There's so much business talk Mr Palahniuk. Thank you. I love Harmony Korine's model for creating art: "I'll do whatever I want and yell at people when Im doing it and I have no idea what I'm getting paid!" I don't know why he doesn't work with Hollywood any more.
After going to endless pitch meetings, it still amazes me how few people with money ever have a bold idea. Or care to act on a bold idea. Money makes them very skittish.
I think it's the other way around. I don't think they know what to do with new authors now and everyone is flailing in attempt to effectively market in the digital age. Everyone wants pictures and memes.
Yep. Which is kinda good for me because I can write shit all day long in my little substack corner and no on notices. I can just go to town and no one is really listening. It's actually quite peaceful.
My books will decorate the gold etched plates of spacecraft hurtling out of the stellar corona into the dark void of space. They will outlive the death of humanity. Never to be read again.
It's even better when they tell you not to come back while telling you to think about the children whose minds are still too impressionable for your ideas.
Also, I don’t know if I even care if I get published anymore. But… when sending off my second book to agents I actually got 2 or 3 that were personally written critiques instead form letters with the name typed in. Guess that means I’m improving… some.
Treasure those. For a couple years I send Gerry Howard (my eventual long-term editor) pleasant letters and hellos. Such things keep you in an agent's awareness until you have a new something to send for consideration. Funny, but I often sent goofy picture postcards of Oregon.
I do. I treasure the rejections too. I wanted to print them out and make a diorama or origami of them. “Just my rejections made into little paper cranes.”
Save the best for future marketing. The Rex Reed quote, "Perhaps this movie will find its target audience in Hell" helped sell a million copies of the DVD.
So much good stuff here. I especially agree with the idea of a book as a physical demonstration of love or affection. But the bit that made me laugh (and blush a little) was 'what's the point of reading Camus if no one can tell you're reading Camus'. Spot on! (especially if you're reading it in French)
Chuck, what would you say if I told you the reason I write is to impress you? To make you think I'm sorta cool. That'd be a sad reason, right? It's not the reason, I'm just musing a bit. I enjoy writing and I especially love it when a great sentence comes together.
I mean, if we're all being honest that's kind of the point, right? To impress someone you respect and/or love? I'm leaning over the edge of my crib spreading the contents of my diaper on the wall, hoping someone who matters pays attention to me.
Oh man, comic book store owners HATE Diamond. There are always miscounts and reorders and at least one box of the shipment is packed in such an idiotic way that everything inside is destroyed no matter how little care UPS puts into shipping them. I mean, much, how much care.
Agreed. But if they're on their phone or iPad, they could just be looking at Facebook or checking their email. Much better when you can say, "How are you liking that book? I loved it" or "have been meaning to read it" or whatever.
After I posted my comment, I remembered a friend telling me about a guy reading Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer on the subway and laughing hysterically to himself. You don't get a story like that with Ebooks.
Hate me, maybe, but I’ve enjoyed listening to several audiobooks at double-time - though usually for “homework” titles, like a book club selection or because I’d never read The Shining and was visiting the Stanley Hotel
Way off topic, but youve shared the desire to jump on the grenade so that members of a group arent afraid to speak and get things wrong. This is part of being a "high centrality participant". A person who facilitates synchronized neural activity in a group. Creating connection. The study:
There's so much business talk Mr Palahniuk. Thank you. I love Harmony Korine's model for creating art: "I'll do whatever I want and yell at people when Im doing it and I have no idea what I'm getting paid!" I don't know why he doesn't work with Hollywood any more.
Hollywood is full of horrible people. I wouldn’t wanna work with em’ either.
After going to endless pitch meetings, it still amazes me how few people with money ever have a bold idea. Or care to act on a bold idea. Money makes them very skittish.
Those meetings sound like torture.
But it's LA so you're usually looking across a polished table at very attractive people.
You enjoyed the eye candy.
Make sure you memorize all these facts because Chuck will give you very tough and strenuous homework to do for a prize. Which is more homework.
Your dog is en route. I'll send a tracking number.
Wait what? You're...you're serious? I don't know if you're kidding anymore lol
It's the gift of work!
They're going to market us to death, and after that!
What? Market us? You mean authors in general?
Yeah, and people in general.
