I’ve been thinking a lot about the life of our words. As I work on nonfiction work-for-hire books, I run into other writers who hate the idea of selling all rights to their work. Other writers don’t want to do assessment work because they can’t display their work anywhere (due to confidentiality agreements). Still others hesitate to share because they’re afraid someone will steal their ideas. More don’t post poems online because then they’re less salable as some publishers consider them already published online.
Scott Wade, all rights reserved
Each writer has to find his or her own comfort zone, of course. And I’m very aware of the business side of things, since my writing is my job, not just “a little extra income.” (Hey, I didn’t say it was a high-paying job. But it’s not a hobby.) But I try to let my writing go into the world in many forms and under many circumstances and not worry too much about: “What if it sells a million copies and all I got paid was $1,000 measly bucks?” or the other doubts that might make me hoard my words. Instead, I try to foster a feeling that “there is always another poem to write, so don’t stress too much about any one individual one” and “a kid reading my poem in a standardized test is reading my poem–same as any kid reading my poem in a magazine.”
Scott Wade, all rights reserved
In celebration of creating and sharing art, I point you toward dirtycarart.com, where Texas artist Scott Wade showcases his art created on–you guessed it–dirty car windows. Talk about an impermanent art form! And one created often on assignment, but just as often for the sheer fun of it. Visit his site and check out both his Original Gallery and his NEW! images posted 4-16-08. They are amazing! Great range of subject matter (from Lady Bird Johnson to American Gothic to local TV anchors to da Vinci), styles, and moods. Looking at these pictures makes me want to go out and write poems in dirty car windows or somewhere else they’ll get noticed.
What do you think?