Hi list,
For agents it is an amorphous term, but is without doubt, for us, connected
with "mainstream" media propping of any form of art (mainstream media in
turn by definition a media which is propped by corporate advertising space
and therefore pandering to it somewhat). Mainstreaming for many writers and
artists can be a psychosociological worry - a fear of corporate
appropriation, perhaps. Furthermore, it's not so much review coverage per se
which makes something mainstream, its review coverage in the mainstream,
isn't it? But, alas, I have too often experienced dismay from writers whose
books I have helped get reviewed in 'the right' academic journals, or in
highly-respected 'independent' arts/reviews journals, when at the end of the
day they still perceive 'that one Guardian article' as the thing that will
put them on the map. What this effectively means is that one's mum, dad,
grandma, next door neighbour, shopkeeper etc. may see them in the Guardian
and say 'oh look he/she's made it', and this seems to mean a lot to writers.
That is what I perceive as a mainstream hankering, perhaps...? Unfortunately
mainstream gets conflated with mass market too often, and in today's
publishing climate mass market screams of easily-digestible, often
decaffeinated and overall safe and recognisable forms of prose/poetry etc.
That's what writers are really up against.
Good wishes,
Helen
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Sheppard <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: 12 May 1999 14:28
Subject: Maiinstream
>The mainstream doesn't exist. But you know when you're not in it.
>
>It is a construct, a constellation of the most accepted practices.
>
>You know what it is when you're told you've left it out of your poetry
>writing course. Exclusion of anything else is permissable.
>
>It misleadingly thinks it is the biggest thing around. Numerous small press
>books outsell the mainstream.
>
>The mainstream books become the mainstream books by being reviewed
>as mainstream books.
>
>The exceptions to this are used by those in the mainstream to
>demonstrate that there is no mainstream. There is no mainsrtream.
>
>Robert Sheppard
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