Road Tripping
I think anything that matters can be like a crazy road trip, where there are times it is exciting and times you are so BORED out of your mind, you'd stop at a Mac Donald's just to see something other than the road. Then there are the times you doubt everything. I've gone through all three today and it's just after noon.
I am working on a book and it's been like a marathon of drawing, writing, re-drawing, re-writing, typing, editing, peppered in with total tantrums of despair and moments of "Hey, I can DO this." Oh yeah, and trips to Kinko's. My dream is to one day have everything that Kinko's has so I NEVER HAVE TO GO THERE AGAIN. This may be an initially expensive dream, but after the time, aggravation, and MONEY I spent there last night, I have come to believe that this is a PRICELESS dream. Also, I just discovered that I left one of my originals at Kinko's last night.
I can't even talk about that right now.
It's been like that, though. Three steps forward, two steps back. Today I discovered a similar book to mine is coming out this fall.
I can't even talk about THAT right now.
Sometimes I feel like the world is built to tell me I am not original, a genius, or anything of the like. All the good ideas ARE taken. I'll never be cool--but so, what? I guess I should do the work anyway, right? I guess I should call Kinko's, I guess I should see there is a market for what I am doing. I guess I should continue to drive on, watching this all like fascinating scenery, as I make my way.
posted by Summer Pierre at
10:28 AM
6 Comments:
Well, first of all, you've opened up the question of what defines true "genius" or "originality." I think the drawing you have included accompanying this post is breathtakingly original. But that's obviously a subjective judgment. So maybe the issue is, what makes a person FEEL original or "Cool"?
In my personal and humble opinion, the greater dilemma you face is this: How can you use your art to help transform the world, while still earning a satisfactory amount of income? If I had your talent, I'd try to harness it for The Good; and I'd be more concerned with what was Effective at achieving the Good, than what made me appear Cool or feel like an O.G. (Original Genius). (Not to be confused with Original Gangster. HA! :-) (In the meantime, though, I'd want to still earn a reasonable amount of income, in the process..!!!) -- MPM
Wow, Summer.
This story is funny but true. You see I clicked by here the other day and stumbled upon your "Things I want to do this Fall" post from a few days ago. I had so much fun clicking all the links to see what they held. Then I decided that your idea was GOOD and FUN and that I wanted to turn it into a meme. So I came back today to tell you all about it and then read this little post right here. You know, where you talk about being "not original"? And even though a meme is a well-worn idea, you sparked ie. inspired me to start my very first one. So there.
And by the way, this illustration is one of my VERY FAVORITE ones I've seen of yours.
And, also, I can't wait until your book comes out because I'm gunna buy it. So there again.
:) :) :)
I would just like to say that before there was Offbeat Bride, there were the Anti-Bride Guides. Heck, there was Indiebride.com. Before Sarah B's Cringe book happened, there was Get Mortified, and before that, Teen Angst Poetry. Good ideas are seasonal, and there's always room for an updated take on the same ol' idea. :)
for what it's worth, every time I am working on a new book I find one that someone else has done in the same vein. here are a few points to ponder:
1. they are not you. your vision is unique.
2. your presentation will be different.
3. you will probably have different readers because of these things.
4. there could be twenty books on the same subject and yours would still be different and unique and worthwhile.
that being said, I so know that stomach sinking feeling upon discovering "the other book". it really sucks. it would be great if we could just live in a vacuum, oblivious to what the rest of the world is doing. there must be millions of books that are never written because people said, "someone else did it first, what's the point?"
THANK YOU everybody. Wow, published authors' experienced advice, new meme, illustartion love and EVERYTHING! Thank you thank you!
the illustration is an old one in a series idid of Vaudville women. The two were sisters. I am thinking of including it in my Great Gals Calendar, just to give it a home.
me too, me too.
sitting with ya in the book proposal freak outs and elations and "oh my god has it been done" and fuck-it i rocks and the world needs how i see things ~ completely getting ya on all these things.
p.s. that illo is freaking DELISH.
p.p.s. i was looking at art books yesterday (you know when you write a book, you suddenly become obsessively interested in what everyone ELSE is writing about and has been published?)
well, i found... not ONE... not TWO... but THREE books in a SERIES on painting animals onto rocks.
i'm not kidding. and if someone can write THREE books about that... well fark, i can write my book can't i?
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