SK's alternate destiny

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Cristian M

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Mar 2, 2014
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Bucharest, Romania
If he couldn't become a professional writer, what would he be ? A serial killer ? A circus clown ? A miserably paid Ronald MacDonald for kids at McDonalds ?
I am asking this because in Duma Key the main character starts to explore some of his latent creative sides (painting) as anger management therapy.
So I guess SK writing can be sometimes his cure for his anger.
In a very good Spanish movie with a clown during Spanish civil war, the "happy" clown tells to the "sad" clown: "I would be a murderer if I couldn't work as a clown".
 

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Ms. Mod
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Jul 10, 2006
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If he couldn't become a professional writer, what would he be ? A serial killer ? A circus clown ? A miserably paid Ronald MacDonald for kids at McDonalds ?
I am asking this because in Duma Key the main character starts to explore some of his latent creative sides (painting) as anger management therapy.
So I guess SK writing can be sometimes his cure for his anger.
In a very good Spanish movie with a clown during Spanish civil war, the "happy" clown tells to the "sad" clown: "I would be a murderer if I couldn't work as a clown".
He was trained for and working as a high school English teacher and publishing stories on the side before he got his big break in publishing that enabled him to do his writing full-time and that's probably what he would have continued doing.
 

Cristian M

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Mar 2, 2014
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Bucharest, Romania
Can an artist be truly happy even when knowing his art will not reach the masses or at least a decently sized circle of art consumers ? Unless the artist choses to keep his art to himself, I am pretty sure being unknown is a tough burden.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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...I understand your viewpoint Cristian, but I can't agree. We don't know with any degree of certainty if King would have been crushed by not becoming a worldwide celebrity with little privacy....he might well have been satisfied by gaining a moderate audience, and writing on the side whilst teaching...fame IS a burden...it brings riches beyond one's most fevered dreams, but allows the soul little rest...
 

Cristian M

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Mar 2, 2014
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Bucharest, Romania
Let's ask Mr. King then :) Maybe he doesn't like mediocrity and he would have been happy only with the extremes (either a total failure, crawling drunk in ditches OR worldwide renowned author as he was lucky to become).
 
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Moderator

Ms. Mod
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Let's ask Mr. King then :) Maybe he doesn't like mediocrity and he would have been happy only with the extremes (either a total failure, crawling drunk in ditches OR worldwide renowned author as he was lucky to become).

Let's just say he's been very happy to be able to earn his living doing what he loves most and is still amazed and grateful that he gets to do that every day. :wink:
 

Lily Sawyer

B-ReadAndWed
Jun 27, 2009
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South Carolina
Can an artist be truly happy even when knowing his art will not reach the masses or at least a decently sized circle of art consumers ? Unless the artist choses to keep his art to himself, I am pretty sure being unknown is a tough burden.
Then you don't know artists.
My mother is an artist. She's not famous, and she doesn't care whether she is or not. Creation is something she is compelled to do. It's not an option. To not create is, for her, to die. Her expression, identity, and soul are all in the act of making art.

Guess what? She's perfectly happy being an unknown. There's no burden for her in that.
 

Cristian M

Well-Known Member
Mar 2, 2014
184
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Bucharest, Romania
Then you don't know artists.
My mother is an artist. She's not famous, and she doesn't care whether she is or not. Creation is something she is compelled to do. It's not an option. To not create is, for her, to die. Her expression, identity, and soul are all in the act of making art.

Guess what? She's perfectly happy being an unknown. There's no burden for her in that.
She is no longer an unknown , you mentioned her here. Please share her art with us. Maybe some of us will like it. New art is always welcome.
 
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