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So a few weeks ago, Dr Kahan gave a presentation to my Honors class. The second half of the lecture was about the book he is writing on comic books. He talked about the chapter about corporate responsiblity, which mainly focused on Spiderman and Daredevil. It was quite interesting, well thought out and supported, excellently written. He was very blunt and straight forward about his motives for this book. Of the two reasons he gave, one was "Well, you know, I'll finally be able to make money off of a book." This is not his first book. His other books are about Shakespeare--namely forgeries and parodies thereof. As interesting as that would be for me to read (and it is), it's not on many people's summer reading list. I'm happy for him. YAY! MONEY!
I hope one day I can write a book that makes money.
So I go to the MB where we are supposed to discuss the lecture. Nearly everybody basically says they think his work with comic books is null and void because he is a sell out. Apparently, he's less of person if he chooses to write a book for money.
*blink*
This is what I wrote in response.
I hope he makes a lot of money on this project. As much fun as it is to toil in obscurity, with a few books that only a small number of people have any interest in reading, he might want to you know, not do that anymore. Every writer wants to make money *writing*. He's found a way that will kill two birds with one stone (educate the public and make money!), so good on him. I hope one day I'm lucky enough to get paid for writing a book people want to read. Would his massive work on comic books somehow be more noble if he didn't see a monetary return on all that time he spent reading and writing it? Would his thoughts be more great if he didn't recieve any compensation for the effort? Does everybody who write for money get "sell out" status? Should we go back to the days before copyright when authors could sell their work for a few pennies and never see another ounce of profit? Would he be better to simply give the book away, nobley insisting that he has no need for money or creature comforts, for he is an arteest and his inspiration comes from poverty?
I'm ranting now, but that really hit a sore button. It probably annoyed me more than it annoyed him, but good god. I think it's very, very easy for people who are in non-humanities majors to get high and mighty about "selling out" when you're not on the whim of some publisher or editor or even the general public validating your work. My only hope is that one day I too can be a "sell out".
I hope those kids grow the fuck up before they graduate. Or alternately, I hope they're never asked to "sell out".
I hope one day I can write a book that makes money.
So I go to the MB where we are supposed to discuss the lecture. Nearly everybody basically says they think his work with comic books is null and void because he is a sell out. Apparently, he's less of person if he chooses to write a book for money.
*blink*
This is what I wrote in response.
I hope he makes a lot of money on this project. As much fun as it is to toil in obscurity, with a few books that only a small number of people have any interest in reading, he might want to you know, not do that anymore. Every writer wants to make money *writing*. He's found a way that will kill two birds with one stone (educate the public and make money!), so good on him. I hope one day I'm lucky enough to get paid for writing a book people want to read. Would his massive work on comic books somehow be more noble if he didn't see a monetary return on all that time he spent reading and writing it? Would his thoughts be more great if he didn't recieve any compensation for the effort? Does everybody who write for money get "sell out" status? Should we go back to the days before copyright when authors could sell their work for a few pennies and never see another ounce of profit? Would he be better to simply give the book away, nobley insisting that he has no need for money or creature comforts, for he is an arteest and his inspiration comes from poverty?
I'm ranting now, but that really hit a sore button. It probably annoyed me more than it annoyed him, but good god. I think it's very, very easy for people who are in non-humanities majors to get high and mighty about "selling out" when you're not on the whim of some publisher or editor or even the general public validating your work. My only hope is that one day I too can be a "sell out".
I hope those kids grow the fuck up before they graduate. Or alternately, I hope they're never asked to "sell out".
