Saturday, November 30, 2013

Day 328 of the 365 Days of Blogging

The author/publisher,
Dane F. Baylis

IS IT THAT SIMPLE?

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To quote Epicurus, "Death does not concern us, because as long as we exist, death is not here. And once it does come, we no longer exist."
 
I like simple. Like the simple fact that no one values what is given away for free. or damned near free. That's about the way it works out when you, a) Rush something to publication. (Like the NaNoWriMo race to a first draft that maybe gets rewritten once or twice.) and, b) Offer that defective incomplete bastardization of literature for 99 cents in hopes that somehow that is going to turn you into an overnight sensation.
 
I've watched this over and over. A hopeful writer joins a blogging group being promoted by a talented salesman, sometimes offering the platform as a way for others to turn a buck on the wants and aspirations of a ready-made market. The gaff is to bring in the desperate and lazy and convince them that all they really need to do is remain loyal to the clan and they are on their way to stardom.
 
What they are really doing is fulfilling the egotistic needs of the blog author, providing validation for a shallow lack of content or talent. The brutally honest part is simple, and I've said it before, the only place success comes before work is in the damned dictionary...period. But there are sites popping up daily, inspirational, promotional, and publication that promise they can turn you into the next New York Times Book List darling. The deeper you insist on diving into the delusional crap, the further you'll wander from anything worthwhile.
 
Simple answer. Sit the hell down and get back to work. About the time you hit the fifth rewrite you might be ready for a professional editor to show you what you're doing wrong. Then, if you've a modicum of talent, an agent might be ready to turn you into an actual author. Before that, there are no silver bullets (if I can be forgiven the dark fantasy reference).
 
Just a bit of post-holiday reality from your Uncle Dane.
 
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Meanwhile...live, love, write with real intent.
 
Want to follow or subscribe to this blog? There are gadgets for that on the right side of the
page. You can leave comments in the form below. I can be reached directly at dbaylis805@gmail.com . You can also find links to some of the sites I visit from time to time on the right. I'm also looking for submissions to the Your Work/Your Love page. Authors retain all rights.
 
Tomorrow,
 
Dane F. Baylis
Author/Publisher.
 


Friday, November 29, 2013

Day 327 of the 365 Days of Blogging

The author/publisher,
Dane F. Baylis

IT'S THAT MUCH EASIER TO BE STUPID

OR

IF YOU'RE CONVINCED YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT NOW, YOU HAVE TO SETTLE FOR WHAT YOU GET.

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I mourn the passing of a number of honest to god visionaries at times! Mark Twain, Lenny Bruce, and George Carling, to name a few. Observers of the human condition with the kind of insightful honesty to cut right through the bullshit. The greatest part of that being the recognition that the vast majority of people are dull, brutish creatures whose only real concern is being able to beat the next dumb brute out of a seat closer to the communal fire.
 
The mania of "Black Friday" in the United States is a prime example of this. An event that has become a yearly ritual in which hordes of people give up any semblance of civilized behavior to camp out in the most horrid conditions like some vast army laying siege to a rich and desirable temple. All this in hopes of surviving the stampede to be first through the gates and secure the best treasure. They are prepared to defend their booty or even to fight others for what they perceive they are most rightfully entitled to. Plans of attack are formulated, families are divided into operational detachments, and communication devices are charged and checked. Forces are rousted from their slumber at the most ungodly hours, because, let's face it, if god didn't intend us to prevail over others, he wouldn't have allowed us to place our trust in Him as is evidenced by the slogan on our currency - "In God We Trust", the holy mantra of consumerism.
 
Unfortunate as it may seem, a dull witted, greedy, stupid citizenry can commit some of the most dull witted, greedy, and stupid acts when they feel someone might get a leg up on them in this world. And that's how the commercial interests manage to get so much control. They repeat over and over that you don't want to miss out. That these offers will never be seen again. These are the things that everyone else wants, this year. All the while moaning that Joe Bologna isn't spending enough for the corporations to best last year's record profits. Then they'll roll it all out again next year, while you're still paying off the last round of purchases.
 
How did I spend "Black Friday"? I went to a zoo with my granddaughter. You know, a place where the residents are expected to act like what they are, animals. How many of you braved the malls and big box stores? How many of you did it yesterday on what was supposed to be a national day of joining with family and friends and reflecting on the things that represent lasting and meaningful parts of our lives? Or did you spend the day battling overwhelmed Internet connections so you could get that latest gaming console? You know, the one that lets Junior practice at and become totally numb to murdering thousands of creatures and humans in the course of an evening. Nothing new there though, really. The Romans prepared their population to accept indiscriminate bloodshed the same way. It was called gladiatorial games. Isn't it good to think you've come so far?
 
Happy Holidays from your Uncle Dane.
 
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Meanwhile...live, love, write. While you still remember how!
 
