Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues is playing at the moment, a perfect example of why author comes from "authority" -- which is to say, the artist is a "performing self", to use a term that was the title of a book of critical essays popular among grad students in the 60s, and coming with this must be confidence, even arrogance; a clear individual voice; and considerable energy, as in full steam ahead, the critics be damned! Dylan had it, Ray Charles had it, Norman Mailer had it, Salinger had it, Faulkner had it, all important artists have it. Voice, authority, confidence, energy. My way or the highway.
I don't think our MFA programs teach enough recklessness. Everybody begins to sound the same. Literate, surely; but the same, the same, the same.
2 comments:
so there is hope for us writers that don't get their MFA, and are living like they are still 18?
Absolutely!!! Listen, the only thing an MFA is good for is getting a TEACHING job. No publisher or producer gives a shit if you have an MFA or not. Writing is a great equalizer that way ... credentials don't matter. They matter for teaching for grants, for stuff like that, but not for getting published or produced except in stodgy mainstream vehicles. Be crazy. Express your unique voice. Go go!
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