Tayari's Blog: Dontcha Wish...

Comment #1, by Ladylee

Um, excuse me, Celie... you've been watching a bit too much television.

These people are looking for their 15 minutes of fame. Period. This is what, the 5th or 6th season? Everybody knows the drill by now. I too feel for them, though. But most people know they can't sing! But hey, I know I can't sing, so I choose not to even embarrass myself, you know??

Great analogy to the writing life. I will be sending out a few 'scripts and short stories this year... I expect the rejection, and plan on taking it all in stride.

Comment #2, by Tayari Jones

I wrote that post last night and this morning I got up to read Chapter Two of The Artist's Way... If you haven't gotten to it yet, it talks a lot about people who work to sabotage your creativity. The idea is that blocked creatives looooove to witness failure. It justifies thier own blockage.

Anyway, I was thinking about how much we love to see people try and fail on American Idol. I wonder if the spectable of people with "no talent" making fools of themselves makes a vibe that encourages our censors... You know, people watching get to think, "At least I am not deluded into thinking I have real talent only to make as ass of myself on national TV!" It's safer to sit on the couch watching folks fail... questioning thier motives for trying in the first place.... Putting yourself out there is scary. Even if the people are just trying for fame, I don't think it is doing my inner-artist any good to consume such a steady diet of failure and ridicule. Whether the people "deserve" it or not, it's just a constant demonstration of the worst possible case scenario.

(I really think this response I am having comes from doing The Artist's Way. I watched the Idol rejects last year and I didn't get this feeling.. go figure)

Comment #3, by carleen

I didn't get into Idol until last year, and I didn't watch until they had it narrowed down to the final 32 or whatever. But I did notice that watching had an effect on me. Every time Simon or Randy critized one of the contestants (who I thought had done a great job), it made me wonder about the manuscript I was shopping around. The comments that got to me the most were the ones about picking the wrong song. Here, these poor singers thought they had chosen songs that showcased their talents, yet the "experts" often told them they had chosen wrong. I cringed every time and wondered, is my book really any good or am I deluding myself? As the editor rejections rolled in I imagined the editors acting like Simon and Randy! So I agree with Tayari--watching Idol was not good for my confidence at all. And as I will be working on another very fragile book this spring, I won't be tuning in this year.

Comment #4, by Lester Spence

i don't watch idol for two reasons. i don't have a lot of time. and i don't like watching train wrecks. there but for the grace of god...

Comment #5, by j

T. you are definitely on to something here. i usually cannot really bear to watch the bloodletting, although i must admit, it is worth a few giggles when i catch it through my fingers splayed over my eyes.
still, for me, it is important to remember to hold non-judgment as a central value in my life. this may seem contradictory or extremely difficult because as a scholar all that i am trained to do is to read, evaluate, critique and profess-- and i value this process that i think is essential. still, assess does not have to mean "judge."

For me, trying to practice non-judgment is certainly a challenge, but i recognize that i have to, because i already have such a long storied list of judgments against myself, that if i begin to indulge it [and i have, recently, to some pretty sad personal effects], with every rolled eye, muffled exasperated huff or patronizing correction [this is the way it works for me most of the time, not the out and out meanery of Simon and company, but judgment still]; my judgment of myself is increased exponentially. And that is where the Censor lives, lavishly. it is an old story, but for me, increasing my compassion and empathic detachment stimulates my creativity/productivity.

Comment #6, by edi

Along these same lines, if someone emails and asks you to read their latest self published book do you do it? This is a young someone you don't know and this is someone who seems to have had difficultly even composing the email. Do you let them send the book or do you find an out?