I'm reading Gabrielle Roy's novel The Road Past Altamont. I've barely begun, but so far I'm most intrigued by the translator's introduction. Joyce Marshall writes that Roy believes:
"artistic talent is less a gift than a tyranny. In Street of Riches she depicts the artist as a lonely figure, constantly left behind, constantly running to catch up and show what he has found. The Hidden Mountain uses the image of the pursuit and the death of a caribou as symbol for the artist's life in which he is at the same time hunter and hunted, pursuer and pursued. Now she adds a further qualification, slave - or at least, servant - one who is not free even to keep his own thoughts for himself since they belong, in part at least, to others."
The lonely figure running to catch up. The servant. I'm not sure I get the hunted caribou part. If the artist is always left behind, how can one say she is pursued? But the servant part rings true. I've often felt like I wasn't free to keep my thoughts to myself. (Even when others disagreed quite strongly!) I'm not always comfortable with so many people reading about my life in magazines and blogs, but I want my words to encourage people. When I find the right ones I want to share them.
But with how many people? Right now my blog doesn't show up on any search engines. People find it through word of mouth. I've lost my hit counter so I have no idea how many, but it's a small group who leave comments.
I'd like my writing to generate more income, but I could only do with major traffic. (I tried posting ads here and after one year I'd earned 7 cents!)
Do I want to give up my privacy? Do I want the guy who had a crush on me at camp twenty years ago reading this? (Yes, I know who you are!)
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