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Extra notes and lesson I learned from studying Stanley Unwin, the publisher of The Lord of the Rings.

Sir Stanley Unwin is the founder of Allen & Unwin, the publishing firm behind J.R.R. Tolkien, Roald Dahl, Bertrand Russell, Thor Heyerdahl, and more.In preparation for this episode I read Stanley's memoir, The Truth About a Publisher, and his son (and successor) Rayner's personal history of the company, George Allen & Unwin: A Remembrancer.

Sir Stanley Unwin is the founder of Allen & Unwin, the publishing firm behind J.R.R. Tolkien, Roald Dahl, Bertrand Russell, Thor Heyerdahl, and more.In preparation for this episode I read Stanley's memoir, The Truth About a Publisher, and his son (and successor) Rayner's personal history of the company, George Allen & Unwin: A Remembrancer.

Sharing all of the notes I had that didn't make it into the Tolkien deep dive.

Explore the fascinating perfectionism behind J.R.R. Tolkien's writing as he obsessively revises and refines his work, striving for masterpiece-level quality. Discover how feedback from the Inklings led to both innovation and frustration in his creative process. Learn about the balance of slow publishing versus rapid releases and the deep appreciation that comes with patience. Delve into Tolkien's struggles with fame and his relentless drive to finish The Silmarillion, revealing the intense labor and grit that fueled his legendary creations.

Delve into J.R.R. Tolkien's fascinating creative process, where language serves as the foundation of his myth-making. Discover how he evolved stories from a single thought, likened to archaeological digs revealing layers of meaning. With a love of philology and influences from works like Beowulf, Tolkien crafted immersive worlds grounded in detail and consistency. Learn about his revolutionary approach to storytelling, the balance between surprise and structure, and the nuanced relationship between fiction and truth. Explore how his Catholic beliefs subtly shaped his narratives, yet avoided overt allegory.

All of the research that ended up on the cutting room floor from studying Jaco Pastorius.⁠Subscribe to the Artwell newsletter ⁠⁠Further Reading:⁠⁠Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius⁠⁠⁠⁠Jaco: The Film⁠⁠⁠⁠Jaco Pastorius: The Lost Tapes Documentary

If you spent anytime with Jaco Pastorius you'd realize his nails were in perfect condition... This is part 2 of my deep dive into Jaco's ideas, lessons, and process.⁠Subscribe to the Artwell newsletter ⁠Further Reading:⁠Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco Pastorius⁠⁠Jaco: The Film⁠⁠Jaco Pastorius: The Lost Tapes Documentary

Even before he was famous, Jaco Pastorius would introduce himself like this, “Hi, My name is John Francis Pastorius III, and I'm the greatest electric bass player in the world”. Rolling eyes would quickly be replaced by slacked jaws when he started to play… because it only took a matter of seconds to realize he really was the greatest bass player in the world.This is part 1 of my deep dive into Jaco's ideas, lessons, and process.Subscribe to the Artwell newsletter Further Reading:Jaco: The Extraordinary and Tragic Life of Jaco PastoriusJaco: The FilmJaco Pastorius: The Lost Tapes Documentary

All of the notes that I had about Joni Mitchell that didn't make it into the deep dive.⁠Get the Joni Mitchell recap newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen to my playlist Joni Mitchell: Love From Both Sides⁠