 Want to follow or subscribe to this blog? There are gadgets for that on the right side of the
page. You can leave comments in the form below. I can be reached directly at dbaylis805@gmail.com . You can also find links to some of the sites I visit from time to time on the right. I'm also looking for submissions to the Your Work/Your Love page. Authors retain all rights.
 
Tomorrow,
 
Dane F. Baylis
Author/Publisher
 


Thursday, November 28, 2013

Day 326 of the 365 Days of Blogging

The author/publisher,
Dane F. Baylis

FROM ME AND MINE, TO YOU AND YOURS.

 
 
My heart felt appreciation to those of you who take time from your routine to visit this blog. Hopefully you are able to spend this day with loved ones. If you are from somewhere that doesn't celebrate the Thanksgiving tradition, thank-you very much for allowing me a moment of your time.
 
To those separated by distance or circumstance from family and those you love and miss, my heart is with you because I, too, have known those times. I hope that your life becomes more as you would have it and that the winds of fortune and living are fair to you. Know that I thank and welcome especially you for the moment you share with me here.
 
May the rest of this season be filled with new hope and vision to all those I know and don't know. It's still a pretty amazing world to live in - if we can find a moment's solace to appreciate it.
 
Lift one for me, as I will for you.
 
Happy Thanksgiving.
 
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Meanwhile...live, love, write.
 
Want to follow or subscribe to this blog? There are gadgets for that on the right side of the
page. You can leave comments in the form below. I can be reached directly at dbaylis805@gmail.com . You can also find links to some of the sites I visit from time to time on the right. I'm also looking for submissions to the Your Work/Your Love page. Authors retain all rights.
 
Tomorrow,
 
Dane F. Baylis
Author/Publisher.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Day 325 of the 365 Days of Blogging

The author/publisher,
Dane F. Baylis

HERE COMES THE SILLY SEASON.

TRYING TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON THE THANKFULNESS THING IS REALLY HARD AMIDST THE BEDLAM AHEAD.

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What brought this on? Well, it was as simple as one of those little blurbs you see on Facebook. An observation about some poor bastard suffering from terminal consumerism who had been camping out in front of his local big box electronics store for the last several days...just so he could be first in line for the Thanksgiving weekend sales. Really?
 
As a nation we have lost our collective f***ing minds! The ultra-rich are practicing extortion in the disguise of record breaking tax reductions. The middle and lower income brackets' real buying power slips further behind daily. The radical right daily exhibits that paranoia is the guiding force in their approach to governance and not any policy founded in reality. While everyday people still feel the need to spend themselves into the poor house so that others can measure how well they're loved by comparing the status symbols that misguided form of indenture provides them.
 
Maybe I'm a little old fashioned, but if we'd stop giving incentives to billionaires who are shipping our jobs overseas, told those who have benefited the most through the millions they've made that it was time they pulled their proportionate weight, and remembered that being thankful means for the love and kindness we have in our lives and not for the trinkets and gadgets we wish someone else would bust their ass to fill them with...Well, this might return to being a country of incredible promise, instead of one floundering in egocentric divisiveness. A land where we can recall that our entire history is one of shifting demographics with a Constitution meant to apply to ALL THE PEOPLE, ALL THE TIME and not just when one faction or another finds it convenient. The latitude represented in that document was imperfect enough to have required several adjustments over the time it has been in force, but in that imperfection, it has always been viewed by the rest of the world as a pretty remarkable bit of work and an ispiration for this nation to stand and work together. (And if you've never read that particular treatise as it was conceived by the original statesmen of this nation, I suggest you do so. At NO time are Christ, Christianity, or Christian beliefs mentioned. So stop the specious rhetoric, please.)
 
So, take the time tomorrow to share the company of your families and be thankful you have them. Be thankful there are young men and women in this nation with enough altruism to follow their hearts and make sacrifices for their fellow man, whether on the front line or on the soup line. If you have a roof over your head, food in your belly, and somebody's love in your life, take just a moment before rushing out to a sale to be grateful, for just that moment, that you didn't sleep under a bridge last night.
 
Just a helpful hint from your Uncle Dane.
 
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Meanwhile...live, love, write.
 
Want to follow or subscribe to this blog? There are gadgets for that on the right side of the
page. You can leave comments in the form below. I can be reached directly at dbaylis805@gmail.com . You can also find links to some of the sites I visit from time to time on the right. I'm also looking for submissions to the Your Work/Your Love page. Authors retain all rights.
 
Tomorrow,
 
Dane F. Baylis
Author/Publisher
 


Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Day 324 of the 365 Days of Blogging

The author/publisher,
Dane F. Baylis

A LITTLE GEOGRAPHIC CHAUVINISM ON MY PART

(I DON'T CARE HOW LONG I'VE LIVED ON THE WEST COAST!)

