Latest news with #StephanPastis
Entrepreneur
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Entrepreneur
'Timmy Failure,' 'Pearls Before Swine' Creator Stephan Pastis on Creativity
The author of the hilarious "Timmy Failure" book series and longtime cartoonist of "Pearls Before Swine" dives deep into his creative process. Ever get so absorbed in your work that you forget to eat? That's nothing compared to best-selling author and cartoonist Stephan Pastis who told me, " I kid you not, when I'm coming out of a writing session, when I walk out the front door of the studio, I don't always do it, but I will often look down to make sure I have pants on. That's how lost in my own brain I get." Pastis's pants-optional procedure is peculiar, but it is productive. (Try saying that five times fast.) The man has written eight books for his hilarious children's series "Timmy Failure," he co-wrote the script for the film adaptation, and at last count, has written, drawn, and published 41 collections of his Pearls Before Swine comic strip. I spoke with Pastis for our show How Success Happens, because, well, he's pretty damn successful in two markets that are insanely hard to crack. And while his achievements should give him license to live a my-poop-don't-stink existence, he is down-to-earth, thoughtful, curious and has just the right amount of gleeful madness you want in a comedic genius. A few things I was delighted to learn during our conversation: His career is based on a burning desire to quit his career. " I was a lawyer for 10 years, and I didn't want to be a lawyer. So in the early days, success for me meant making a living by doing cartooning and being able to quit the law. In that, I succeeded." Creative success is all in your head. " Rick Rubin wrote the best book I've ever read on creativity. He gives this definition of creative success: When the work you can hear in your head is executed to the best of your ability and you're satisfied with it. When you reach that point, that's it. Everything that happens after that, commercially, critically, whatever, you can't control that. So he shifts that point of success, and I love that. That has sort of been my thing ever since I read that." Forcing it never works. "Finding an idea or a joke is kind of like you're trying to pet a cat in a room. If you run at that cat and say, 'Come here, cat!' that is not gonna work. The muse is like that cat, you have to sit there still in a room, relax, and in her own time, that cat will come to you." Speed Round!
Sharjah 24
21-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sharjah 24
SCRF 2025 to feature 50 cultural events with global experts
Wednesday, April 23 The cultural programme will commence with two sessions at the Culture Forum. "Artificial Intelligence and the Rise of New Writers?" featuring Dr. Sumaya Al Maadeed, Asma Zeinel, and Talib Ghuloom. "Making Big Ideas Simple" with Linda Booth Sweeney and Fatima Al Mazrouei. Thursday, April 24 Activities kick off with students meeting author and cartoonist Stephan Pastis in the Thought Hall. Other highlights include: "Little Minds... Big Dreams" seminar at the Culture Forum with Shane Lee, Amal Al Hangari, and Iman Al Yousuf. "Building the Narrative: The Essential Role of Picture Books" with Rahat Kadouji, Bara'a Al Awar, and Dr. Abdullah Al Sharhan. Friday, April 25 The Culture Forum will host: "Choosing the Right Book for Your Little Reader" with Colin Nielsen, Samina Mishra, Dr. Ahlam Nuywar, and Nadia Al Najjar. "Writing for Well-being" panel featuring Karina Patel-Sage and Khalaf Ahmed Khalaf. Saturday, April 26 Events include: "Graphic Novels for Reading Fluency" workshop by literary agent Janna Morishima. "Stories That Unite" at the Culture Forum with Rhonda Roumani, Al Hassan Bin Mouna, Dr Nizar Al Qamari, and Badriya Al Shamsi. "The Creative Journey of Stephan Pastis" session. Sunday, April 27 Highlights include: "Unlocking the Teenage Mind" workshop by Nicola Morgan. "Poetry and Language Development" with Abdo Al Zarra, Amal Nasser, and Asia Abdellawi. "Navigating the Storm" with Nicola Morgan and Dr. Asmaa Alaa El-Din. Monday, April 28 Students will meet Elisabetta Dami in the Thought Hall. Culture Forum sessions: "Beyond Imagination" with Sarwat Chadda, Dr. Fatima Zahra Ben Arab, Maitha Al Khayat, and Hessa Al Muhairi. "The Charm of Rhymes in Children's Books" with Sital Gorasia Chapman and Bara'a Al Awar. "Education Systems and Students' Creativity" with Sehrish Farooq, Fatima Al Bannani, Dima Al Alami, Maryam Al Sharaf, and Philip Manning. Tuesday, April 29 Nicola Morgan returns for another student session in the Thought Hall. Culture Forum: "Creative Writing - How to Write a Bestseller" with Rukhsana Khan. "The Power of Picture Books" with Chloe Savage, Shaimaa Al Qallaf, Khalid Al Khawar, and Pete Ferry. "Building Strong Foundations" with Maryam Shah, Fatima Al Bannani, and Mohammed Al Hassan Al Sajjad. "Family Counselling: How to Build Healthy Relationships" by Aisha Abdullah. Wednesday, April 30 Student session with Varun Duggirala in the Thought Hall. "Turning Media into a Creative Superpower" with Amrita Gandhi, Munajat Al Tayyib, Sarah Taleb Al Suhail, and Ahmed Al Aidarous. "Is the Tradition of Bedtime Stories Fading Away?" with Rukhsana Khan, Amal Al Hangari, and Dr. Maysa Ghadeer. Thursday, May 1 Thought Hall will host a meeting with C.G. Salamander. Culture Forum: Exclusive seminar by Sanith Santhasa Piyadigamage. "Why Graphic Novels Win Over Young Readers" with C.G. Salamander, Maryam Al Ghaffli, Lavanya Karthik, Fatima Bukhamsin, and Abdulaziz Othman. "Determining Children's Hidden Talents Through Reading" with Hannah Lee, Dr. Amani Al Najem, Lina Al Dossouki, and Muthoni Garla. Friday, May 2 "Nature Stories" at the Culture Forum with Brendan Wenzel, Dr. Ihab Al Qastawi, and Fatima Salem Al Suwaidi. "Crafting Stories That Resonate with Today's Children" with Andrea Rowe, Maryam Hassan, Dr. Bayan Amro, and Fatima Al Amri. "Fostering Emotional Intelligence from an Early Age" with Varun Duggirala, Sarah Al Dhafiri, and Maya Al Hawari. Saturday, May 3 "Inter-School Bait Bazi Championship" in the Thought Hall. "Beyond the Manuscript: Navigating Self-Publishing Success" with Christophe Sacco. "Celebrating the Strength of Family Bonds" with Aarti Khatwani Bhatia, Dr. Mohammed Al Maamari, and Mohammed Al Shaer. Sunday, May 4 The festival will conclude with: UAE National Young Authors Exhibition presented by BriBooks. Book launch and exhibition featuring Shantanu Pathak and Kashish Chaula.
