There's a common pattern in pop music where a band or songwriter will have an early hit with a song that does exactly what it needs to do. Then, as they get more experienced, the kind of music which is interesting to _them_ changes. They start to pay attention to different elements and they lose some of the initial directness which was so appealing.
Fans may appreciate that they are trying new things, but there's also a sense that they never again do anything as perfect as their first or second album.
It's an easy pattern to see, but I'm not sure there's much that could or should be done about it -- art is partially for the audience, but also reflects a relationship between the artist and their own interests, and that will shift over time.
I have less sense of how writers feel about that dynamic.
It immediately brought the Beatles to mind. Their early songs were simple and accessible. The basic burger. But they soon took their fans on a magical mystery tour of sonic delights. Interestingly, the fans hopped on the bus for the ride and millions more joined them.
Their music developed so much over such a short period that it didn’t resemble a burger anymore. They introduced the audience to a whole new cuisine. The burger was the entree and now here’s the main course.
There are few artists capable of this degree of transformation, and especially ones that can bring the audience with them on the journey. It of course relies on a willingness from the audience to experiment with new dishes and not eat burgers for the rest of their lives.
I agree with @Cole Haddon that we write for ourselves but must communicate our emotional intentions to the listener or reader. For this reason the basic burger is a reminder to get to the heart of what we have to say, without unnecessary condiments. But as artists, rather than complicate the burger as we develop, perhaps we need to experiment with totally new ingredients.
He just says everything I would say, so I can't add anything. No notes. Nothing. More bad burgers have pissed me off than made me happy. Ratio: 8 bad to 2 good. Yup, sad but true.
Regarding storytelling and films: too much is too much... does it hold in your mind like a good burger holds in your hand? Do all the flavors meld into an experience where you think: "I love this. I would do this again." THAT'S the story you want to tell. That's what you want an audience to enjoy and tell others about. THAT is what makes your career.
Damn I miss Bourdain. He was a philosopher and straight shooting son of a bitch. LOVE that.
Yeah, I really loved finding this clip. I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in finding it so resonant. And bad burgers...I mean, why are they so hard to make well? They're so basic. In 'n Out does it thousands of times every day. But pop into a lot of cool joints throughout America, and they're just disappointing.
Isn’t it a balance? With food, you can start with the Platonic ideal of a burger as he describes it, and then consider whether the changes you make to your burger stay true or diverge from that ideal. He’s making food for a customer. He needs to hit the flavor and usability marks defined by a customer. I think of Susanna Clarke’s books. She doesn’t write to a reader’s expectations of a novel. (The footnotes in « Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell » drove a friend of mine nuts.) But I imagine she gives her artistic decisions a lot of thought, which I think is one point you’re making here.
Everything in storytelling is a balance, yes. I'm not advocating that we don't innovate, but merely that a lot of storytellers undermine themselves by thinking they're making their stories better...when they're not. There's no right answer here, which is why I don't have a clear position to take except to reflect upon the thoughts and consider them as you work.
Your piece brilliantly uses Anthony Bourdain's burger philosophy to highlight the importance of simplicity and intent in the creative process. The reminder to ensure every element serves the emotional experience is invaluable. It is a thought-provoking read that connects deeply with any artist striving for authenticity. Thank you for this.
You had me with Anthony Bourdain. Then you really drew me in. I tend to over-complicate my stories, making them difficult to finish. It's good and simple advice. Thanks.
Love this and I hope you enjoyed your burger, Cole. Reading this made me hungry, and writing this comment made me famished. I think I'll go make a burger of my own. After that, I'll look at the newsletter I'm writing. I'll ask myself if every sentence is making it better!
I’ve been thinking about this a lot since I read it. I guess what you’re saying is that it might not be the right move to make stylistic decisions just because you think they are clever or bold; they have to actually enhance the story you are trying to tell. I know I’ve read books in the past where I’ve come away thinking it was very well-crafted but the story has not stayed with me - One Day is a great example of this. I think the story should always be the takeaway. In a great piece of writing this can be elevated by adding complexity of form or structure but it shouldn’t be the most important thing.
With regard to your own book, I cannot imagine it being structured any other way. I personally feel it emphasised that search for meaning that the characters were going through so being harder to eat had a huge payoff.
I think, in general, yes, this is my point. Stylistic choices that don't service the story, that don't genuinely enhance the story, are just there for style's sake...and that can be distracting and undermine the viewer's experience and memory of that experience. As for PSALMS, thank you for the lovely words. I can't imagine the book working in any other way either. It is it's natural state, in my mind. I wrote what felt truest to me, in the form that I thought best conveyed the characters' stories and a larger story to readers. But that does come with a price, which is it's not as accessible to a wider readership. In this case, I'm okay with that.
There's a common pattern in pop music where a band or songwriter will have an early hit with a song that does exactly what it needs to do. Then, as they get more experienced, the kind of music which is interesting to _them_ changes. They start to pay attention to different elements and they lose some of the initial directness which was so appealing.
