2016 Creativity in Review

Here's what I accomplished creatively in 2016, organized by poetry, comics, and rejection:

POETRY

I try to write one "good" poem a month.  This year I wrote 10 poems that are currently in my next manuscript. None have been published yet. Here are the titles:

  • In-Line
  • Frontage Road Song
  • Plane Song
  • Expressway Country Song
  • Perhaps Loons
  • Still Waters
  • Waverace Freestyle
  • Beaver
  • Aspire
  • Deer Before They Bolt

I did a handful of poetry readings this year which was very necessary - I hadn't read in Chicago in almost 3 years.

I attended five Poems While You Wait events, a number that I hope is higher in 2017.  

Poems While You Wait celebrated our 5 Year Anniversary and we released Poems While You Wait, Live @ 5, an Antholozine, a book that collects our work over the years.

COMICS

BEEF JAMS was picked up and published by VICE Comics. 

With co-writer Marc Koprinarov I wrote 26 new pages of an unannounced Beef Jams project that will be released in 2017. The highlight of this project was running the editorial for the comic and PAYING ARTISTS THAT I LOVE to draw my characters.

With artist Amancay Nahuelpan (YOUNG TERRORISTS, CLANDESTINO) I co-created an unannounced comic project that is currently being colored.

I also developed two other separate comics projects and my goal is to have artists secured for them by end of March 2017.  

It was a great comics year for me that sets the stage nicely for 2017 and beyond.

REJECTION

I wrote an essay about James Dickey as a Salesman and what poets can learn from his sales skills. I learned that poets have absolutely zero interest in learning from salespeople. So, you know, that's great considering that's exactly what I am.

I wrote a poem about Derrick Rose when he was traded to the Knicks and shopped it around. No one liked it and with hindsight I can see why - it reads like a pop-punk emo ballad.

I had a nice conversation with The New Yorker about my poetry but they opted to pass on it. That's happened to me twice now with them, but hey, I think it's an accomplishment in itself.

2017

This year will be one of my most visible years as an artist.  There's so much planned that I can't even announce or tease yet related to both comics and poetry.  The big plans of 2017 are partly why this website now exists.

Peace out, 2016