Knife juggling

[pjthompson]

I was talking to my friend today (also an artist) about the latest chapter of my novel, and how I'd finally come across a chapter that didn't suck like one of those suppurating mud flats at Yosemite. It actually didn't make me cringe. Unlike the rest of this sucking novel.

"That's why I never want to teach any art form to anyone ever," she said.

"The whining, you mean?"

"That, plus it's like this guy said in a news story I heard the other day. He was talking about golf, how the biggest enemy for most golfers is the one residing between their two ears."

"It's true. All artists I know are like that."

"There's this lady I know who's impressed with the fact that I'm in the art biz. She wishes she could do something, but keeps insisting she's just not talented. She keeps saying things like, 'I'd love to do art. It must be so relaxing.'"

I sigh. I've had this same conversion with people. "Maybe if you're doing it as a hobby or something."

"Yeah, because otherwise it's about the most unrelaxing thing I can think of."

"Tell her it's like juggling really sharp knives when your hands are coated in olive oil."

"Damn it. We're whining again."

"Damn. You're right."

Comments

[kythiaranos.livejournal.com]

Everybody who hears I'm a writer says, "I've always wanted to write a book."

I finally realized that what they really meant was, "I want to have written a book that's way cool and popular so I can have everyone tell me how awesome I am, and ride around in a limo and schmooze with Oprah and maybe meet a hot actor in the green room."

I've given up trying to explain that you actually kind of have to like the writing part as well. Just in case Oprah never calls.

[(Anonymous)]

lol--exactly. Writers as supermodels with brains fantasy. :-)

[pjthompson]

Except it's amazing how often my brain forgets to log in. :-(

[makoiyi.livejournal.com]

Heee! Just. Hee!

*Whines LOUDLY*

[pjthompson]

::whimper whimper::

[windsong5.livejournal.com]

*smirk* So very true. I like the thing about juggling knives with hands coated in olive oil...that must be why I'm missing so many fingers. :)

[pjthompson]

And toes, as well. ;-)

[hominysnark.livejournal.com]

Yes. Watching movies is my hobby. It is, depending on the movie, quite relaxing.

Writing, on the other hand, makes me want to smoke three packs a day. As do certain art projects.

(And as a side note, whenever someone tells me they'd love to be an artist or a writer or whatever, I tell them to just do it--as Stephen King put it, it ain't brain surgery, folks.)

[pjthompson]

Precisely. It's easy: you have to want to do, you do it, you keep on doing it. You can find plenty of excuses not to do it, but you do it anyway.

It's easy. But not particularly simple. :-)

[purdypiedad.livejournal.com]

Even Dvorak threw out most of his works.

[pjthompson]

Even Shakespeare wrote a poem about how much better that other guy was at writing than he. It's in the artist's nature to doubt him or herself.

[frigg.livejournal.com]

I completely agree.

[pjthompson]

:-)

[kmkibble75.livejournal.com]

But at least you're whining creatively.

[pjthompson]

lol. It's got to be good for something, right?