It’s gonna be hot today. Stay cool by learning something new…
Gahhhh!!!!! There were a ton of these I didn’t know!!!! Which one did you find the most surprising?
Lots going on this week on SYTYCD. First off, I LOVE that the producers of the show responded to the fans who did not like the contestants kicked off at the beginning of the show. Often people stick to their guns and do things just because they can. SYTYCD showed a lot of class by listening. I think listening and responding is a great skill and it takes a really good show and moves it up into the excellent category for me. I was also happy to see Paula Abdul on the show after ten years. I’d love to see more of her in the future.
I do have a favorite performance of the week. Aaron and Jasmine captured my attention again. No surprise that I’m partial to dead girls. PS My favorite part is when it looks like Jasmine puts her hand right through Aaron’s chest. Brilliant!
There was something else I noticed about this show. I’m consistently seeing strong performances from some of the same dancers over and over again. But that hasn’t guaranteed success. During voting, some are in the bottom three and some appear untouchable. This can not attributed to just their dance ability alone. There are some fabulous technical dancers that don’t have the same fan base as some of the other, less experienced or well rounded dancers. The difference appears to be in how they connect with the audience. They bring a magic ingredient–some secret mixture of presence, emotion, connection and possibly luck. I think.
I’ve witnessed a similar phenomena in writing. I’ve read many books in my life that were amazing, but they never go viral. It isn’t because they aren’t something special. It’s because they are missing that magic ingredient. And before you ask–no–I don’t know what it is. I wish I did. Here is what I do know…I’ve listened to authors speak that I’ve never hear of before and because of the experience, I became a life-long fan of them and their work. Making a personal connection seems to be important. It’s also easier said than done. I also ponder what comes first…the chicken or the egg? Do certain dancers and authors get more air time, face time, marketing time because they have that special, magical quality? Or do contestants and authors that are well marketed have an advantage? Then there’s timing, luck and plain old hard work thrown into the mix. I do not know what the secret recipe is.
I suspect that you don’t have the answers either, but I sure would like to hear what your suspicions are. What do you think that magical element is for any artist to go viral? What’s your favorite book that didn’t get the attention you think it deserves? Which dancer on SYTYCD is going to be the worst casualty because they are a great dancer, but just don’t seem to have the magic ingredient?
I ran across a couple of interesting articles and videos this week and decided to share…
You Can Never Predict Your Bad Reviews by Nathan Bransford
Hell with What Sells by Chuck Wendig *Warning there is some offensive language in this blog post
How to Write a 1-Page Synopsis by Susan Dennard via Publishing Crawl
There is a grassroots movement to get a song called FIX ME UP by Zach Sobiech and Sammy Brown on the sound track of the movie FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green. I didn’t know Zach personally, but a writer friend of mine did and I would love it if you would take the time to acknowledge Zach and his journey.
On May 20, 2013, cancer took the life of Zach Sobiech but his legacy will live on through the beacon of love and hope he delivered through infectious lyrics and memorable tunes have imprinted on the minds and hearts of millions around the world.
Help fulfill Zach’s dying wish to help kids with cancer by supporting the charity he set up before his death- the Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund at Children’s Cancer Research Fund:http://www.ChildrensCancer.org/Zach.
Zach and his lifelong friend Sammy Brown have a band called A Firm Handshake. They just released a new album with seven original songs, including “Clouds” and “Fix Me Up.” A portion of the proceeds from sales of the album will benefit the Zach Sobiech Osteosarcoma Fund.
Download Zach’s new album here:https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/fix…
Zach Sobiech and Sammy Brown met on a picnic blanket when they were toddlers. Since then, they have remained close friends who have shared life’s most important moments. They began playing music together when there were twelve–shortly after Zach got his first guitar–and never looked back. When Zach was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in 2009, the fall of their 9th grade year, Sammy remained a constant and dependable friend. As treatment options began to run out for Zach, the pair, now in their senior year of high school, formed the band A Firm Handshake, along with their elementary school friend Reed Redmond. The title song to their new EP, “Fix Me Up,” is Sammy and Zach’s goodbye song to each other. It is based on the many conversations they have had dealing with terminal illness, a refusal to let cancer define their lives, and a belief that someday they will sing together once more.
If you’d like to help get the word out you can use this tweet or make up your own…
Help us get #ZachSobiech’s duet “Fix Me Up” on The Fault in Our Stars soundtrack http://ow.ly/lquOt
Did any of these links and videos resonate with you?
I posted over at the YA Outside the Lines Blog today. Want to find you what I was talking about? Here’s your hint…
You can check out the post HERE!
Last week I officially started the Art Stimulates Art Series, inspired by watching season 10 of So You Think You Can Dance. Last week’s post is HERE, if you’d like to catch up. But the short version is that different kinds of art are capable of providing me with growth and inspiration in my writing. And because I’m a dancer and love the show, it really gives me lots of interesting ideas about the writing process.
This week the Top 20 became the Top 18. Nothing unusual here, but this was the first season where the elimination came at the top of the show instead of at the end. I have mixed feelings about the format, but that isn’t what struck me the most this week. What captured my attention was that the bottom three girls and boys weren’t necessarily the people who had the weakest performances. It reminded me that success isn’t always just about talent. There are other things involved like personality, luck and even air time/marketing. My favorite performance this week came from Aaron and his partner Jasmine. Aaron (an awesome tapper) tried out for SYTYCD on a previous season and got cut right before the top 20. This year he was cut in the same spot again. It was devastating, but by chance, one of the guys who made the top 20 had to drop out and Aaron was guy #11 and was asked to take the empty place in the Top 20. Every time I see him perform I think what a huge mistake it would have been have let him go. He’s a huge favorite of mine and he is resonating with the audience. Yet he wasn’t supposed to happen…
I can’t help but recognize the same weeding-out process in publishing that I’m witnessing in dance. Just like the SYTYCD judges who had a plethora of amazing tappers this year and had to cut one, editors have specific lists and needs that dictate their acquisitions. There are also authors who’s charisma takes their book to places most people only hope to go. They have stage presence and audience connection. There are great books written by great writers that never see the light of day because they don’t fit into the traditional categories the way a dancer on the show needs to fit into contemporary, jazz, ballroom etc… But then again, there is always that one “Bollywood manuscript with African Jazz leanings and a side of crump that happens while balancing in point shoes,” and it becomes the next best seller because it was the right manuscript, in the right place, at the right time. No one could have predicted it. They never do.
What does this mean for the dancers on SYTYCD and us writers? It means that there are no guarantees. Whether you’re going to dance or write–you damn well better be doing it for the love of the art itself. At the end of the day you don’t know, and you’ll never know, where it is going to take you. But just because you’re moving forward with only the light of your headlights to guide your way, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still work hard, strive for success, be knowledgable, have a plan and shoot for your dream. Just remember that the only thing you can predict–is whether you will show up to do the thing you love, even if no one else is watching.
Any thoughts on the new way their doing the eliminations? How do you feel about the lack of control and predictability in publishing? Who would you have sent home last night?