About

So you’re probably wondering what this blog is all about. Perhaps the best way to begin is to explain where its title originates. As I began to think of an appropriate name for the blog I intended to create, the answer came to me in the form of a red Netflix envelope.

The movie, Starting Out in the Evening, stars Lauren Ambrose as graduate student Heather Wolfe, who persuades aging writer Leonard Schiller (played brilliantly by Frank Langella) to agree to interviews with her for her thesis, which both hope will help ignite their careers. Schiller’s novels, which once seemed destined to bring him the literary success most writers only dream of, are now long out of print, long forgotten. But his works have touched Heather in a profound way; she has not forgotten. And she thinks that her thesis can not only help her fulfill her goal of becoming a literary critic but also revive interest in Schiller’s books (those out of print and the one he has been working on for last 10 years).

Then came this exchange:

HEATHER: I’ve always thought that people will still be reading him in a hundred years. Do you ever wonder whether people will still be reading you in a hundred years?

SCHILLER: What I wonder is whether people will still be reading in a hundred years.

HEATHER: But don’t you think about it? Really.

SCHILLER: If I do it would be unseemly to talk about it. That’s got nothing to do with what the whole enterprise is about.

HEATHER: What is the whole enterprise about? Now that you mention it.

SCHILLER: It isn’t something I can put into words. Not at seven o’clock in the morning.

HEATHER: To put it bluntly, Leonard — your novels are out of print, and you’ve said that you don’t know if anyone will publish the one you’re working on now. So why do you keep going?

SCHILLER: Heather, what can I say? Whatever I said would be too much or too little.

HEATHER: But when I’m summing up my thesis, what should I say it is that keeps you going?

SCHILLER: Just say it’s the madness of art.

That’s it, I thought, grabbing a notepad, scribbling the words “madness of art” on to the page. Anyone who has ever attempted to create—whether a novel, poem or news article, whether a painting or photograph, whether a song or dance, whether a motion picture or a sculpture—can relate: It’s not money or fame or even “success” that keeps us going. It’s the art itself, the process of creating, the utter need to create. And despite hideous odds—slim chances of publication, no record deal in sight, little (if any) recognition, rejection followed by rejection—we still do it, whatever “it” might be. That’s the madness of art. (And don’t get me wrong, publication and recognition—from my own experience as a writer—do indeed possess certain rewards; it’s just not the thing that keeps most of us going.)

That madness isn’t a quality reserved solely for the creator. Anyone who surrounds themselves with art, or perhaps more accurately, creates a life around it, knows that quality, too. The song playing through the car speakers on the ride home from a nearly intolerable day at the office. The discovery of your latest-favorite book while relaxing in a comfy chair. The documentary that altered, in some small way, your vision of the world.  Art, whatever your tastes, offers us a respite from the daily grind of existence. It transcends our useless worries, unjustified fears and the often-mundane habits of life. A life without art, I would argue, is no life at all.

The idea for this blog has been gestating for about nine months, when I landed a piece for The Writer magazine titled “10 Movies Every Writer Must See.” In less than two weeks I watched 25 movies that, based on the title or synopsis, appealed to writers in some way—taking notes and making assessments as to which provided the most, or most genuine, inspiration for those who toil in the word trade. The ones that made the final cut are those films that motivated me to plant myself in front of the word processor and produce something, anything at all. One of the valuable lessons I took away from this experience (an idea I already knew to be true, but heightened to a new level of clarity) is that artists crave inspiration, whether to recharge their battery or to stimulate their own creative impulses, that can only be discovered by indulging in the art created by others.

So, through thoughtful essays, cultural commentary, reviews of books, movies and music, short posts, profiles of and features about artists of varying strips (most especially those working in Savannah, Georgia—my new hometown), and all things that may offer readers the inspiration they need. To start, the site will consist of five main sections: Words of Wisdom (daily quotes about all forms of art and all aspects of creating); Mightier Than the Sword (a focus on the writing life, from practical tips and tools to philosophical musings); Seeing is Believing (an emphasis on the visual arts, from still photography to painting to TV and film); Breaking the Silence (a look at the world of music, from classical to classic rock, including reviews, essays and more); and Site Seeing (a roundup of recommended reading and viewing material on the Web). But another goal is to make this a continually evolving site—both in design and content—so please contact me with any ideas or suggestions.

By way of a brief biography, my name is Darren W. Miller, and I worked for several years as a reporter and editor at newspapers in New Jersey and North Carolina, where I was recognized for my work by both states’ press associations. I moved with my wife, Heather Roberts, and our three cats (Mr. Jingles, Hamlet and Soxy) to Savannah, Georgia, in June 2008 from Asheville, North Carolina. I’ve co-authored two books—Consider the Source: A Critical Guide to 100 Prominent News and Information Sites on the Web (2007) and Web of Conspiracy: A Guide to Conspiracy Theory Sites on the Internet (2008)—with James F. Broderick, both published by Information Today, Inc.

In closing, I’ll rely on my favorite writer, Charles Bukowski, who could not have said it better: “The difference between life and art is art is more bearable.”

Let the madness begin!