Saw this topic being discussed on a couple of bigger writer-blogs.
What song represents writing, to you?
This, in all truthfulness, is an incredibly difficult question.
Not just because of the subject matter, or because of the implications of a song that actually describes a writing process (who’d listen to a song like that, anyway), but mostly because I scoured my entire music collection for a suitable song and I couldn’t find a damned thing. Not even Zeppelin could come through for me.
Lucky, lucky me, however, the answer came to me last night, when my sister and I went to see Nikka Costa at the World Cafe Live.
That perfect song is “You Can’t Please Everybody“.
This is by no means me advocating a giant, unscrupulous middle finger to all of your critics, naysayers, and folks who live on a steady diet of Hater-ade, but it’s wisdom to listen to, plain and simple.
If you get ten people to like your work at a time, that’s fantastic. Don’t focus on the one stubborn guy who just won’t go for it, no matter what; chalk those ten people up as a victory.
(Save your giant, unscrupulous middle finger for the stubborn son-of-a-gun, and then keep on going.)
BUT, if you can glean some perspective on important points of your work from a critic, then by all means, do so. Just remember to keep a clear head about these things.
-Brian
Ryan Lynch 