The sad, harried, substance-abusing, suffering artist has long been romanticized as the ideal creator of quality artwork. Many have been inspired to follow the self-destructive cycle of suffering and occasional creative output, or have been convinced that the suffering is a required part of the creative process, and that you will not succeed without it.

Brian’s experience as an English major was that commercial success was a failure. Classics, as determined by scholars, were considered the only permissible popular options. No one said “you should be a heroin addict,” but there were no cautionary tales associated with such behavior, and more implication that you need to suffer to truly be creative. Brian set out to show that you can put emotional strife on the page without suffering yourself.

Rekka has picked some myths to dissolve, vaporize, disapparate, and dismantle.

Listen to the episode to hear the HAPpening hosts cover:

* You need a muse

* Writer’s block

* Write every day or you insta-fail

* there is a correct process and a correct way to write

* the writer is a hermit

* the writer is a drunk

* the writer is an eccentric

* writing is a compulsion

* anyone can be a writer

* the characters are in charge

* if you aren’t a hot mess, you aren’t working hard enough

* learn grammar and spelling, and proper typing, or insta-fail

* Pantsing vs. Plotting: one is correct

* your story is only worthwhile if it sells

* your story will only sell if you “know somebody”

* you will only make money if you sell out (or you’re dead)

* (ergo, if you make money, you have sold out)

* Amazon ruined publishing / Print is Dead / self-publishers ruin the good name of authors

* first drafts get published

* a debut is a writer’s first novel

* you’ll get a book deal, quit your job, move to majorca and write in a bliss-filled existence

* read to write better, critique to write better (no, write to write better, though those things are good too)

* don’t read work within your wheelhouse or you’ll end up copying it

* only new ideas are good ideas

For our Patreon supporters, this week’s episode trimmings include discussions of Zardoz (and Amazon’s pro-Zardoz agenda), Eyeglass prescriptions, Parachute Pants, Halloween WTFuttery and being cool, Truth is a Construct). To hear the ramblecast from each week’s episode, along with a special episode each month wherein Rekka and Brian talk about their favorite (or not so favorite) movies, visit out Patreon page and pledge your support of our podcast. Thanks for your consideration!