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Right away, my apologies to all my Southern, Northern, and Central California friends. I know you have a deep passion about this part of the world, and so do I, to a certain extent. But, although it is the "Entertainment Capital of the World", as we hear over and over, New York is still the cultural hub of the nation.
 
One of the reasons for this distinction is because of places like the 92nd Street YMCA. I can hear the groans now. You're thinking, "Young MEN's CHRISTIAN Association?" Or, worse yet, "Like in the Village people song?" (You have my apologies if you don't recall that aberration of the 1970's. I wish I couldn't!)
 
Seriously, this institution of the New York intellectual and literary scene is incredible. They have hosted talks for decades by the likes of Lee Strasberg, Gene Wilder and Lou Reed. They have an incredibly broad, acclaimed program of art, entertainment, enrichment, and education classes and programs. As a matter of fact, they have so much, it would take hours just to list. Instead, why not just follow the link above to an amazing and inspiring community experience, albeit someone else's community.
 
Also, while you're at it, why not check out Open Culture for listings of some of the most extensive and diverse free Internet content I've found yet. This is a great resource and a hell of a place to waste time, so be forewarned. I am a devout fan of film noir and I have been able to stream titles there that you can't find in other places. There's so much that, again, I'm only going say, follow the provided link. Go on, have a little fun, and don't hold me responsible if it takes a while to get back to work.
 
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Meanwhile...live, love, write, and explore!
 
Want to follow or subscribe to this blog? There are gadgets for that on the right side of the
page. You can leave comments in the form below. I can be reached directly at dbaylis805@gmail.com . You can also find links to some of the sites I visit from time to time on the right. I'm also looking for submissions to the Your Work/Your Love page. Authors retain all rights.
Tomorrow,
 
Dane F. Baylis
Author/Publisher

Monday, November 25, 2013

Day 323 of the 365 Days of Blogging

The author/publisher,
Dane F. Baylis
 

UPDATED  READING SCHEDULE

Dec 3, 2013, 9:00 PM at the Cobalt Cafe, Canoga Park, CA. (Featured Reader for the Hollywood Institute of Poetics coordinated by Jessica Ceballos.) Also open mic.
 
Dec 7, 2013, 4:00 PM at Beyond Baroque, Venice, CA. (ASKEW Poetry Journal #15 release party.)
 
February 8, 2013, 4:00-6:00 PM  at Grenada Books, Santa Barbara, CA. (Dane F. Baylis and Fernando Albert Salinas.) Open mic follows.
 
March 9, 2013, 2 pm, All Erotic Reading at Sylvia White Gallery, Ventura, CA.
 

WHY REINVENT THE WHEEL?

OR

IF I HAD TO THINK OF ALL THIS STUFF MY SELF IT WOULD JUST MAKE MY HEAD HURT!

 

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I tend to spend a good deal of time reading how to's on the craft of writing. As such, I also spend a lot of time trying to distill into a useful, easy to understand form, the masses of information I ingest. This works sometimes, others, it's not such a success. That's why I really appreciate it when someone takes that responsibility out of my hands.
 
With that as a lead in, I was over on Twitter tonight and saw that someone had posted a link to Kurt Vonnegut's eight rules for writing short stories. Well, I couldn't state them any better, so I decided to do the old Cut and Paste. Without further preamble, here they are:
 
 
  1. Use the time of a total stranger in such a way that he or she will not feel the time was wasted.
  2. Give the reader at least one character he or she can root for.
  3. Every character should want something, even if it is only a glass of water.
  4. Every sentence must do one of two things–reveal character or advance the action.
  5. Start as close to the end as possible.
  6. Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them–in order that the reader may see what they are made of.
  7. Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia.
  8. Give your readers as much information as possible as soon as possible. To heck with suspense. Readers should have such complete understanding of what is going on, where and why, that they could finish the story themselves, should cockroaches eat the last few pages.


Lastly, as we all know, there are always exceptions. But, as has been pointed out to me over and over in several artistic disciplines, "Until you know the rules well enough to work inside them, you have no idea how to break them". As evidence, I offer this:

Vonnegut put down his advice in the introduction to his 1999 collection of magazine stories, Bagombo Snuff Box. But for every rule (well, almost every rule) there is an exception. “The greatest American short story writer of my generation was Flannery O’Connor,” writes Vonnegut. “She broke practically every one of my rules but the first. Great writers tend to do that.”

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Meanwhile...live, love, write. Oh, and follow directions.

Want to follow or subscribe to this blog? There are gadgets for that on the right side of the
page. You can leave comments in the form below. I can be reached directly at dbaylis805@gmail.com . You can also find links to some of the sites I visit from time to time on the right. I'm also looking for submissions to the Your Work/Your Love page. Authors retain all rights.


Tomorrow,

Dane F. Baylis
Author/Publisher.