Art For Art's Sake
L’art pour l’art is a 19th century French slogan which expresses the philosophy that art’s only true purpose is to be beautiful and self fulfilling. If the definition of art is drawn broadly enough to include literature, as I’d argue it ought to be, then it begs the question, should an author be content with the satisfaction which he or she derives from writing, or is there an undeniable imperative to be read and enjoyed more widely?
As a relatively new author (as yet unpublished) I will admit that there’s a huge amount of pleasure to be gained from the writing process itself. Plot ideas come easily to me, in part because I surround myself with inspirational art, music, people. It’s my intention to write a short blog soon on what inspires me, which is a mark indeed of just how much pleasure the mere forming of an idea for a story gives to me. Then there’s the research, gaining new knowledge so that I can write with authority on the subject matter that I’ve chosen; I’ve always loved to learn so writing indulges that passion. Then there’s reaching the climax of satisfaction with the completion of a manuscript. Writing a book is time consuming and life consuming but there’s no doubting that it’s a very rewarding exercise.
All of that said, I can’t deny that there’s also an urge to share, possibly to seek recognition of one’s efforts, or even (dare I admit it) acclaim.
But here’s the snag; how do you reach an audience? Not easily, at least in my case. I’m sixty years young next month and somewhat of a cantankerous middle-aged man, I’ll admit. I’m based in Newcastle upon Tyne and not even the proudest Geordie would claim that our great city is at the centre of the publishing industry; we’re actually far removed, despite the best efforts of agencies such as New Writing North (though they continue to strive for better on our behalf). The competition is fierce. Apparently less than 4% of people who call themselves writers actually finish a book but don’t let that fool you into thinking there’s not a lot of completed manuscripts out there, vying for attention, there certainly is. So you could perhaps forgive me for feeling a little pessimistic about the prospects of my stories being read by more than just my close friends and family. As a new author who arguably isn’t best situated, geographically or personally, to take advantage of traditional methods of publishing then, where does that leave me? Even if I were to offer my stories for free, how could I reach my audience?
This isn’t a problem unique to literature, of course. Not too long ago I was involved in the music industry, running a small independent live music venue. I’ve always taken an interest in the grassroots music scene and have witnessed the difficulties faced by musicians and bands trying to get their music heard. The parallels with the publishing industry are obvious. The majority of consumers of music tend to stick with what they know, so you’ll often find that artists with longevity will be able to fill out large venue at high ticket prices, whilst less established artists, arguably no less talented, might play to a handful of people at a small venue down the road. Similarly, book readers might be inclined to pick up the latest novel from Lee Child than spend their hard-earned cash on a new release by a relative newcomer to the crime fiction field. That’s understandable of course but does it lead to agents and publishers taking less risks? It would seem so.
Returning to the field of music, one well known English singer/songwriter has tried something new to do just that. Thea Gilmore is hardly an industry outsider - she’s released over twenty records over a career that’s spanned two decades and has earned the admiration of legends like Bruce Springsteen and Joan Baez. Yet even someone like Thea seemingly finds it hard to cut through and find an audience. In a recent Facebook post she said this:
“A man reviewing air fryers will reach more people today that most musicians reach all year. So the music industry looked at that and said ‘Aha! The attention economy. Make more videos…hook in the first 8 seconds. Stop the scroll…sell, sell, sell.’ Not, make better records or braver ones. Not, make stranger records or ones that put you through the emotional wringer. Don’t worry about the art, the human voice. Make CONTENT kids … it’s a numbers game isn’t it? Attention is King. I’ve been doing this for twenty-seven years .. I’ve watched an entire generation of musicians get turned into full time social media managers, who occasionally write a song.”
Thea has set up a phone line where she invites strangers to leave her voicemail messages which then might inspire her to write a new song. It’s a wonderfully imaginative way to collaborate and at the end off the process she has a song that people want to listen to and engage with. It’s not an exact method that can translate across to literature, of course; not long-form anyway. I’ve a friend, Rowan McCabe, who is a door-to-door poet and who does something similar to great effect. But I can’t write a book like this. Nor, in all honesty would I wish to, I’m not short on inspiration or ideas, I just need an audience. So for me, collaboration isn’t going to be the answer, but engagement, more generally, has to be at least part of the answer.
So what am I going to do, you might ask.
A new author who wants to engage with an audience is met with a plethora of online articles offering advice. One common theme that emerges is the need for exposure, and that generally means engaging in social media. At the very least, they say, get yourself a website. An online presence is essential, I’m told, as it shows prospective agents and publishers that you ‘take your writing seriously’. As if 70,000 words wasn’t enough to show that! So when I first began to write four years ago, I cocked a snook at such advice. I told myself that if I concentrated my efforts on my writing, the quality of my work would inevitably lead to engagement and popularity. Four years and countless rejections later, here I am. Perhaps it’s with a trace amount of annoyance that I find myself at this point but nevertheless I intend to engage fully and consistently with the process of self publicity via this website and (select) social media platforms, all the while whilst undertaking my second crime novel (and my fourth story in total).
I’ve also a slightly off-the-wall idea to engage in a more personal way, but I’m thinking it over a bit before acting.
In conclusion, I’ve come to realise that I’m not doing this just for myself. I love writing but there has to be a tangible outcome that goes beyond self-satisfaction. If you’re reading this, you’re already part of the answer.
