dying for Chocolate, The Grilling Season, Killer Pancake and The Whole Enchilada (my personal fave).
Her protagonist, Goldy Schulz, is a small town caterer based in Colorado (also where Davidson resides) who solves mysteries on the side.
A native of Virginia who started writing while she was a student at Wellesley, Mott Davidson said she actually tried catering for a while and found it “exhausting.”  She honed her cooking skills after transferring from Wellesley to Stanford.  “If you don’t have much money, you have to learn to cook.” 

Her advice to new writers is first write for the love of it.  “If you make best-sellerdom your goal, you're going to be in trouble.  It's a very nice thing to have happen, but if one makes that a goal like, say, a literary writer has the goal of getting the Pulitzer Prize, that's so unpredictable.”

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'Putting brains to work'

 “One of the nice things about books as opposed to television and movies … is people really do get involved, and they do create, and they do have their own visions of what different characters look like and what should happen.  It’s great.  It means their brains are working.” – James Patterson

Born this date in 1947, Patterson is the most prolific author of all time with his phenomenal success as a mystery and children’s writer.  Intending to become a college professor of English, he was a Ph.D. candidate when he decided to try his hand at advertising and, like everything he tries his hand at, succeeded beyond his wildest dreams.  After rising to a top executive position, he abruptly retired in 1996 to devote his time to writing.  Good move.
His novels featuring African-American detective/psychologist Alex Cross have been the most popular and top-selling U.S. detective series in the past 20 years.  Since 1976, when he first tried his hand at writing, Patterson's books have sold more than 425 million text and over 100 million e-books, most No. 1 books on New York Times bestseller list.
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And he is the first author to ever have the Number 1 titles in both adult and children’s categories at the same time.  His awards include the Edgar, the BCA Mystery Guild’s Thriller of the Year, the International Thriller of the Year, and the Literarian Award from the National Book Foundation.  But, he said, the award he most cherishes is Author of the Year from the Children’s Choice Awards.
“This is what I believe is most important:  Getting good books into the hands of kids – books that will make them want to say, ‘Wow, that was great.  Give me another one to read.’”

A Writer's Moment: 'Putting brains to work'

A Writer's Moment: 'Putting brains to work':   “One of the nice things about books as opposed to television and movies … is people really do get involved, and they do create, and they d...

A Writer's Moment: 'Create a network in readers' minds'

A Writer's Moment: 'Create a network in readers' minds':   “I think books create a sort of network in the reader's mind, with one book reinforcing another. Some books form relationships. Other...

'Create a network in readers' minds'

 

“I think books create a sort of network in the reader's mind, with one book reinforcing another. Some books form relationships. Other books stand in opposition. No two writers or readers have the same pattern of interaction.” – Margaret Mahy Mahy, born on this date in 1936, started her professional life as a librarian and it was this association with books and the words of writers, coupled with “the light in children’s eyes when they discovered new worlds through books” that led her to become a writer herself.
Twice awarded the Carnegie Medal – for The Haunting and The Changeover – she also won the world’s top international prize for children’s and young adult literature when she was named for the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 2006, just a few years before her death.  The words written about her then bear repeating:
“Mahy's language is rich in poetic imagery, magic, and supernatural elements. Her oeuvre provides a vast, luminous, but intensely personal metaphorical arena for the expression and experience of childhood and adolescence.                 Equally important, however, are her rhymes and poems for children. Mahy's works are known to children and young adults all over the world.”
The author of 100 picture books, 40 novels and 20 short story collections, she had this advice for new writers:  “Try not to become disappointed if someone doesn't like a story you've written. Stick up for your ideas, but listen to what other people say, too. They might have good advice.”  @font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1791491579 18 0 131231 0;}@font-face {font-family:"Cambria Math"; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}.MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ 明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

He made goodness attractive

 

“Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of people.” – Fred Rogers

 

Probably no other man had as much impact on children’s television as Fred McFeely Rogers, born this date in 1928 and famous, of course, for creating and hosting Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood on PBS. 

 

Initially planning to be a minister, Rogers found himself displeased with how television addressed children and made an effort to write things that could cause change.  In the process he became an indelible icon of children’s entertainment and education, as well as a symbol of compassion, morality and morality.

 

At the time of his death (from cancer in 2003) he had been honored with some 40 honorary degrees, a Peabody Award for his writing, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  He also was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame, the first “Children’s Advocate” so named. 

 

Rogers also became the first kids’ TV host to testify before Congress and get that grumpy group to support TV programming for kids and provide funding for it as well.  Honored with two Congressional resolutions, he is ranked among the 35 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.

 

“Try your best to make goodness attractive,” Rogers advised. “That’s one of the toughest assignments you’ll ever be given.”

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A Writer's Moment: He made goodness attractive

A Writer's Moment: He made goodness attractive:   “Knowing that we can be loved exactly as we are gives us all the best opportunity for growing into the healthiest of pe...