Betsy Lerner

Stronger

Posted on April 16, 2009 by betsylerner

Dave Cullen’s book COLUMBINE hit the New York Times Bestseller List at #7. Did I ever say how much I love the number 7?

This was a book ten years in the making, which is a nice way of saying more blood, sweat, and tears were spilled than I can ever recall. I hope the people whose lives were affected feel that they were well served.

Mostly I want to congratulate Dave; his persistence and compassion were the guiding lights of this project. I want to thank everyone at Twelve, who took on this challenging book in the 11th hour and published the hell out of it.

I guess I want to say, too, that in a Twittery world, this kind of book is starting to look like an endangered species. Even in the olden days, few writers could or would devote ten years to a project outside of the academy. Believe me, there were many junctures when I wanted to tear my hair out: missed deadlines, long silences, outsized drafts etc. etc., but I am so proud that I got to be a part of it. When people ask what makes working in publishing worth it — this.

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Now in Paperback

Posted on April 13, 2009 by betsylerner

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Baa

Posted on April 11, 2009 by betsylerner

In this week’s Sunday NYT magazine (not a particularly obscure reference, I realize), I was taken by something the poet Frederick Seidel said when asked to what he attributed the seventeen year silence between his first and second book. “Cowardice,” he said.

When asked what he was afraid of, “The expression of aspects of the self that you understand or, rather, that you fancy may not be attractively expressed or attractive once expressed.” I take this to mean fear of looking bad. I guess that would be a fear when you write lines like, “A naked woman my age is just a total nightmare.” LOL. As if a naked man his age with a crepe nutsack and tits is a picnic. But that’s not my point.

What first attracted me to poetry was not what it revealed, so much as what it concealed. I couldn’t understand half the poems I read, but I read them over and over. They held secrets, sometimes answers. I knew when something sounded true, even if I couldn’t articulate why. And I think I wrote poetry when I was young because I could hide there, in images and ellipses.

This all came to a grinding halt when a professor asked if I were intentionally trying to obfuscate meaning in my poems. Intentionally, well no. I then wrote some frank poems with titles like “Calories and Other Counts” and “Venus Envy.” And then, shortly after getting my MFA, I quit writing poems. Cowardice?

People sometimes ask me if I still write poems. No, no, no I quickly reply, as if I gave up sleeping with farm animals long ago. Nah, not me, haven’t touched a sheep in ages.

I would love to know what people think keeps them from writing (besides e-mail).

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FAQ – Should I Get an MFA

Posted on April 8, 2009 by betsylerner

Two young people (did I actually say “young people”?) asked my opinion recently about whether or not to get an MFA. This is a tough one. It really depends on two things: where you are in your writing life and if you can afford it. You do have to ask yourself the tough questions: would I rather have an MFA from Columbia or a Jaguar XF?

There are great programs out there, and taking two years to devote to writing and reading can be a formative time. Unless you are a stone cold idiot, you will come out a better writer than when you went in. Or, like me, find out that you’re a good editor, or teacher. Really fun is the community of writers with their orgiastic jealousies. Be prepared, know yourself, try not to cave to the style of the day.

Then there’s the faculty. I would definitely check that out before you write a check. I had the great good fortune of studying with Richard Howard, Denis Johnson (fuck me dead) Bill Matthews, Pamela White Hadas (my brilliant mentor), with Dan Halpern, Tom Lux, and for visiting writers we had Margaret Atwood, Harold Brodkey, Coleslaw Milosz (as we fondley referred to him), and others. That was all worth it. That was fantastic. As was finding my bff and best reader, the poet Jean Monhan.

Whoa, sorry for that little side trip down memory lane. I think getting an MFA can be very valuable, but you want to be in the right place for you and you don’t want to go bankrupt. Being a writer will take care of that soon enough. If you go, focus on your craft, read your eyes out, listen most to your critics, and try not to have a crack-up.

Would love to hear what other MFA survivors have to say, as well as those who avoided it altogether.

