Literary in America: Blocked
The Black List
n the worlds of literary and film, there is this stigma that is plaguing these industries so bad that most people who has the talent and the ability to penetrate and possibly take over with new and improved innovative ideas and creations simply just throw their hands up and walk away. They’d rather continue working their dreadful nine to five, forgetting about the tranquility and serenity that comes with doing something that they truly love while making money and having fun doing so. This stigma, this plague, this illness that I am speaking of is none other than, for the sake of this article, I’m going to call the “Black List”. That’s right, you heard me, the “BLACK LIST”. A lot of writers, poets, actors, and actresses say that this list doesn’t exist. They say that it’s a myth. Well myth or not, something is happening to our virgin and/or new and aspiring writers, actors, and actresses and it’s hard not to make a fuss about it. So many of them have worked so hard to make it on scene of major acknowledgment lists with the likes of the New York and LA Times best sellers lists or on the big screen in Hollywood just to find out that they didn’t even get so much as a look or a wrinkle of the nose. Not because their talent is lacking but because someone somewhere saw it fit to exclude them. Their first inclination is to keep going anyway, but then it hits them, they realize that their names had been put on a list that secludes them from prosperity within the industry. It’s as if what they write or their acting capabilities have been infected with the bubonic plague or some vastly contagious illness that if someone else should read a word that they’ve written or see a segment of their performance, would or could possibly become infected with that very illness.
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Thus causing these well deserving writers, poets, actors and actresses to throw in the towel and give up before they could ever get started. Insane right?! Yeah, that’s what I was thinking too. So how do or should one cope once they find out that they have been put on this so-call list that, as I stated before, for the sake of this article, I’m calling it the “BLACK LIST”. Well I had the opportunity to speak to one of the industry’s most wonderful self-published writers. I have read every book that she has put out and I must say that with each book, I’m always sitting waiting impatiently for the next one to drop. Anyway, this author (who by the way wants to remain anonymous) has been put on the literary industry’s “mythological” black list. I thought, wow, that’s such a sad shame seeing how her literary work of art can be a great attribute to people of all ages, color, creed, etc. But because there are some people, who, within in the industry that are not confident in their work getting them the recognition that they think they deserve, no matter how great it is – they’d rather sabotage the innocence of a virgin or aspiring writer whose work, from the first book might I add, has caused them to tremble and convulse at the thought of being challenged for that top spot or for that hour in the lime-light. I have put some of the conversation, with permission, here so that you can get a little insight on the hurt that this so called mythological list is causing those that are deserving of the exposure and recognition of their craft to feel. For the sake of my guest, we are going to call her Lola. DM: So without putting the names of your titles in this segment, tell me what gave you the clue, the hint, or the mere inkling that you had been “black-listed”.
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