I think it's the other way around. I don't think they know what to do with new authors now and everyone is flailing in attempt to effectively market in the digital age. Everyone wants pictures and memes.
Instant gratification.
Yep. Which is kinda good for me because I can write shit all day long in my little substack corner and no on notices. I can just go to town and no one is really listening. It's actually quite peaceful.
My books will decorate the gold etched plates of spacecraft hurtling out of the stellar corona into the dark void of space. They will outlive the death of humanity. Never to be read again.
Never to be read by humans; tardigrades will love your work.
They will establish a whole religion based on your words.
I’ve already got the first draft finished…
I read a part of a story to my local writing group today, and it’s a pretty good feeling when people respond.
It's even better when they tell you not to come back while telling you to think about the children whose minds are still too impressionable for your ideas.
Did you accidentally read some gorno fiction at a YA group?
Oh no, did someone tell you to think about the children?
So… keep my pretentious bookshelf dusted, orderly, and clean and toss my kindle?
Also, I don’t know if I even care if I get published anymore. But… when sending off my second book to agents I actually got 2 or 3 that were personally written critiques instead form letters with the name typed in. Guess that means I’m improving… some.
Treasure those. For a couple years I send Gerry Howard (my eventual long-term editor) pleasant letters and hellos. Such things keep you in an agent's awareness until you have a new something to send for consideration. Funny, but I often sent goofy picture postcards of Oregon.
I do. I treasure the rejections too. I wanted to print them out and make a diorama or origami of them. “Just my rejections made into little paper cranes.”
Save the best for future marketing. The Rex Reed quote, "Perhaps this movie will find its target audience in Hell" helped sell a million copies of the DVD.
Guess it’s gonna be hard to top the infamous Martin Amis advance in this day and age, huh? Sigh.
And, thinking about it now, Stephen King’s “The Dark Half” is probably the completion of the ‘internal struggle trilogy’:
Misery, The Tommyknockers, The Dark Half.
E-books aren’t as fun to read either. Let me turn a page, damn it.
So much good stuff here. I especially agree with the idea of a book as a physical demonstration of love or affection. But the bit that made me laugh (and blush a little) was 'what's the point of reading Camus if no one can tell you're reading Camus'. Spot on! (especially if you're reading it in French)
Every so often someone reminds me why my generation trusts no one. It’s usually you.
Chuck, what would you say if I told you the reason I write is to impress you? To make you think I'm sorta cool. That'd be a sad reason, right? It's not the reason, I'm just musing a bit. I enjoy writing and I especially love it when a great sentence comes together.
I mean, if we're all being honest that's kind of the point, right? To impress someone you respect and/or love? I'm leaning over the edge of my crib spreading the contents of my diaper on the wall, hoping someone who matters pays attention to me.
Oh man, comic book store owners HATE Diamond. There are always miscounts and reorders and at least one box of the shipment is packed in such an idiotic way that everything inside is destroyed no matter how little care UPS puts into shipping them. I mean, much, how much care.
Hah! I didn't want to say that, but the hate is real.
Another downside of Ebooks: How are you supposed to snoop on what people are reading on the subway?
Isn’t that the explanation of how the Shades of Gray series exploded in popularity?
Asking what a stranger is reading is my favorite reason to start a chat.
Agreed. But if they're on their phone or iPad, they could just be looking at Facebook or checking their email. Much better when you can say, "How are you liking that book? I loved it" or "have been meaning to read it" or whatever.
After I posted my comment, I remembered a friend telling me about a guy reading Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer on the subway and laughing hysterically to himself. You don't get a story like that with Ebooks.
BING BONG!!!!! 😢 😢 😢 I thought I’d never forget you, but I just had to google “inside out imaginary friend” to remember your name
Hate me, maybe, but I’ve enjoyed listening to several audiobooks at double-time - though usually for “homework” titles, like a book club selection or because I’d never read The Shining and was visiting the Stanley Hotel
Way off topic, but youve shared the desire to jump on the grenade so that members of a group arent afraid to speak and get things wrong. This is part of being a "high centrality participant". A person who facilitates synchronized neural activity in a group. Creating connection. The study:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8891270/
Pushy and chatty leaders actually separate individuals into themselves in a group setting.
Found the study via a new book called Supercommunicators.
Thanks. I love a good unpacked idea.
An exhausted triple-sigh.