R.J. Vaccarelli
asked
Steve Altes:
Good afternoon, Steve! You have done many exciting things in your life, and have many accomplishments. What has been your favorite professional accomplishment? Where do you see yourself heading professionally in the next 5-10 years? Thanks! R.J. Vaccarelli
Steve Altes
Hi R.J.! Sorry for the delay. I didn't visit GR for a couple weeks. You're very kind to call the things I've done accomplishments. I view it more like failing sideways. Or the spaghetti theory of life: throw a bunch of stuff at the wall and see what sticks.
I started out in engineering because my father and sister were both engineers, so it seemed like, I don't know, the family thing. But I left engineering the day I realized two things. (1) Engineering is a no-nonsense profession. And (2) I’m all nonsense.
I just never took engineering seriously enough. I was sort of like the kamikaze pilot who did 35 missions. I was *interested* in my work, but not really committed.
I bounced around the film and TV world for a while, landing a few blink-and-you-missed-it parts in a handful of forgettable movies.
Then I wound up writing humor essays for magazines, which surprised the hell out of me. When I graduated college, writing was the last occupation I would have ever imagined for myself. I was more interested in careers that got people rich. And trust me, the answer never came back, “Essays, Steve. Yep, see that man getting off the Learjet over there, he amassed a huge fortune in essays. He’s that essay tycoon from Texas.”
Writing humor essays led to speakers bureaus hiring me as an inspirational speaker, but to tell you the truth, I’m not sure if my life is an inspiration… or more of a cautionary tale. I’m someone who traded the anxiety and frustration of corporate life for the uncertainty and degradation of show business.
Now I've reincarnated myself as a graphic novelist. It' been an incredible ride so far, getting Geeks & Greeks in print. I'm gratified that people are responding very positively to the story, which is based largely on actual events (hacking and hazing at MIT).
Five to ten years from now? In an ideal scenario the film rights to Geeks & Greeks would sell, allowing me the breathing room to write the sequel I have in mind (Geeks & Greeks, Volume Square Root of 4). Worst case scenario? It's the year 2020 and Emperor Trump is pinning medals on the few surviving veterans of World War 3 onboard the Space Station.
I started out in engineering because my father and sister were both engineers, so it seemed like, I don't know, the family thing. But I left engineering the day I realized two things. (1) Engineering is a no-nonsense profession. And (2) I’m all nonsense.
I just never took engineering seriously enough. I was sort of like the kamikaze pilot who did 35 missions. I was *interested* in my work, but not really committed.
I bounced around the film and TV world for a while, landing a few blink-and-you-missed-it parts in a handful of forgettable movies.
Then I wound up writing humor essays for magazines, which surprised the hell out of me. When I graduated college, writing was the last occupation I would have ever imagined for myself. I was more interested in careers that got people rich. And trust me, the answer never came back, “Essays, Steve. Yep, see that man getting off the Learjet over there, he amassed a huge fortune in essays. He’s that essay tycoon from Texas.”
Writing humor essays led to speakers bureaus hiring me as an inspirational speaker, but to tell you the truth, I’m not sure if my life is an inspiration… or more of a cautionary tale. I’m someone who traded the anxiety and frustration of corporate life for the uncertainty and degradation of show business.
Now I've reincarnated myself as a graphic novelist. It' been an incredible ride so far, getting Geeks & Greeks in print. I'm gratified that people are responding very positively to the story, which is based largely on actual events (hacking and hazing at MIT).
Five to ten years from now? In an ideal scenario the film rights to Geeks & Greeks would sell, allowing me the breathing room to write the sequel I have in mind (Geeks & Greeks, Volume Square Root of 4). Worst case scenario? It's the year 2020 and Emperor Trump is pinning medals on the few surviving veterans of World War 3 onboard the Space Station.
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