Tougher Than The Rest

And the weird hope of Americans

Today a piece I wrote about hope was published in WBUR Cognoscenti.

I mentioned the piece a couple of posts ago, saying I’d sent it to The NY Times, and that it was absolutely not suitable for The NY Times, and that they’d probably reject it, which they did.

Maybe [Springsteen] and “Tougher Than the Rest” are rising again because his weary testament to possibilities speaks for a lot of Americans at the moment. So many of us feel disillusioned, disgusted and betrayed. Something we thought we knew and could count on — something we believed in and loved — is being dismantled and defiled.

Cognoscenti accepted it, and then asked for a lot of rewrites which were extremely reasonable and turned it into a much better piece. One with a purpose. My original was a therapeutic mood vent. The edited version tied to something—the release of the Springsteen biopic coming out today—and therefore became useful to others.

Bruce Springsteen performs “Born in the U.S.A.” at the start of his August 9, 1985 concert in Chicago. (Fred Jewell/AP)

That… hadn’t occurred to me. I had not intended it to be a “release of the movie” piece, not because I in any way object to that, but because I was writing to release, not as a professional.

THAT was an amazing lesson. I am so grateful to the editor and publication for giving me the grace to learn it.

You mean this is always a job?

Why yes, Virginia¹. And that’s absolutely fine.

I’ve never been a “journaler,” and for good reason. The one time I tried it, in my twenties, I’d occasionally look back at pages I’d scrawled months before and overflow with loathing for the self-absorbed, self-pitying creature who’d obviously broken into my room and replaced my poetic masterpieces with drivel.

I have trouble remembering that.

I am a writer now, and writers may navel-gaze all we want, but we must also do our jobs if we choose to submit things for publication. The job must include a “why” beyond “I was losing my shit and thought I’d send this along.”

For that same reason, I’m sending this Substack today instead of waiting until Tuesday. Part of my job is supporting the publications that work with me, and directing people to their sites.

Here, then, is my piece. And here’s to Bruce, who has helped so many of us in so many ways, including newbie writers looking to learn. Click on the link below.

There’s a reason we turn to Bruce Springsteen in tough times

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yes,_Virginia,_there_is_a_Santa_Claus