I meant to blog yesterday. And the day before. Been writing. I was chipper this morning, but now I’ve gone Neanderthal (which I’m certain is unfair to the Neanderthals). I am not quite coherent.
Austin asked: I was wondering if an editor at DC or Marvel would need to live in New York to accomplish his/her job? I can see both sides of this one clearly (the need to be there, as opposed to being able to work over the internet/phone), and could really use some help figuring this one out.
I went to Michael Horwitz for the answer, and he very graciously gave one:
“For both Marvel and DC, it’s essential to be in the New York offices to successfully work as an editor. Like any job right now, the web has changed how we work and communicate with people in other states,countries, and continents…but much of the moving and shaking that gets a book out the gate to a printer is done in-house. Understandably, New York real estate isn’t very forgiving on the wallet…so it’s not uncommon for some Marvel employees to have daily commutes up to an hour and a half long. But at the end of the day, it’s worth it to work in the House of Ideas!”
Found this fantastic interview with Les Paul, which really says a lot about the power of not giving up. Which, you know, should be obvious—but so often is not. Also, this love letter at the New York Times about bookstore owner William Stout, who recently moved and made his new home inside a warehouse filled with books.
“Stout’s presentation was so inspiring yet so bittersweet because his vocation seems entirely of an era that is passing us by. For centuries we’ve looked to libraries as historic evidence of cultured civilizations: will electronic texts fill that bill for future generations? While I’ll admit that I’m intrigued by the Kindle, it will never replace the rows and stacks of books that crowd my house. And when I first settle into my comfy chair ready to read with that new device, I’ll probably feel as if I had a phantom limb — I’ll mourn the absence of my fingers slowly turning the pages.”
I have to get up at 3 AM tonight. I’ll be using this and EYE OF THE TIGER to do it.