From 1999 to 2004-ish, I was one of the contributing writers for Garrison Keillor's renowned radio show "A Prairie Companion." I learned a lot of things there, mostly how to spell 'prairie." It was a solid gig and I'm proud of my work there. But, like any other job, there were...things...
This is a recycled bit, built up out of multiple sources. As I mention elsewhere I had written a sketch about the gods on Mt. Olympus. I really was proud of it. So, naturally, I decided to dust it off and submit it to PHC. The sketch itself lifted a couple of bits from a prose piece I did, Lessor Known Gods, which got published in the Staten Island Advance and a fanzine I worked on once (there's a series of blog posts waiting to happen!). Re-reading it now, I can see why it was rejected. It's too much. Too many people. I thought radio was magical and there were no limits, but I have since learned that radio producers still don't like "big casts" even if the performers can do several voices. It's a little too esoteric: I still bounce around with the writers guild issue of no pay for internet content, as if that would appeal to or be recognized by a general audience. It's a strong piece, but the wrong venue. But this is how I act toward gigs, I fling everything at it them, desperate to make a connection. I'd like to think I've resisted that urge better lately, but look at me posting all this stuff on my blog? What's THAT about?
