Despite tantalizing suggestions of fossilized microbes in meteorites, puzzling and possibly biogenic methane gas in the martian atmosphere, and a long-standing controversy over the Viking lander experiments of nearly 40 years ago, there’s still no Exhibit A that points unequivocally to biology in our own back yard.
The director is the boss on the set. We don’t take away anyone’s creative freedom. There are many production houses which get into creative calls. I just give suggestions.
John and I had a few meetings about what direction the sequel should take. I made some real insane suggestions. True to what you’d expect, he ignored them all and just picked up Halloween II where the original left off.
I want to make sure there are no gatekeepers at the AG’s door, and that anybody in the Department – they may have to come relatively late in the evening, just judging by the schedules to date – but if somebody has suggestions for how to make this a better department, that they know I am available.
Some people ask, ‘How do you attract the young and so many different people when your poetry is complicated and different?’ I say, ‘My accomplishment is that my readers trust me and accept my suggestions for change.’
And then I met Jerry and he’s such a creative fiction writer, and I don’t know if there’s ever been a team put together the way we are – where one person does the theological way out and suggestions, and the other person goes into the cave and does the fiction writing.
If you want to influence people, you want them to accept your suggestions, you don’t say, ‘You don’t know how to use the English language,’ or ‘How could you make that argument?’ It will be welcomed much more if you have a gentle touch than if you are aggressive.
I’m someone who doesn’t often ask for help, just suggestions.
I always get asked for suggestions on what to get food-lover friends. While there are many gifts out there that a foodie would love, it’s always good to do some research beforehand so you know you’re getting a gift that will last.
We tend to read each other’s books in sizeable chunks as they are written. I don’t know that you could say we are ruthless with each other – in fact, I suppose we are very kind. There are ways to make suggestions which are not destructive.
It’s hard to stay looking good in the heat, but my suggestions would be powder, drinks, wading in the pool and you can’t forget a snow outfit.
I love involving actors at all levels – and they have to know that I want to hear their contributions, with dialogue, with story suggestions, with script changes, whatever.
If the way I’ve performed a scene isn’t to the director’s liking, I discuss it, try to understand why he doesn’t like it, and incorporate the suggestions. But sometimes I also take a very strong stand.
I surrender to my directors. I do that because I respect them immensely. In fact, a director’s talent scares me. I admit that they’re more intelligent than me, and I submit to that, as an assistant director does. Even when I have suggestions to make, I don’t state them strongly.
I don’t have the time to design my own costumes, but I do give suggestions and style tips.
When I write a novel, every word is mine. I welcome suggestions from my editor, but in the end, I make all the final decisions.
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