tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post6179595604660548288..comments2024-03-20T16:46:13.343-04:00Comments on Marly Youmans / The Palace at 2:00 a.m. / poems, stories, novels: The House of Words (no. 11): One writer's lessonsMarly Youmanshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02377938366750387442noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-17847572745941184662011-04-06T22:26:09.197-04:002011-04-06T22:26:09.197-04:00Gerald? Who be this Gerald? Thought you were talki...Gerald? Who be this Gerald? Thought you were talking about your counter tenor friend at Chanticleer, but then I suddenly remembered that it's not Gerald but Gregory Peebles.<br /><br />You are an entertaining woman, Susanna!marly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-42467382940048896892011-04-06T22:21:36.627-04:002011-04-06T22:21:36.627-04:00Hah, no, we need some comments from readers, not j...Hah, no, we need some comments from readers, not just from obsessed poets and fiction writers!<br /><br />The thing is to give your creation away to others, not to keep it under lock and key. Then you don't worry about somebody destroying it because it's like rain--everywhere.<br /><br />Besides, everything gets destroyed eventually. Mountains are laid low, valleys are punched up in the marly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-46972359771961384862011-04-06T21:34:21.463-04:002011-04-06T21:34:21.463-04:00Glad you responded, I thought it might have been s...Glad you responded, I thought it might have been silly and I almost deleted it since all the comments are so awesome on these posts. <br /><br />Hey, I was thinking on the ride home about it and I decided that published or not I have to write something all or it builds up be it history articles, my diary, or even trashy smutt that I sit around and think up.,..my friend Gerald is also constantly Susannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04419802372495554966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-20147522793974679832011-04-06T20:44:26.570-04:002011-04-06T20:44:26.570-04:00Wow, Susanna--
Another one of your curious advent...Wow, Susanna--<br /><br />Another one of your curious adventures in Huntsville! Very poignant when you were talking about him reading the poem: then, boom! The whole story blows up in a way I didn't expect. <br /><br />You like people, and they like you, and so you have these strange things happen to you because you know more about them than if you acted as most people do. You would have marly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-54453982156062751392011-04-06T19:40:02.548-04:002011-04-06T19:40:02.548-04:00Wow, very interesting commentary in these house of...Wow, very interesting commentary in these house of words posts. <br /><br />Maybe Miss Emily had it right and we should just stuff it all in our couch cushions and sock drawers but then I guess your house could burn and then where would it be. There is something called LOCKS in the archival word--lots of copies keep things safe. <br /><br />The craziest thing happened. I have been really Susannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04419802372495554966noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-50011765961908653732011-04-06T16:24:07.155-04:002011-04-06T16:24:07.155-04:00Dave,
your daily morning porch "tweets" ...Dave,<br />your daily morning porch "tweets" are treasures. Yes, i'm one of those that found them via Mr. Ebert.vickihttp://www.thegarden.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-48831448073261628242011-04-06T16:06:08.140-04:002011-04-06T16:06:08.140-04:00http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/books/review/opr...<a rel="nofollow">http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/27/books/review/oprah-magazines-adventures-in-poetry.html</a><br /><br /><a rel="nofollow">http://www.oprah.com/style/Spring-Fashion-Modeled-by-Rising-Young-Poets/</a>Marly Youmanshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02377938366750387442noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-12970731865910240032011-04-06T15:54:25.364-04:002011-04-06T15:54:25.364-04:00Vicki,
Yay!
Gary (now I have to go find the arti...Vicki,<br /><br />Yay!<br /><br />Gary (now I have to go find the article!)Gary Dietzhttp://www.6by7reports.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-85298278139162517982011-04-06T15:54:14.405-04:002011-04-06T15:54:14.405-04:00Hurrah, and you have Dave on your side, and that&#...Hurrah, and you have Dave on your side, and that's bound to be good!<br /><br />You know, I think that the once-useful and ordinary phrase, "the common reader," has almost vanished. But I liked that idea and ideal.marly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-12805759939320088052011-04-06T15:43:51.442-04:002011-04-06T15:43:51.442-04:00Love being called a "common reader."
