I don't find the prospect of fame at all appealing. Maybe a level of recognition in artistic and literary circles would be nice -- or academic circles, someday, should I choose to pursue more higher learning.
Do you want to be famous?
- Thread starter RoJoHen
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See, as a writer, I think fame limits what a creator can do. The money is just too damn tempting, and you get skittish about doing anything that's going to end up cutting off the money and you end "compromising" (aka: selling out) the art. Plus you end up being a "Brand", and then the question becomes: Are they buying my work because they like it, or because they like "me" [the brand]; Gene Roddenberry, George Lucas, Anne Rice, Stephen King, are all examples of this
(not saying I'm remotely in their class, not by a 1/4; I'm just using them as examples. The difference between me and them is the difference between a ant [me] and a steel toed boot [them]).
As I say, I'd rather be some middle-aged (still got a few years to go on that one) unknown, reading short-stories at open-mic at some coffee house than a "Stephen King" whose more or less a brand name and could write "Boo!" on a napkin and sell 3 million copies.
(not saying I'm remotely in their class, not by a 1/4; I'm just using them as examples. The difference between me and them is the difference between a ant [me] and a steel toed boot [them]).
As I say, I'd rather be some middle-aged (still got a few years to go on that one) unknown, reading short-stories at open-mic at some coffee house than a "Stephen King" whose more or less a brand name and could write "Boo!" on a napkin and sell 3 million copies.
I have to disagree with you on King. He still writes whatever interests him at the moment as far as I can tell. However, I'm curious when you mention yourself being a writer havey ou actually published? If so I'd be interested in taking a look at it.
Local paper, only; columnist, reporter. Been "out of the game" for a few years. Working on restarting my fiction career-- which was getting some interest before I dropped it-- that I put on hold.
I really do think King is pigeon-holed, but he's also one of those that ends up defing the pigeon-hole. He pretty much created the modern "horror novel". Much in the way that Rice is credited with the angsty-vamp genre.
Best of luck!
I think King is pingeon holed by people who haven't read him. He's written a number of non-horror books but many still write him off as a trashy horror writer.
-- Thanks. My fault I'm back to square one, I just didn't make the most of the chances that were offered to me; both in the newspaper field and fiction field. Though I had to get a "real" job when I got married.
Oh well, could of would of should of doesn't change things. All I can do is try again and this time pry open every crack in the door that comes my way.
-- Ive read some of his non-horror stuff (he has some interesting writings on the business and craft of writing) but it isn't the same quality as his horror stuff. I'm not a King fan, but I can't call the man bad at what he does. But the truth is that the die-hard King fans are like die-hard 'Trek fans: slap the brand name on the box and cash the check.
When it comes to fame and wealth, I think most of us are exactly what/where we want to be. Sure, there are things we complain about; but as a whole, our lives are pretty much made to order - by us.
It's easy to say "I want to be President;" but do you really want to worry about the lobbying and campaigning, running possibly more than once and facing repeated defeats, having scandals painted about you, etc.? Would you really want to be the guy making tough calls that are going to directly impact 300 Million citizens? Likely not; you probably are much more comfortable being yourself, at least for right now.
I'd like to be famous and rich; but do I want to be? Not right now. For now, I want to be exactly what and who I am. After all, that is what I've chosen for myself.
It's easy to say "I want to be President;" but do you really want to worry about the lobbying and campaigning, running possibly more than once and facing repeated defeats, having scandals painted about you, etc.? Would you really want to be the guy making tough calls that are going to directly impact 300 Million citizens? Likely not; you probably are much more comfortable being yourself, at least for right now.
I'd like to be famous and rich; but do I want to be? Not right now. For now, I want to be exactly what and who I am. After all, that is what I've chosen for myself.
I'm like that to an extent as I buy all of his books but I can't say that I've liked all of them. Bag of Bones was certainly a dissapointment and both The Stand and It had absurd endings.
Well another thing about it is this: If you want it (fame, wealth) why aren't you [in the general sense] actively out there trying to obtain those things? It's easy to say "I could have been a movie star" but did you go out and take the speech and acting classes, make the effort to get roles in plays or commercials, etc.?
Wishful thinking is all well and good, but if you really want it you have to make the move to acheive it. At least if you try and fail you can say you tried instead of saying "Well I could have..."
Wishful thinking is all well and good, but if you really want it you have to make the move to acheive it. At least if you try and fail you can say you tried instead of saying "Well I could have..."
Everybody wants to be naked and famous - The Presidents of the United States of America
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