Steffan Postaer’s new novel, The Happy Soul Industry, is available to the reading public today.
Postaer took a moment to answer a few questions about the book.
Q. What inspired the writing of this book (other than your career of choice)?
A. The concept. I think I was looking for an idea big enough to support 50,000 words. In some ways it was a lot like judging creative campaigns at work. Which idea is best? Then let’s talk about the writing…
Q. Bands sometimes claim their sophomore effort was a burden to produce. Was it easier or harder to write this, your second, novel?
A. Easier to write than the first because I knew my ending (which rocks) from the get go. Having the destination set really helped me to tell the story. I kept imagining Happy Soul as a film, so that helped as well. On that note, I also wrote a screenplay for it!
Q.Has the script been optioned?
A. No, but we are advertising in Hollywood this fall (OAAA donated space to me for all my help at Obies) specifically with film producers in mind.
Q. How important is it to stretch your writing muscles in this way? Does it make your ad work better?
A. Very important. Unlike a lot of copywriter novelists, I’m not looking to switch jobs. I love writing copy. My personal writing helps me stay sharp. My blog, Godsofadvertising has been a godsend.
God would make a horrible client, because God kills everything eventually.
plus, he’d always be on your ass over deadlines, saying, “damn, i created the universe in a week and you need six months for a 30-second spot?!”
I’m certain that HighJive meant to write “she’d” be on your ass…
Any agency that takes six months to make one :30 deserves to be smited with wrathfulness
The author is probably trying to catch the soul-searching undercurrent we see in Mad Men. They’ve been doing cops, lawyers, doctors for years. Now comes advertising.
SX