You become a writer to escape drudgery. Ironic, then, that it's a career choice that frequently condemns you to little else, as you tackle McJob after McJob in the hope of earning the money to allow the space to write and escape. If you think a fool and his money are easily parted, you should see the speed with which a writer can lose his... his what? Principles, say some. Delusions, say others.
For my part, I try to keep all work - even the paying kind - connected to the main game. So I write novels, poetry, journalism, screenplays and, occasionally, I teach others how to write novels, poetry, journalism and screenplays. As old Geoff Chaucer put it, 'First he wrought, and afterward he taught.' Exactly, Geoff. I swamp any sensations of charlatanism with enthusiasm and milky tea.
I also organise a live literature event called Book Slam, which features writers of all sorts alongside musicians, comedians and so forth. It may not make my fortune, but it does make me fortunate. Sometimes I call Book Slam 'London's best literary nightclub'. I used to call it 'London's only literary nightclub', but that's hardly true any more as lately there has sprung up what my mum would almost certainly describe as 'a scene' - 91Èȱ¬work, the B Club, One Taste and many more. There are lots of us, it seems, trying to wade our way out of the mass market slurry.
It is strange to think that poetry, arguably the oldest form of creative expression, may now be fundamentally counter-cultural. I suspect this may be a curious by-product of our celebrity-obsessed society. Let me put it like this - Warhol thought that everyone would be famous for 15 minutes. He was almost right. These days, everyone is famous for 15 minutes except poets. They are, therefore, the epitome of counter culture. Poets, you see, have their minds on higher things and don't want to be famous... except the ones who do. But they must be perforce insane and, therefore, forgiven.
The last Book Slam featured poetry from Scroobius Pip and Dockers MC, two stars of spoken word. In fact, Scroob is about as famous as a poet can get without becoming a rapper. It was amazing to hear them inhabit their characters irrespective of age or occupation, race or class. In fact, both reminded me somewhat of old Geoff whose tales were populated with 'sondry folk'; from knight to nun, friar to franklin. Now I come to think of it, Geoff had some McJobs in his time too - customs officer, courier and clerk. Little changes, it seems.
