Jack Grapes, Artist, Writer, Author, Instructor: I’m going to say I’ve never written a first draft that was perfect and you’re going to say Why?
Film Courage: Okay.
Jack: Okay and then I’ll give you the answer that I give my students.
Film Courage: Okay.
Jack: I’ve never written a first draft that was perfect…Anyway I’ve said this to my students and they’re always surprised because everyone has this notion that sometimes you just write something and it’s perfect as soon as you write it. It happens, everyone assumes that happens, that everybody gets lucky sometimes and I said to them I have never written something in a first draft that was perfect, that never had to have any changes.
Film Courage: And what do they say to that?
Jack: No you will say Why is that?
Film Courage: That’s right okay (sorry, whose line is it)? Why do they say that?
Jack: No, Why is that?
Film Courage: Oh sorry, okay let me try that again Why is that?
Jack: This is funny, this is a funny joke the way you…
Film Courage: Okay, let me try sorry Why is that?
Jack: Well, wait no let’s see a little digression here okay. You’re going to interview me and make sure you speak loud so they can hear you. You have to say I understand you’re the world’s greatest comedian.
Film Courage: Okay, Mr. Grapes, I understand that you are the world’s greatest comedian?
Jack: And I say Yes, then you say To what do you attribute your great success?
BIO:
Jack Grapes is an award-winning poet, playwright, actor, teacher, and the editor and publisher of ONTHEBUS, one of the top literary journals in the country. He has won several publishing grants and Fellowships in Literature from the National Endowment for the Arts. He’s also received nine Artist-in- Residence Grants from the California Arts Council to teach writing in various schools throughout Los Angeles. He is the author of 13 books of poetry, including TREES, COFFEE, AND THE EYES OF DEER, and BREAKING DOWN THE SURFACE OF THE WORLD. A spoken-word CD, Pretend, was recently issued by DePaul University. He is also author of a chapbook of poems and paintings titled AND THE RUNNING FORM, NAKED, BLAKE. His most recent publication is LUCKY FINDS, a boxed set of 50 cards that extend and parody the dynamic artistic productions of high-modernist poets such as Ezra Pound and Charles Olson.
Advertisement – contains affiliate links
(As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases)
STORY QUESTIONS: How To Unlock Your Story One Question At A Time (PDF) – Check it out on Payhip here!
More affiliates:
Camera we use for interviews – https://buff.ly/3rWqrra
Sound we use for interviews – https://amzn.to/2tbFlM9