Coo...Love being called a "common reader."<br />Cool!<br />;^)vickihttp://www.thegarden.typepad.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-27558678304584614312011-04-06T15:41:00.383-04:002011-04-06T15:41:00.383-04:00Couldn't agree more with Vicki about that wret...Couldn't agree more with Vicki about that wretched column of Orr's. I think Oliver is one of the great poets of our time. You're free to disagree, but being snide and snarky about it just shows that you are an asshole. The fashion spread in O did make me wince a little, but the rare interview with Oliver more than made up for it, and I think any attempt to bring poetry to a mass Davehttp://www.vianegativa.usnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-89520371433679399022011-04-06T15:17:17.325-04:002011-04-06T15:17:17.325-04:00I really like Vicki's comment because I'll...I really like Vicki's comment because I'll bet a lot of writers just nodded along with David Orr and never stopped to think how such cleverness looks from the reader's point of view. The "common reader" of poetry has become uncommon, and she suggests that we writers are capable of snubbing that lovely, uncommon creature. It's a good point, not often made.<br /><br />I marly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-13632501036781362672011-04-06T15:03:49.821-04:002011-04-06T15:03:49.821-04:00continued
i do like to occasionally challenge mys...continued<br /><br />i do like to occasionally challenge myself, to stretch my understanding and appreciation of poetry. But mostly, i'm lazy. How did i learn about Kunitz? Television. Bill Moyers PBS series on poets and the Dodge Poetry Festival. i watched and i was captivated. How did i find and become captivated with Marly's writing? she was commenting on some of the same blogs i was.vickihttp://www.thegarden.typepad.com/the_garden/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-40598052321351021682011-04-06T15:01:52.496-04:002011-04-06T15:01:52.496-04:00Speaking of marketing poetry, you know that i fall...Speaking of marketing poetry, you know that i fall into the category of "the audience", or "the buying public" that poets are trying to woo. i know many artists, but the only poets i know now (long out of university) i've met just recently. On the web.<br /><br />Did you see David Orr's op ed piece in the NYT blasting Oprah's magazine piece on poetry. If so, what vicki.http://thegarden.typepad.com/the_garden/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-24780221993995097622011-04-06T10:17:51.560-04:002011-04-06T10:17:51.560-04:00Dave,
Like that! The Series That Ate Marly's ...Dave,<br /><br />Like that! The Series That Ate Marly's Blog. It is growing. People keep jumping on board. And offering pieces that need to be broken into sections...<br /><br />Hey, it did eat my blog, and I'm supposed to be reminding people that I have a book coming out! <br /><br />The Keillor connection is interesting. The poems on there are really a mixed lot, too. But that's a marly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-89047386292810252812011-04-06T10:01:19.242-04:002011-04-06T10:01:19.242-04:00(I should add, since Marly was writing her comment...(I should add, since Marly was writing her comment as I was writing mine, that I would pay good money for an ebook, or real book, on this subject.)Davehttp://www.vianegativa.usnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-36226267386619681492011-04-06T09:59:27.221-04:002011-04-06T09:59:27.221-04:00I for one would love to read a whole post by Gary,...I for one would love to read a whole post by Gary, expanding on his ideas and suggestions here a little, as part of The House of Words A.K.A. The Series That Ate Marly's Blog. I do sympathize with writers who don't want to have to think about this, but I'm not sure we have that luxury anymore, if we ever did. However, I do know a poet who's sold over two thousand copies of each ofDavehttp://www.vianegativa.usnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-77089080991146957222011-04-06T09:58:48.727-04:002011-04-06T09:58:48.727-04:00Gary,
Yes, one of the people I'm going to hav...Gary,<br /><br />Yes, one of the people I'm going to have on the series is Carole Sargent, who is a writer doing literary advising. You will be interested in that--three parts at least, I think.<br /><br />I am getting behind-the-scenes requests from writers and publishers for you to do some posts! People want to know: how to think about marketing from your angle; how to market a novel or marly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-68634845108308803422011-04-06T09:44:46.922-04:002011-04-06T09:44:46.922-04:00Marly,
Understood. And thanks.
