Many of the contradictions in Postmodern art come from the fact that we're trying to be artists in a democratic society. This is because in a democracy, the ideal is compromise. In art, it isn't. ~Brad Holland
About a week ago I blogged on the the news that a major publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt had advised their editors stop acquiring books. This news signals that the economic meltdown has come to the publishing houses as well.
Another sign is renewed talk in the industry of the pitfalls of the book return policies by publishers. Allowing book stores to return unsold books is a costly expense. It requires the books to be transported multiple times and has become a hefty drain on publishers profits. Many of these unsold books will eventually be destroyed.
Booksellers resist changes in the credit arrangements that essentially guarantee that a book sells or will be replaced with another one which has the potential to sell. Many booksellers would dramatically reduce their inventories without such credits.
Such changes in the retail sales model could have negative consequences on a growing number of new writers that will find it increasingly challenging to find their way onto bookstore shelves.
Japanese publishers may be ahead of the curve. The Japanese publishing house Shogakukan Inc. has introduced a two-tiered distribution system for retailers. Under this plan Booksellers can take books on a consignment basis which would be returnable at no cost or they can choose a non-consignment option, which offers a better profit margin for the retailer, but carries an charge if the books are returned. Such changes may be inevitable in the U.S. as well as long as consumers continue to prefer ink on a page they can hold in their hands.
Reports that the Kindle electronic book reader is sold out for the second Christmas season in a row would be positive news for those who believe the future of publishing is e-publishing. That future may still be some distance away.
During the months of November and December our poetry society chapter elected to meet once a month rather them twice a month as usual.
It's not that I haven been writing, but it seems the result of this reduction in meetings has left me feeling a little off balance or something. These interactions with other writers would seem to have a centering effect on what I am doing.
I'm wondering if others that participate in group meetings with other poets/writers or any other arts related community find that such meetings provide a grounding or other beneficial impact on their work, to the extent that their absence over a period of time leaves them feeling some kind of tangible loss to their vocation or avocation.
If you've experienced something similar I'd me interested in hearing about it. Am I the odd one here or is this common?
If you've feel this same kind of impact to lack of contact with your own writing community, what kinds of things have you found to compensate for it's impact upon your own work?
Ask a Poet
Wedding Bells?
Advice and insight from a professional poet.By Kristen Hoggatt
I am a poet currently in graduate school. I just finished a sestina. Do I owe Dana Gioia any royalties?
— A.K., Lincoln, Nebraska
The Smart Set: Wedding Bells? - November 10, 2008
When I ran across this recently I just cracked up. Go check out the whole thing. Especially if you need a laugh.
This morning I heard some of the newest released Nixon tapes on the MSNBC Morning Joe show. I've heard several times in recent years people talk about the Nixon presidency as though he got a bad rap from the public. Those who were not yet born in those days or not old enough to recollect what it was about the man that motivated his actions, these newly released tapes paint an interesting character portrait of what I would consider a deeply disturbed man.
Nixon tapes: Ruthless, cynical, profane - First Read - msnbc.com
Unconscious Mutterings ~ link
Word & Thought Associations
here's mine:
Snow fell upon our fair city overnight. The ground was covered this morning and the dogs romped in it. It's gone from the roads and much of the yard has already given it up. I haven't heard the forecast but the sky looks like it held some back perhaps for later today.
Yesterday, a rejection letter visited my e-mail. I guess that means I'm just one more no closer to a yes.
I've started reading Letters of Ted Hughes, and while I am not far along in the book yet, I've realized that even in general correspondence with family and friends he was masterful with language. His descriptive examples often quite poetic. There is no amount of creativity lost from his ordinary writing, which is really to say there is nothing quite ordinary about his writing at all.
With letter writing all but dead in this day and age, I imagine anyone still doing it would be hard pressed to make their letters quite as interesting as Ted did. I am certain that as I get further along in the chronology of this book I will discover other most interesting facts about Hughes and as well as those in his circle of influence. I do so enjoy the biographical and psychological aspect of the lives of poets through their journals and letters. It's not quite voyeuristic but I suppose it is a bit like looking for the pathology within a poet's mind.
At any rate, you can count on me posting any other significant observations as I read on.
