Art as a Collective Action?

It is easy to assume that a painting, a novel, or a symphony is composed by one single person and the creativity is a reflection of that one person. It is easily forgotten that without other aspects of technology and trained craftspeople, the art would be nothing more than a creative thought in the mind of an artist. In his article, Becker says that artwork is made up of a network of people who cooperate to produce that work. Ridiculous at first glance, but it has to be considered that without editors, publishers, publicists, advertisers, printers, and let's not forget the technology used in the artistic process. Where a writer may be excellent with the pen, spelling may be questionable. Just as a painter can work a brush, speaking to endorsers may be a difficult task.

It is easier to accept that film is a collective work. Although authored by one individual, the creative team is announce with equal or more credit. The first scene is presented along with key actors, director, and producers. The writer/author is an afterthought. They are credited at the end or at the end of the list of the rest of the creative force.

A book has the title and author on the cover; front and center. The rest of the team is listed inside. The editor (the actual person that makes corrections) is a ghost. The illustrator of the cover, if their is one, is credited on the back cover unless the illustrations are part of the story as in children's books. In that instance, the illustrator is credited with the author on the front cover.

The more I thought about this, the more bothersome it became. How important is the author by anything other than his or her name? Who allows them such value? If a novel is a collective work, why are they not as important as the author? On film, they are as important. I think that's why authors fear computers. It seems that when it comes to visual technology and authorship, the visual is more important than the author. Google a story such as Cinderella. Several versions, including movies will come up. Technology seems to dilute the author. The author takes a backseat to the text itself. The visual arts tend to do the same.

Favorites

It was difficult to decide which authors are my favorites because I have more favorite works than I do actual writers. I find myself more attracted to time periods and how certain works are reflections of those periods. For example, The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite novels, but F. Scott Fitzgerald is not my author of choice.

I do enjoy Shakespeare, but anyone that has had a class with me before knows that I think Shakespeare was a hack. The only play he wrote that I like, Titus Andronicus, was probably his worst. Shakespeare was a businessman. He wrote plays to sell them and possibly act in them. That's what makes him interesting. He was also part of an underground culture that is now considered "high art." The theatres of the late 1500's were in the worst part of town and to see a show was relatively cheap. What makes Shakespeare great (to me) is that he had a formula that not only worked, but is still used in theatre and cinema today.

Mark Twain comes to mind when thinking about authorship. I would not claim him as my favorite, but I do enjoy his satirical wit and use of language. Pudd'nhead Wilson is his most interesting work (to me) because of the irony of the outcome of the switched boys as they matured to men. I also find it fascinating that Mark Twain referred to himself as an inventor, not a writer. With as much as he had written one would think he would qualify himself as writer.

Although I do not read "for fun" very often anymore, when I have the opportunity I like to read novels by Janet Evanovich. She writes a series about a female bond enforcer from New Jersey. Her characters cannot seem to get out of their own way as life happens to them. Her books are an easy read and I fondly refer to them as "bubblegum for the brain." They are a funny break from real life!

Authorship of My Blog

Because I am the person writing the text on the pages of my blog, I am the author of that portion. Because I am somewhat "technologically challenged," the design of the blog belongs to the creator of the template I chose. The person (or persons) that designed the template did so for people like me that are a bit intimidated by technology or need help. It is understood that I may borrow the template for my blog and create the text (or insert other media), but the authorship does not belong to me entirely.

My blog is a representation of me. The thoughts are mine developed from what is read and/or discussed in class. It has the characteristics of a journal. As I create the text and other medias on the page, it belongs to me (alone) the same way a notebook and pen written journal would be. Once I publish the post, I am no longer the sole owner. My classmates can physically add or comment on my blog and even share ideas. Therefore, my blog has joint authorship.