Sunday, June 24. 2007
Why Publish?
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That’s inspiring, and right motivation, as you have defined it, is a great thing to aspire to. I wish I could have heard the presentation.
In fact, people’s motivations in publishing are extremely various and complicated — I suppose each person’s motivations are unique to some degree, and they are likely encompass uncertainties and contradictions. I’m not sure one "right motivation" can be made to fit each individual.
I believe it’s worth delving into and facing up to one’s true motivations — even if they are not the ones that might be wished for — in finding a path in the publishing world.
In fact, people’s motivations in publishing are extremely various and complicated — I suppose each person’s motivations are unique to some degree, and they are likely encompass uncertainties and contradictions. I’m not sure one "right motivation" can be made to fit each individual.
I believe it’s worth delving into and facing up to one’s true motivations — even if they are not the ones that might be wished for — in finding a path in the publishing world.
Tom, it was Howell who presented the idea of joining in and contributing to the larger literary conversation - and like you, I think it’s the "right" motivation in the sense of being well worth aspiring toward.
At the same time, his other point was similar to yours - that, for example, if one is wiling to fess up to wanting recognition within a local literary community and to sell a few books from one’s trunk during readings, then self-publishing, though stigmatized by the academy, is a perfectly reasonable way to go about such aims.
I thought it was a great way to point out the enormous white elephant in the middle of the room - to ask us writers: why do you want to publish, after all?
At the same time, his other point was similar to yours - that, for example, if one is wiling to fess up to wanting recognition within a local literary community and to sell a few books from one’s trunk during readings, then self-publishing, though stigmatized by the academy, is a perfectly reasonable way to go about such aims.
I thought it was a great way to point out the enormous white elephant in the middle of the room - to ask us writers: why do you want to publish, after all?
p.s. the more I think about it, the more I think maybe I’m the one who felt it "right" to be motivated by a desire to enter the larger literary conversation. Maybe Christopher just gave it as an option.
Interesting idea of publishing as entering the conversation. To be a good conversationalist, one must ask intelligent questions of the other people, have a basic common knowledge, be articulate and charming and curious, or curmudgeonly in a room that will accept and adore you as is I suppose.
David Long was saying today in a craft talk that when he was studying poetry, they used to say that the best response to a good poem is another good poem.
p.p.s. - ok, I corrected this (see strike-through and square brackets) since I’m not totally confident that Howell actually said such an approach was "right."
