NEWS

Deconstruction

Deconstruction is a way of understanding how something was created, usually things like art, books, poems and other writing. Deconstruction is breaking something down into smaller parts.

This is what I’m doing with my writing and my online presence. It’s a simple concept. I’m tearing apart my work and analyzing it. I want to understand how I can continue to create high-quality content in a smaller and more direct way. How can I share the same thoughts using less words? How can I be clearer and more concise?

The act of deconstruction helps us to see the strengths and weaknesses of what we do, what we write. By breaking down the last ten years of my writing journey, I can analyze which strategies worked and which ones didn’t. The results won’t lead me to becoming a master of the English language, but they will help me to improve as a writer and an artist.

Improvement in any field is really the ultimate goal, not to compete with others, but to better oneself, to excel in your field. Art becomes new and unique through deconstruction, understanding, and editing with passion.

So perhaps my new website is not under construction as much as it is the result of deconstruction.

Here’s to tearing things apart. – dse

Funny

It’s not really funny in a laughing way, but it’s funny how we humans can be. We often contradict ourselves.

As I began this new chapter in my creative journey, I swore that my new website would be a simpler place, somewhere you could just come and check out my music and poetry. I said that I wasn’t going to blog anymore, and I meant that. I still do.

Yet here I am. Writing. I guess that’s what makes me a writer.

I can’t not write. I’m not sure if that’s a blessing or a curse, but it’s a fact. Whether it’s poetry, song, short essay, or novel, I always find myself returning to the page, sometimes more often and with more urgency than other times.

And as much as I want to practice slowing myself and intentionally working toward something less, something else keeps pushing me to do more. It keeps me going in loops.

I write. It’s funny.

I guess it tickles my fancy. – dse

Anderhill

A couple of years ago, I started a website specifically designed to support my experimental electronic music compositions. That site included my discography, new releases, and stories about my work as Anderhill. I love the concept. However, the Anderhill was discontinued.

Why would I kill a good thing? Because sometimes that’s what creativity requires us to do. Start over.

The site you’re currently viewing has developed from years of creative changes, and instead of trying to maintain a handful of sites, I’ve decided to streamline. I wanted to build a site that represents the whole me. This is it.

It’s only fair to tell you from the start that music will have an equal part to words here. Expect to see news and updates about Anderhill music on a regular basis.

I’m not currently working on any new musical projects, but I am working toward adding a visual element to my creative output. I’ve made a rough goal to begin redesigning Anderhill cover art. Currently, all the album covers are all designed using stock photos. I’d like to begin using more of my own visuals to support Anderhill as I develop this new creative space. – dse

P.S. I’m no longer using stock photos.

Loops

For all my ranting about bloggers being repetitive and saying the same things over and over in different ways, there’s a hard fact I must face. King Solomon said it well when he said, everything is meaningless. We humans are funny creatures of habit. And like the sun, the moon, the waters, and the winds, here I go again, recycling thoughts. We work in loops.

The creative journey can be both a blessing and a curse. That spark that happens every time a new idea surfaces can bring much joy. But how many of our thoughts and ideas are truly novel? Everything’s been said. It’s true that bloggers pick a single niche and write about the same things in 100 different ways. And although as a creative, I’m taking a step away from that kind of writing, I often find myself stuck in a loop.

As I shut down my four old websites, I’m archiving all of my old writing. As much as I tired from the endless cycle of the traditional blog, I’ve accepted the fact that something very similar happens to the artist. Nothing is new under the sun. Don’t be surprised to see some essays here, that I first wrote in other places, recycled. Loops.

Perhaps, recycled thoughts are a healthy part of the creative process. If we’re honest with ourselves, original thoughts are rare, true literary or musical genius even rarer. Sometimes it’s those rehashed ideas that spark the new ones.

King Solomon was wrong. I don’t think everything is meaningless. Thoughts and ideas only become meaningless if we believe they are. But loops can lead to greater loops. Loops help us to grow. If we believe that everything we create is part of something greater, a spiritual journey, recycled thoughts have purpose. – dse

Slowing

Slowing down might not always be doing less but rather creating things at a higher standard of quality.

The infamous writer, Charles Bukowski, had the words don’t try etched into his gravestone. That might sound a bit defeatist and depressing, but it may not mean exactly what you think. Buk’s point was simply that writing, and any creative endeavor for that matter, should come naturally. If you have to try, don’t, because the creativity becomes forced, and forced creativity is more likely to lack honesty.

I don’t want to sound cocky, but I completely understand where Bukowski’s coming from, because like he, I often don’t try. I’m naturally creative and prolific. In fact, sometimes that feels like a negative. I can pump things out way too fast. That incessant motivation may seem great at first glance, but it can also lead to an overall lower quality of work.

This is why I’m slowing.

Sure, I’m getting older, but that’s not why I’m making the decision to intentionally slow my public output. Instead, I’m becoming more particular with the quality and the aesthetic of the work I do share. This is why I’m minimizing from four blogs to a single website. It’s also why I’m quitting stock photos. Everything I post here represents who I am as a human being and as an artist. Honesty is important.

In the past, I’ve always been willing to hit the publish button with little hesitation. I’m still not afraid to do that. However, I want to make a stronger point to only share my best work with my audience. So, I’m going to be a little slower to push.

Behind the scenes, I might still be working hard, but in the public eye, I’ll be slowing. It’s a good thing. – dse

Restart

If you’ve followed my writing and musical journey, you know that I’ve made a lot of topical and creative changes over the past ten years. I’ve owned and operated at least ten blogs covering almost as many topics. It’s funny how life works, but everything has been leading to this, a new kind of website, a reflection of who I really am. It’s a restart. 

This is not a blog. I won’t be writing about minimalism or productivity or any topic other than my own experiences and thoughts on my own writing, music, art, travel, and creativity. Even so, posts will be shorter, and at times less frequent than you’d expect in any sort of traditional blogging format.

As I started designing this site, I also realized that I’m done with stock photography. That might mean that you’ll see more text-based information and less photos here. But in time I hope to do more of my own photography and visual designing. That may include redesigning existing album and book covers, and using my own and others’ original photography on this site. Perhaps, even some collaborations. 

What you can expect to find on this website is simple. You’ll find information about my latest music and writing. You’ll have access to selected samples of my poetry and song lyrics. You’ll find information about my live performances. I’ll share my thoughts about my creative process. And you’ll be first to know about any new written works and musical compositions of mine. In time, I might even add some merch.

This is a restart. We all need to look at ourselves, our lives, our creative projects, and restart from time to time. – dse