Saturday, May 28, 2005

A ULA Problem

And it's been one for a long time-- the eagerness for opponents and even some members to identify the Underground Literary Alliance with one person-- myself-- which is an inaccurate way of looking at things. (They're obviously stuck in McSweeney's-type thinking.)

The last two or three years, Steve Kostecke and Jeff Potter have been every bit as important in developing the ULA. They've had as much say as myself in decisions that have been made. Yet, because I'm more public, because I'm noisier, people still want to think I call the shots for the thing-- to the extent that some think all they have to do is get me on their side-- by catering to my supposed ego-- and they'll be able to derail the ULA! I have to tell them that I can't do anything without the consent of the team.

That I've somehow "conned" people into joining the ULA for my own benefit is the most ridiculous idea. In truth, over the last five years the ULA has often felt like a weight around my neck preventing me from getting on with my life and doing other things. I've stayed interested in it because I KNOW its potential-- have known it from the very beginning before we'd done anything. The huge void in the literary scene waiting to be filled seemed obvious to me. Now that we've begun filling that void; now that we've established a strong team and are on our way to greater things, I'm able to maintain my enthusiasm.

Believe me, I've tried to develop other personalities, to push others out front, beginning with our first "Zeen Elvis" candidate. At one point Michael Jackman was as out front as myself, as much a spokesman (he's more personable and at least as articulate about ULA ideas), but at the moment he prefers to take a back seat and allow others to do the pulling.

My hope is that by the end of the year we'll have developed an array of noteworthy ULA leaders, so that I can step back and vanish amid the team, to busy myself with behind-the-scenes membership recruiting-- and maybe even do some serious writing for a change, instead of just making blog noise!

5 comments:

Patrick S. @ RedFez said...

ULA leadership is very fluid.

One of our quiet leaders gets my vote for president...of Mars!

http://www.literaryrevolution.com/yul_pix.html

http://www.literaryrevolution.com/sample_yt1.html

Beau Blue said...

As someone who stops by every now and then to see if you're as interested in promoting ULA writers as loudly and as often as you shout your 'anti-everybody else' message, I remain disappointed. I realize the name of the blog is ' AttackingtheDemi-Puppets' but to what end? I'm still looking for more positive messages about YOUR ranks and less crying about the 'injustices' we all suffer from the ranks of the untalented 'chosen'.

I imagine you probably think this makes me an opponent to your cause. It really doesn't. But I tell you truthfully I think this approach, this column and its monotonous tone, needs a few more positive examples of the strength of the ULA's talent. More of that and less 'King tirades' and I would be more inclined to embrace the ULA as a viable alternative to the people you rail against constantly.

Maybe if there were more presentations of different ULA artists there'd be less people thinking you alone were the ULA. Just a thought.

-Beau Blue

Patrick S. @ RedFez said...

BB,

I think you're mistaken. Karl lives and breathes promotion, and the ULA in general is a publicity campaign! If you're talking about this blog in particular, regular readers may have noticed he trumpets ULAers and other underground writers quite often. In fact sometimes i think he goes overboard, but that's his genuine opinion being shared w/ readers here.

King Wenclas said...

The simple fact is that the ULA has not been attacking ENOUGH.
Are we to be like all other writers and lit groups?
The ULA was designed to be in-your-face-- to add truth and controversy to an arena where it was VERY BADLY needed.
I'm not interested in watering down this movement-- our first requirement is to stand out. There are enough other mild moderate wimpy useless irrelevant properly polite and quiet lit-blogs can go to.
(Re the positive: Has been said, check out the ULA site! This is merely a supplement to it. And regarding our works and writers, one can start on my two-part "History of Roots Writing" right on this blog.
The fact is, I think my positive comments about what the ULA is accomplishing sometimes bothers folks more than the evidences of lit-world corruption I've given and will continue to give, though some prefer shoving their heads in the sand and not knowing about it.)

chilly charlie said...

Dean Haspiel is Tim Hall's best friend. Tim Hall is stalking you.

You do the math.