While browsing through my favorite RSS feeds and Twittering among my betters, I came across a link to this post about Jerry Seinfeld’s interview on what made him so successful. I realized that it has applications for poetry writing as well.
In summary, Jerry Seinfeld’s formula for success is so simple. It boils down to these three points:
- Bust Your Ass
- Be Attentive
- Fall In Love
I like this list. Now here’s my interpretation as it relates to writing and publishing poetry:
- BYA – Work hard. Every day. Improve. Don’t be satisfied until you outdo yourself.
- Be Attentive – Pay attention to what others are doing. Emulate those you like, learn from those you don’t, and pave your own path among the trees in the forest. Simplification: Borrow what you like, toss what you don’t. Read a lot.
- Fall In Love - Learn to the see the good in life. Bask in the glory of your situation, even when it sucks. Turn it into poetry.
Thanks Jerry Seinfeld!
I must admit that I am not always successful at applying those three points to my own work, but when I do I succeed. The problem with me is less laziness, as that I am living with a psychiatric disability with which it is too easy to sit back and wallow in unproductivity. Plus, I have been coming out of a bad patch of competing demands and stressors, which has not made life any the easier.
Anyway, enough kvetching; time to get back into the swing, and to demonstrate the basic wisdom of these three points. After all, if I don’t write, and if I don’t market my writing, no-one else will.
indeed. i rather enjoy the second one, in that i go around online, looking at what other persons (veterans, masters) have written. and i try to learn what i can.
kouji haikus last blog post..blog action day 2008: philippine poverty haiku poems