I just need to d...Marly,<br /><br />Understood. And thanks.<br /><br />I just need to drink more coffee after starting my post-dad-get-kid-to-school mode before shifting into my figure-out-how-to-make-money-comment-and-blog-to-get-cobwebs-out-of-head mode.<br /><br />Seems like there may be an actual new role emerging sandwiched somewhere between (or replacing?) traditional agents, publishing house editors, Gar y Dietzhttp://www.6by7reports.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-37569477678410902042011-04-06T09:20:28.333-04:002011-04-06T09:20:28.333-04:00Hey, don't be thin-skinned! I already said you...Hey, don't be thin-skinned! I already said you were a marketing genius, Gary. (And a good writer, too.)<br /><br />But because of that, the direction of your thoughts points differently than the direction of every other writer who has written me a letter or left a post here. I mean, except Beth, who happens to also be a publisher.<br /><br />And that's good. We need some other directions marly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-91200059168615687132011-04-06T09:14:17.921-04:002011-04-06T09:14:17.921-04:00"Gary vs. the writers"? Hold the phone ..."Gary vs. the writers"? Hold the phone there Marly. <br /><br />I am not "versus" anyone, especially writers, a set of people of which I am a member. I couldn't really be against myself now, could I?<br /><br />I hope that my comments don't come off as not supporting writers and poets and artists. Because I do. Very much so.<br /><br />So much that I get really Gary Dietzhttp://www.6by7reports.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-33947149990147813642011-04-06T09:04:44.395-04:002011-04-06T09:04:44.395-04:00Thanks, Beth! I am enjoying the clash of points of...Thanks, Beth! I am enjoying the clash of points of view (Gary vs. the writers was quite interesting.)<br /><br />Yes, I think that we forget that, in the ideal, somebody who founds a press is also a maker attempting to create something complicated and beautiful. And that the creation is fueled by passion for a vision of what books can be.<br /><br />It is interesting to see this from the angle ofmarly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-27896656991774728022011-04-06T08:49:43.194-04:002011-04-06T08:49:43.194-04:00Excellent post, Marly, and I appreciate Mr. Dietz&...Excellent post, Marly, and I appreciate Mr. Dietz's comments and advice. A few reactions: I think your passion for your subjects comes across in your books, and this is a big part of their appeal. They are also, of course, beautifully written. But literary chops aren't enough, if the heart isn't in the words. People are looking for passion, integrity, spiritual and emotional depth -- Bethhttp://www.cassandrapages.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-32233647981866515442011-04-06T08:44:33.876-04:002011-04-06T08:44:33.876-04:00All--
I've gotten a number of letters from wr...All--<br /><br />I've gotten a number of letters from writers about this post and will summarize what they feel. They tend to worry about the whole business of expending time (and money, of course) on schemes that always seem to have a very limited effectiveness. They worry about siphoning off large amounts of time and creativity to invest in things that have nothing to do with writing. They marly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11539948.post-86794270445258725632011-04-06T08:24:13.161-04:002011-04-06T08:24:13.161-04:00Clare,
I do think that you are right. Certainly ...Clare, <br /><br />I do think that you are right. Certainly the mind I bring to facebook etc. is not exactly the same mind that I bring to my work. It's like comparing a light frolic to a deep dream.<br /><br />And yes, the writng comes first. Otherwise, what's the point?<br /><br />Then the question becomes to what degree must we obsess on and spend time on that pesky matter of marketingmarly youmanshttp://www.marlyyoumans.comnoreply@blogger.com