Writing
Hugh MacLeod of gapingvoid.com
Cartoonist Hugh MacLeod of gapingvoid.com talks about creative sovereignty, the business of art, and the pursuit of blinding moments of clarity.
For people who haven't read your book yet, can you share one or two of its key themes?
HM: The book's called Ignore Everybody
. I first published it on the blog under the title How to Be Creative. And it wasn't really an instruction manual -- I wasn't telling people what to do. I was talking about the landmines I hoped they wouldn't step on because landmines are expensive to step on.
My main thesis is that when you first have a good idea, there's no one who can really tell you whether the idea is good or not. For it to be any good, it has to be so out there, there's no point of reference. Also, really good ideas, once they're executed, tend to alter the power balance in relationships, and people are very conservative about changing power balances. I think it was chapter 4 where I said that good ideas have lonely childhoods. The initial loneliness of a good idea is to be expected.
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Chris Baty
NaNoWriMo's Chris Baty talks about why novel writing is like pick-up basketball, how to make your creative work a priority, and The Year of Big, Fun, Scary Adventures.
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Dana Reinhardt
Novelist Dana Reinhardt talks about why she rarely uses her notebook, how her first book may have been the easiest to write, and getting a sixteen-year-old to translate dialog into IM.
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Ianthe Brautigan
Writer Ianthe Brautigan talks about applying fiction-writing techniques to memoir, the power of cookies, and rising up to contribute your best.
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Keri Smith
Artist and author Keri Smith talks about why she writes creativity books, the importance of play, imperfection, and impermanence in her work, and why we need to aim for "the all-consuming place."
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Kim Addonizio
Poet Kim Addonizio talks about "poem feeling" vs. "prose feeling," asking her characters to talk to her, and salvation.
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Daniel Handler, Part 2
Writer Daniel Handler, a.k.a. Lemony Snicket, talks about plotting A Series of Unfortunate Events and how real life influences his work.
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Daniel Handler, Part 1
Writer Daniel Handler, a.k.a. Lemony Snicket, talks about making the switch from poetry to prose and why he loves it when things are going badly.
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John August
Screenwriter and director John August talks about writing his first script, how to keep an audience immersed, and why his favorite genre is "movies that get made."
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Jon Carroll
San Francisco Chronicle columnist Jon Carroll talks about Clay Felker's pockets full of ideas, dealing with the worst column of the week, and the importance of details.
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DyAnne DiSalvo
Writer and illustrator DyAnne DiSalvo talks about how her stories make up a neighborhood, the importance of persistence and courage, and finding inspiration in a New Jersey grocery store.
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Bob Holman
Poet, teacher, and impresario Bob Holman talks about riding along on the tip of an eyelash, the importance of orality, and how performing is editing.
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Howard Kremer
Stand up comic, sitcom writer, and rapper Howard Kremer talks about the upside of getting bored easily, the power of changing one thing, and finding his name scribbled in a copy of The Artist's Way.
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Maggie Nelson
Author and teacher Maggie Nelson talks about why research is "like throwing crap in a cauldron" (in a good way), and how she handles those tricky times in between.
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Jeff Raz
Clown, playwright, actor, and teacher Jeff Raz talks about sneaking up on a laugh, writing a play in a week, and what to do when inspiration shows up at 6:30 Sunday morning.
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