Photo: Jamie Feldman
Hihi!
It’s that time again for the Small Good Things round-up! We’re officially in summer now, so you’d think life would be slowing down, more of us would be on vacation, or we’d simply make more time to relax in the sun. Doesn’t seem like it, does it? (Especially considering where I currently am, we’ve been having thunderstorms!) Despite the recent solstice marking the season of beaches and BBQs, the days and weeks are still speeding along with lots of buzz like always. Oh well, perhaps that just makes for more creative news to share.
Here’s what’s been buzzing around on my radar lately:
1.) The Paris Review recently published a fascinating look into Alice Munro’s handwritten notebooks. This article is fantastic and includes several full-size photos of Munro’s notebook pages. Do have a look for yourself!
2.) Several publishing houses are adding clauses to their contracts to tackle AI, stating they will not use or licence an author’s work to train AI without the author’s permission. Plagiarism and unethical use of AI is still a major issue, so this is a step in the right direction. Here’s hoping there’s more to come.
3.) Henry Selick is reportedly developing a film version of The Ocean at the End of the Lane with Neil Gaiman. Selick is known for stop motion animation, so I’m very curious to see what this project becomes!
4.) I’m currently reading The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin. This is a fascinating look into creativity from the perspective of Rubin, a well known record producer famous for working with the likes of The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, The Beastie Boys, Johnny Cash, Weezer, The Strokes, The Chicks, Aerosmith, The Cult… and it goes on and on… While I don’t find all of his advice applicable to me personally considering some of it is geared more toward music and performance art, there is still so so so much good stuff here. I think this book could be just as important as The Artist’s Way is for so many creative folks out there. Highly recommend!
5.) A quote: “Living life as an artist is a practice. You are either engaging in the practice or you’re not. It makes no sense to say you’re not good at it. It’s like saying, “I’m not good at being a monk.” You are either living as a monk or you’re not. We tend to think of the artist’s work as the output. The real work of the artist is a way of being in the world.” ― Rick Rubin, The Creative Act: A Way of Being
Cheers and catch you next week!