Everyone has someone they hate running into. For one thing, you can't seem to get away from these people. And you only meet them when you are in a hurry. She talks and talks, and seriously, I don't mind people that talk a lot, I love to talk. But, Jesus, this woman. I have to hear about how she has agents all over the place just dying to represent her, and how she has written this children's book, and how she was invited to this exclusive writer's retreat, and now, how great her kid is.
This time she was dirty and gross off her farm, with dirty boots that smelled bad. She told me about this agent that wants to represent her, but she can't until she has been published, and how she's going to write a letter of recommendation to a publishing house that will publish formulaic romance books. She doesn't really want to lower herself to writing such drivel, but she could pop one of those out in six weeks, and if it will get her name out there...
I managed to not roll my eyes until I was out the door. I don't even believe half of the shit she tells me, and I don't really care. I have never read anything she has written, and I don't care if I ever do. If she is willing to do anything to get her name out there, including writing total trash, that's her decision.
I, however, would rather not.
Yesterday at work I saw the front page of a local newspaper with an article about a woman who has been selling her stories and books over the internet (digitally) for a while now, and has become very popular, made a ton of money, and now has movie studios buying rights to her stories. She is younger than me, and has made her dream come true. That's great, and I am happy for her. What are her books about? Teenage paranormal vampire romances. For serious.
*sigh*
Is this really the only way to get published anymore is to write crap? Just like the only way to get your movie made is to remake or redo an old idea, or follow some predictable, comfy formula. Or the only way to get your music listened to is to make it radio-friendly pop crappiness.
Mediocrity is waaaay too celebrated. I don't believe in it. I believe we should strive for ultimate greatness, push ourselves to be even better, and never settle for less. I may never be published but at least I will have self-respect. Amirite?
I don't want to live my life in any old mediocre, predictable, boring, mainstream, conforming way either. I want it to be extraordinary. Bright. Limitless.
“I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us. If the book we are reading doesn’t wake us up with a blow to the head, what are we reading it for? We need the books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than we love ourselves, like being banished into forests far from any human presence, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us.” -Franz Kafka
2 comments:
Here, here! I was horrified, the other day, to discover a whole section at Borders called "Teenage Paranormal Romance." (I was less horrified that I was at a Borders which is probably a problem in its own right.) I think the best we can do is our best. Unfortunately, many people don't have the courage (or knowledge) to open themselves up to creating their best work or to seek out the best work from others. It seems then that those who do have courage need to be even stronger (in the midst of such mediocrity).
I just wanted to say that I enjoyed your post and agree with you!
Thank you! :)
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