Even Chuck Palahniuk had doubts about his writing. But after his novel Invisible Monsters was rejected for being too disturbing, he continued to plug along with the words of his mentor, Tom Spanbauer, driving him, he tells The Believer magazine.
"What you write should entertain you and serve you first," he says. "Don't worry about maintaining anything beyond your own attention. Focus on exorcising your demons in the work. If you can do that, then you'll succeed in the world."
That advice seems to be working for Palahniuk, who to date has published 22 books running the gamut from novels and short story collections to a graphic novel and a coloring book. Much of his work has been adapted for film, including Fight Club, a cult classic starring Brad Pitt and Edward Norton.
This week, Palahniuk will be in Spokane to talk with fans and aspiring writers and filmmakers as part of the Connecting Writers with Hollywood conference.
Palahniuk is scheduled to speak Thursday, May 25, starting at 7 pm. Tickets to the three-day conference are $195 each. Those who are only interested in Palahniuk's talk can buy separate tickets for $25, but they're going fast.
The rest of the conference features information sessions, panel discussions and individualized pitch sessions with producers looking for their next project. Brian Bird, a 30-year veteran of the film and television industry, is the conference's keynote speaker.
Chuck Palahniuk • Thu, May 25 at 7 pm • $25-$195 • Historic Davenport Hotel • 10 S. Post • cwwh2016.com