Fans may appreciate that they are trying new things, but there's also a sense that they never again do anything as perfect as their first or second album.
It's an easy pattern to see, but I'm not sure there's much that could or should be done about it -- art is partially for the audience, but also reflects a relationship between the artist and their own interests, and that will shift over time.
I have less sense of how writers feel about that dynamic.
I couldn’t agree more with your comment.
It immediately brought the Beatles to mind. Their early songs were simple and accessible. The basic burger. But they soon took their fans on a magical mystery tour of sonic delights. Interestingly, the fans hopped on the bus for the ride and millions more joined them.
Their music developed so much over such a short period that it didn’t resemble a burger anymore. They introduced the audience to a whole new cuisine. The burger was the entree and now here’s the main course.
There are few artists capable of this degree of transformation, and especially ones that can bring the audience with them on the journey. It of course relies on a willingness from the audience to experiment with new dishes and not eat burgers for the rest of their lives.
I agree with @Cole Haddon that we write for ourselves but must communicate our emotional intentions to the listener or reader. For this reason the basic burger is a reminder to get to the heart of what we have to say, without unnecessary condiments. But as artists, rather than complicate the burger as we develop, perhaps we need to experiment with totally new ingredients.
He just says everything I would say, so I can't add anything. No notes. Nothing. More bad burgers have pissed me off than made me happy. Ratio: 8 bad to 2 good. Yup, sad but true.
Regarding storytelling and films: too much is too much... does it hold in your mind like a good burger holds in your hand? Do all the flavors meld into an experience where you think: "I love this. I would do this again." THAT'S the story you want to tell. That's what you want an audience to enjoy and tell others about. THAT is what makes your career.
Damn I miss Bourdain. He was a philosopher and straight shooting son of a bitch. LOVE that.
Brilliant, Cole, thanks.
Yeah, I really loved finding this clip. I'm glad to hear I'm not alone in finding it so resonant. And bad burgers...I mean, why are they so hard to make well? They're so basic. In 'n Out does it thousands of times every day. But pop into a lot of cool joints throughout America, and they're just disappointing.
Miss this man so much.
Yep.
Isn’t it a balance? With food, you can start with the Platonic ideal of a burger as he describes it, and then consider whether the changes you make to your burger stay true or diverge from that ideal. He’s making food for a customer. He needs to hit the flavor and usability marks defined by a customer. I think of Susanna Clarke’s books. She doesn’t write to a reader’s expectations of a novel. (The footnotes in « Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell » drove a friend of mine nuts.) But I imagine she gives her artistic decisions a lot of thought, which I think is one point you’re making here.
Everything in storytelling is a balance, yes. I'm not advocating that we don't innovate, but merely that a lot of storytellers undermine themselves by thinking they're making their stories better...when they're not. There's no right answer here, which is why I don't have a clear position to take except to reflect upon the thoughts and consider them as you work.
Your piece brilliantly uses Anthony Bourdain's burger philosophy to highlight the importance of simplicity and intent in the creative process. The reminder to ensure every element serves the emotional experience is invaluable. It is a thought-provoking read that connects deeply with any artist striving for authenticity. Thank you for this.
food for thought
I see what you did there.
You had me with Anthony Bourdain. Then you really drew me in. I tend to over-complicate my stories, making them difficult to finish. It's good and simple advice. Thanks.
It happens to the best of us at times, which I base on years of hearing people tell me the same. You're far from alone.
Love this and I hope you enjoyed your burger, Cole. Reading this made me hungry, and writing this comment made me famished. I think I'll go make a burger of my own. After that, I'll look at the newsletter I'm writing. I'll ask myself if every sentence is making it better!
I'm glad to hear it resonated with you, Paul!
I’ve been thinking about this a lot since I read it. I guess what you’re saying is that it might not be the right move to make stylistic decisions just because you think they are clever or bold; they have to actually enhance the story you are trying to tell. I know I’ve read books in the past where I’ve come away thinking it was very well-crafted but the story has not stayed with me - One Day is a great example of this. I think the story should always be the takeaway. In a great piece of writing this can be elevated by adding complexity of form or structure but it shouldn’t be the most important thing.
With regard to your own book, I cannot imagine it being structured any other way. I personally feel it emphasised that search for meaning that the characters were going through so being harder to eat had a huge payoff.
I think, in general, yes, this is my point. Stylistic choices that don't service the story, that don't genuinely enhance the story, are just there for style's sake...and that can be distracting and undermine the viewer's experience and memory of that experience. As for PSALMS, thank you for the lovely words. I can't imagine the book working in any other way either. It is it's natural state, in my mind. I wrote what felt truest to me, in the form that I thought best conveyed the characters' stories and a larger story to readers. But that does come with a price, which is it's not as accessible to a wider readership. In this case, I'm okay with that.