Writing Update: Creating for Community & the Bookseller’s Opinion

Over the past week or so I published a few pieces around the Internet for your enjoyment.

On The Master’s Arist I wrote briefly about the creative process of writing a prayer book for the local church I attend, and how it is different than the creative projects I am used to:

Most of the time I create for myself and then share with others. It is a process of moving from the deep stirrings of my mind or heart and creating an artifact that I then share (if I think it is good enough for other eyes to see).

This project is the opposite. I’m standing on the outside, creating something for a whole group of people. Eventually, this project will stir my mind and heart as I pray along with others.

You can read my full essay, “Creating for Community,” on The Master’s Artist.

I also took some time to interview David Wheeler, the poet and bookseller, about digital publishing for The Other Journal‘s Mediation blog. David brings an interesting perspective as both an author and a seller. He offers some insight into the economic realities of digital publishing:

I think we also need to remember that a book (digital or not) might be peanuts to actually print and distribute, but it’s often years of labor for the author. You get maybe a few days to a few weeks of enjoyment from a book—maybe a lifetime—break that down to an hourly wage, and for the sake of argument imagine it all goes to the author, and at $30 it’s still slave’s wages.

You can read the rest of my interview, “The Brave New Digital Publishing World: An Interview with David Wheeler,” on Mediation.