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Beauty Contest

Posted on April 7, 2009 by betsylerner

I’m taking a famous writer to lunch today. I was a huge fan of her work in college. I’m actually sort of a wreck. I mean I know I’ll be fine because I’ve been doing this for, um, twenty-five years. And so far it’s worked out. Still, it’s actually kind of nice to know that there’s a butterfly or two inside me.

After a pretty quiet spell, it looks as if there are some very interesting new clients on the horizon. I’m not sure if they’ll all come with me. Writers make the rounds of agents these days, and I encourage them to. It’s like getting a second opinion from a doctor or lawyer. You’re trusting this person with your career. It should be an informed decision. When a writer (stupidly) goes with another agent, I’m always really zen about it. Bitter, but zen.

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SPRING

Posted on April 6, 2009 by betsylerner

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Poop and Boobs

Posted on April 2, 2009 by betsylerner

Heather B. Armstrong’s memoir jumped on to the NYT bestseller list its first week on sale. Man, am I happy. Even our dog noticed what a good mood I was in and roped me into something like 4,000 throws of the aqua blue sheep toy. Heather’s on the road doing readings, huge crowds, due in large part to the enormous popularity of her blog, Dooce.com which is about marriage and motherhood, or poop and boobs. I understand some women at the readings have asked to have their pregnant stomachs autographed (reminds me of my high school neighbor who got her fifteen year old butt signed by Bob Weir), many are bearing gifts, taking pictures with Heather. It’s really amazing how you can develop a loyal readership through blogging. Ahem. Anyway, her book is called, IT SUCKED AND THEN I CRIED. It’s hilarious and then you cry. Highly recommended.

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Everybody Hurts, RIP

Posted on March 31, 2009 by betsylerner

Big, huge, exciting news: As of tomorrow or the next day, I will have a new blog site. I know you will miss the jejune photograph of me circa kindergarten. And the blocky hard to read type. I will, too. But this young woman named Hilary who lives in Detroit helped me create a better blog and it’s just way better. (That was a plug for Hilary if you need website help — I’ll give you her email.) Look out for the new site, let me know what you think. And thanks for reading.

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Who’s Counting?

Posted on March 30, 2009 by betsylerner

Every year, Publisher’s Weekly posts sales figures for the year’s top sellers. I always comb the lists and find myself either pleasantly surprised or dumbfounded as in: wow, that great book sold many more copies than I would have thought, or, I can’t believe that piece of crap sold that many copies.

This year in the dumbfounded column:

The Last Lecture (#1 top seller): I knew this was a huge bestseller but I would have never guessed that it sold 4,388,137 copies. I know the author wrote this as he was dying and that people the world over find it beautiful and moving, but have you read it? It should have been called Are You Smarter Than a Stupid First Grader. Sorry, but I can’t take inspiration of any kind.

Gladwell’s Outliers sold 821,721. I would have thought he tipped the million mark. Wah!

Dewey (aka cat crap): 758,931.

A book called What’s Your Poo Telling You sold 161,000. No comment. Oh wait, shhh, my poo is trying to tell me something.

James Frey’s novel, Bright Shiney Asshole, sold 125,380. Oops, I think it’s called Bright Shiney Day.

Life with My Sister Madonna by Christopher Ciccone, who I believe is her brother, sold 235,000. Material Girl!

Michael Phelps No Limits sold 200,000. Not sure if that was before or after he was caught bogarting the bong.

Jessica Seinfeld’s Deceptively Delicious sold 156,000. Have you ever tried hiding a yam in chocolate pudding?

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Half Empty

Posted on March 26, 2009 by betsylerner

First week back from vacation and a lot of good news: a blocked writer becomes unblocked, a dazzling new chapter from a memoir in progress, a revision on a proposal sings, a great meeting with a new film agent, entertaining lunch with a major magazine editor, some checks arrived, a contract negotiation down to one small point, three fantastic new titles launching. Like that.

The challenge: how can Betsy Lerner negate all this great stuff and find a way to feel crappy about herself and the industry. C’mon, give me something hard.

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