Mark, iI like how you reach out to readers with ways for us to take care of ourselves. This is a difficult time in the world and connecting with us on our potential for leading better more fulfilling lives (my language not yours here so forgive me if I am overstating) is very relevant and I don't know that editors engage in this kind of thing. So thanks.
Richard, thank you for this, it means a lot to me. Glad my intentions come through so clearly. You are very much making my day!
I want to add that it's beneficial for me, too, to engage in conversations and not just kick ideas around in my head all day without having others weigh in. Putting this kind of material out in the world is very much intended as an opening for honest feedback.
Hey Mark! I love what One Art publishes. I'm curious to know if you'd ever consider offering a One Art Workshop? That's what usually gets me to upgrade to paid on Substack. We offer lots of workshops at The Poetry Salon on Substack and people really engage with them. Just a thought.
Great idea, Tresha! I've been thinking about something related to this though it had not fully occurred to me to leverage Substack for this purpose. Something worth reflecting on :)
You mentioned collaborations. I sent 5 poems to a new (not yet first issue) journal, called Collaborature. The editor got back promptly. She seemed to like the poems but she said they must be collaborations. I deleted her email without replying. By nature, I don’t like collaborations. But I try to be open minded. So this morning I thought maybe I’ll ask a friend’s daughter, who is an artist, to do some art to coincide with my 5 poems. Still, all in all, I’m not a collaborators fan. Writing to me is “a person alone in a room with language.”
Totally fair position. Collaborative efforts are certainly not for everyone.
In one sense, all art is a collaboration since we're engaging with the past. But that's getting philosophical about it.
Collaborating is difficult because there's a lot of ego that needs to be set aside for it to work well.
In TV storytelling, we see this problem often. Songwriting, too. Too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. This was a major qualm of mine with the shows "Breaking Bad" and "LOST". Clearly too many people involved making the characters act, well, out of character.
Much art is created alone, butt in seat, nowadays typing in front of a screen. Stephen King emphasizes this in his famous "On Writing" craft book. Put in the hours.
The cool part about collaboration is that it can, theoretically, be freeing. The back and forth with another artist can lead to unexpected places. It also forces you, as an artist, to check yourself.
It's also a matter of kindship with other artists. From what I know of your writing, you write a bit in the vein of poets such as Anton Yakovlev, CL Bledsoe, Bob Hicok, Leonard Gontarek. The late Dean Young. Poets that lean on surrealistic elements in their poetics and a touch of humor.
Of course, there are also great benefits to working with those who are very different from us. It's a conflict. Studies have shown (in the context of medicine/patient-doctor relationships), for example, that those different from us can provide important insights and yet, sadly, we are [statistically speaking] less likely to listen to their advice.
I'm still working on learning the lesson I hear about all the time with regards to saying "No". Usually framed something like: "Remember that when you say "yes" to something you are saying "no" to everything else you could be doing with that time."
Mark, iI like how you reach out to readers with ways for us to take care of ourselves. This is a difficult time in the world and connecting with us on our potential for leading better more fulfilling lives (my language not yours here so forgive me if I am overstating) is very relevant and I don't know that editors engage in this kind of thing. So thanks.
Richard, thank you for this, it means a lot to me. Glad my intentions come through so clearly. You are very much making my day!
I want to add that it's beneficial for me, too, to engage in conversations and not just kick ideas around in my head all day without having others weigh in. Putting this kind of material out in the world is very much intended as an opening for honest feedback.
Hey Mark! I love what One Art publishes. I'm curious to know if you'd ever consider offering a One Art Workshop? That's what usually gets me to upgrade to paid on Substack. We offer lots of workshops at The Poetry Salon on Substack and people really engage with them. Just a thought.
Great idea, Tresha! I've been thinking about something related to this though it had not fully occurred to me to leverage Substack for this purpose. Something worth reflecting on :)
You're welcome.
I’ve really been enjoying reading all the poetry published on One Art. Thanks for all you do, Mark!
<333
You mentioned collaborations. I sent 5 poems to a new (not yet first issue) journal, called Collaborature. The editor got back promptly. She seemed to like the poems but she said they must be collaborations. I deleted her email without replying. By nature, I don’t like collaborations. But I try to be open minded. So this morning I thought maybe I’ll ask a friend’s daughter, who is an artist, to do some art to coincide with my 5 poems. Still, all in all, I’m not a collaborators fan. Writing to me is “a person alone in a room with language.”
Totally fair position. Collaborative efforts are certainly not for everyone.
In one sense, all art is a collaboration since we're engaging with the past. But that's getting philosophical about it.
Collaborating is difficult because there's a lot of ego that needs to be set aside for it to work well.
In TV storytelling, we see this problem often. Songwriting, too. Too many cooks in the kitchen, so to speak. This was a major qualm of mine with the shows "Breaking Bad" and "LOST". Clearly too many people involved making the characters act, well, out of character.
Much art is created alone, butt in seat, nowadays typing in front of a screen. Stephen King emphasizes this in his famous "On Writing" craft book. Put in the hours.
The cool part about collaboration is that it can, theoretically, be freeing. The back and forth with another artist can lead to unexpected places. It also forces you, as an artist, to check yourself.
It's also a matter of kindship with other artists. From what I know of your writing, you write a bit in the vein of poets such as Anton Yakovlev, CL Bledsoe, Bob Hicok, Leonard Gontarek. The late Dean Young. Poets that lean on surrealistic elements in their poetics and a touch of humor.
Of course, there are also great benefits to working with those who are very different from us. It's a conflict. Studies have shown (in the context of medicine/patient-doctor relationships), for example, that those different from us can provide important insights and yet, sadly, we are [statistically speaking] less likely to listen to their advice.
You make a good point about the up side of collaboration, Mark. In art as in life I strive to be open-minded.
Good goals, Mark!
Thanks, Peter!
TY for describing the "yes... damn" effect. Thought I was the only one! And yay for One Art's growth, esp in comments. (Clearly I like them) 🤩
Aw, much appreciated :)
Thank you for this, Mark. As I posted on FaceBook, I am leaning into what I love. I am saying no to requests that take enormous time and energy.
Thank you, Donna!
I'm still working on learning the lesson I hear about all the time with regards to saying "No". Usually framed something like: "Remember that when you say "yes" to something you are saying "no" to everything else you could be doing with that time."
Exactly!!!