Brian Burt's Blog: Work in Progress - Posts Tagged "starving"
Writers Starve, Too!
All of us are familiar with the (in)famous phrase, "starving artists." The genesis of that expression traces back to people who literally chose a life of poverty in order to chase their muse and focus on generating works of art that rarely brought in enough income to pay the bills. The reality is that few artists, in any discipline, ever manage to achieve enough commercial success to support themselves solely on the basis of their "labors of love." Let's face it: for most artists, the odds of winning a fortune in the lottery are as good or better.
But there's another sense in which artists often starve. They starve for encouragement, understanding, and emotional support in a world where economic success is too often the sole (or main) criterion for judging a person's contribution to society.
Like anyone who's tried his hand at a creative endeavor, I have tremendous sympathy for folks who dedicate themselves to an artistic pursuit. That's why it's great to see local artists featured at community art fairs, art hops, and in local venues. I enjoy walking into a neighborhood pub or restaurant and seeing paintings by an area resident hanging on the walls. It's great to see a downtown store or office featuring local sculptures, with price tags displayed along with artist contact info. It's awesome to hear local bands playing concerts at the community band shell or in the bars nearby. Seeing local actors perform community theater productions warms my heart. All of these local artists deserve respect and support. They shouldn't have to starve for encouragement.
But writers are artists, too. Their labors are just as long and lonely, their dedication no less deserving of respect. Writers starve, too. Why are they perceived so differently?
I recently had my debut novel published. It was a wonderful milestone, and I was psyched about it. I (naively) thought that my community would generally be supportive, as I'd seen them being for painters, sculptors, and musicians in the area. I experienced a rude awakening. Some local merchants were in fact very encouraging. But a surprising number of them, who displayed paintings or sculptures by local artists or paid local bands to perform, wouldn't even let me put out promotional bookmarks. I actually had one person admit to me that writers weren't like other artists: "anybody can write a book."
Wow - anybody who's actually tried to write a book (fiction or nonfiction) knows how daunting, difficult, and time-consuming it really is. I can't imagine this person telling me that "anybody can paint," or "anybody can sculpt," or "anybody can sing and play an instrument." On some level, that might be true... but only someone who's worked hard, paid some dues, and polished their craft can write a good book.
Why are writers perceived differently than other artists? I suspect it's because writing is indeed a skill that everybody possesses to a limited degree. At minimum, almost every modern human has experience writing reports, memos, e-mails, messages, notes, or some other form of document. We all write. That seems to make us more ambivalent about the level of commitment required to write well.
I freely acknowledge that I'm a rookie novelist, with only one novel-length work under my belt. I have a lot to learn. But I wrote quite a bit of short fiction before embarking on the arduous journey to complete a novel. I've been honing my skills (crude though they may still be) for years. Other writers in our area (including virtually anyone who's managed to complete a full-length book) have similarly paid their dues. They are artists who work with the medium of language. They may not be full-fledged professionals or bestsellers, but they are every bit as deserving of community support as amateur or semi-pro artists in other disciplines.
Don't get me wrong: my goal isn't to take anything away from the local painters, sculptors, musicians, performers, etc., who contribute richly to our community by virtue of their creativity. I just believe writers should be included in their fraternity. Anyone who starves to further their art deserves to eat. And, despite the cliche, writers really can't "eat their words."
So support your local writers - be they short or novel-length fiction, book-length nonfiction, essay, or poetry practitioners. They need nurturing, too. And, to end on an optimistic note, I'll express my sincere gratitude to our local library (Ransom District Library) for hosting their first Local Author Fair this week. It's a wonderful idea, the library is an ideal venue, and it's certain to be a veritable feast of encouragement for area wordsmiths. Thank you for remembering that writers are artists, too, and that hearty psychic meals are few and far between!
But there's another sense in which artists often starve. They starve for encouragement, understanding, and emotional support in a world where economic success is too often the sole (or main) criterion for judging a person's contribution to society.
Like anyone who's tried his hand at a creative endeavor, I have tremendous sympathy for folks who dedicate themselves to an artistic pursuit. That's why it's great to see local artists featured at community art fairs, art hops, and in local venues. I enjoy walking into a neighborhood pub or restaurant and seeing paintings by an area resident hanging on the walls. It's great to see a downtown store or office featuring local sculptures, with price tags displayed along with artist contact info. It's awesome to hear local bands playing concerts at the community band shell or in the bars nearby. Seeing local actors perform community theater productions warms my heart. All of these local artists deserve respect and support. They shouldn't have to starve for encouragement.
But writers are artists, too. Their labors are just as long and lonely, their dedication no less deserving of respect. Writers starve, too. Why are they perceived so differently?
I recently had my debut novel published. It was a wonderful milestone, and I was psyched about it. I (naively) thought that my community would generally be supportive, as I'd seen them being for painters, sculptors, and musicians in the area. I experienced a rude awakening. Some local merchants were in fact very encouraging. But a surprising number of them, who displayed paintings or sculptures by local artists or paid local bands to perform, wouldn't even let me put out promotional bookmarks. I actually had one person admit to me that writers weren't like other artists: "anybody can write a book."
Wow - anybody who's actually tried to write a book (fiction or nonfiction) knows how daunting, difficult, and time-consuming it really is. I can't imagine this person telling me that "anybody can paint," or "anybody can sculpt," or "anybody can sing and play an instrument." On some level, that might be true... but only someone who's worked hard, paid some dues, and polished their craft can write a good book.
Why are writers perceived differently than other artists? I suspect it's because writing is indeed a skill that everybody possesses to a limited degree. At minimum, almost every modern human has experience writing reports, memos, e-mails, messages, notes, or some other form of document. We all write. That seems to make us more ambivalent about the level of commitment required to write well.
I freely acknowledge that I'm a rookie novelist, with only one novel-length work under my belt. I have a lot to learn. But I wrote quite a bit of short fiction before embarking on the arduous journey to complete a novel. I've been honing my skills (crude though they may still be) for years. Other writers in our area (including virtually anyone who's managed to complete a full-length book) have similarly paid their dues. They are artists who work with the medium of language. They may not be full-fledged professionals or bestsellers, but they are every bit as deserving of community support as amateur or semi-pro artists in other disciplines.
Don't get me wrong: my goal isn't to take anything away from the local painters, sculptors, musicians, performers, etc., who contribute richly to our community by virtue of their creativity. I just believe writers should be included in their fraternity. Anyone who starves to further their art deserves to eat. And, despite the cliche, writers really can't "eat their words."
So support your local writers - be they short or novel-length fiction, book-length nonfiction, essay, or poetry practitioners. They need nurturing, too. And, to end on an optimistic note, I'll express my sincere gratitude to our local library (Ransom District Library) for hosting their first Local Author Fair this week. It's a wonderful idea, the library is an ideal venue, and it's certain to be a veritable feast of encouragement for area wordsmiths. Thank you for remembering that writers are artists, too, and that hearty psychic meals are few and far between!
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Work in Progress
Random musings from a writer struggling to become an author.
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