Dan & Phil Part 96: AmazingPhil (and his cameraman)

[alittledizzy]

Being that it isn't categorized at poetry and that according to the amazon listing it's 252 pages, I very seriously doubt it's poetry. I'm guessing more something self-reflective on his journey with depression, which I'm here for. I know reading about depression in general is a sensitive topic for a lot of people so I think he's probably aware that it's a 'not for everyone' type of book but I can absolutely see that being the sort of thing he feels passionate about putting out into the world.

[Kurapika]

i'm really liking phil's content lately. even if his last upload was very much a filler, all the other ones have been really entertaining to me (and god do i need to be entertained with how much i'm studying lately)

I'm really not comfortable with him writing a self-help book around depression unless he's collabed and consulted actual mental health experts (which doesn't seem to be the case so far). His experience doesn't give him anywhere near enough knowledge to guide other people through depression, and he should know that. Very hesitant about this book.

agreed. not trying to be negative before we even know what this is about, but if it is about mental health i'm gonna be very annoyed, as a soon to be psychologist who is studying a lot to be able to talk about mental health with people

not that you can't talk about your personal experiences, but it is dangerous

keeping my hopes up it is not that though, as i never saw dan as someone who would try to sell mental health like this...you never know though

[Phanshy]

Realistically this doesn't sound like my kind of book but if that link had been to pre-order it I would have because I would like some insight in to Dan. Surely it's going to be released before May though because that's a really long build up.

[Amiaw]

His shop has been updated again and a prints collection has been added. They also removed the My Soul merch so I wonder if he’s releasing more My soul items to go with the announcement of the book

[Secretstanner]

Well shit! I’m more excited about seeing everyone active and freaking out than to see said book. I have no idea what it is gonna be. I don’t buy things for the sake of them, so I most likely wont get this unless it’s something to do with him/his story. I remember last year I said I bet he won’t be putting anything out soon and then he literally uploaded a video. So I’m gonna do that again. I don’t think dan will do anything else tonight. (Dan please it’s nearly 1am I need more dont just run)

[inanerat]

With that tweet it doesn't exactly feel like poetry but with that title it almost sounds something like affirmations? Like something calming to read when you're in a dark place. If it is or is has Dan talking about the more intense parts of his mental health experience I can guarantee you it will fuck me up. Dan's bit about when he was really, really low in BIG and that bit with all the voices maps so, so closely to things I experienced. Having something calming to read, to come back to as a comfort item is something I could see as a basic idea, or something mixed in with talking about his own experience. Not really a self-help book but like words he wished he could have read when he was in dark places. Also probably totally not everyone's taste but potentially super impactful for those who do like it.

I guess we'll know soon

[yellowsubmarine]

^^ that sounds like a lovely idea as well..

But hey... what if it's about his OWN experience? Haven't considered that yet, have you?

At least i hope it's his own journey otherwise, yeah, i agree he's not exactly qualified to give a masterclass in mental health... idk... i'm still hoping

If it's anything remotely related to family issues, i might cry, though. Oh man..

[soveinco]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008407487

It says it won't be out until May 2021 - I wonder if this is him trying to control the information flow since Good Reads already sorta spoiled it once?

The imprint I work for is doing cover reveals for several of our Spring 2021 books this month and next, so I think it's probably pretty normal timing. Most of our Spring 2021 books are like, finished, proofed, approved, and at the printer right now. Especially any that print in China (which i assume the UK edition at least must be), because that takes around six months (ETA, eh, OK, more like 4-5 months, though COVID is also slowing stuff down) from sending the files to books arriving in stores.

[Kurapika]

it's hard to say what's it gonna be bc dan has changed a lot as a person the past couple years and we've seen almost nothing of it. he could still have the same behaviors and beliefs he did when he uploaded regularly, or he might not. we'll only know when he tells us *shrug*

[queerofcups]

I'm excited about this project. Even if I'm not into the actual content (which, who knows, maybe I will be. Hard to realistically judge anything considering we know basically zero about it.), it definitely seems to be leaning toward something much more personal and transparent than the majority of his youtube videos. And, tbh, I'm excited for new content from Dan.

Also, if he's leaning in the direction of poetry or personal essay, I can definitely see how his then current style of Youtube might have felt difficult to function in. I can imagine it being hard to have the kind of precision of word poetry affords, the balance of autonomy around what you will and won't share like a personal essay and also be chugging out somewhat often content. Particularly with the kind of expectations around content that come with having a longstanding channel.

I'm really interested in seeing what new content and engagement we'll get.

[Susanisnotafish]

I was so disappointed to see Dan’s tweet and that it seemed to point to a poetry book. But others have made some comforting points that maybe it won’t be just poetry. I would rather Dan do something less open to interpretation than poetry. I’d rather he just plainly state his thoughts so we don’t have to interpret them. Who am I kidding . . . Everything he ever does is analyzed and interpreted, especially by me! But here’s hoping he exceeds my expectations. He always had, until he ghosted.

[wesleywyndcm]

I'm hoping for a mental health biography type of thing -- think Prozac Nation or Girl, Interrupted.

Either way, at least something's happening! I don't want to judge before we have nothing more than a tweet (though of course, I still might judge a liiittle bit, because said tweet hasn't exactly sold me). We'll see!

[alittledizzy]

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/0008407487

It says it won't be out until May 2021 - I wonder if this is him trying to control the information flow since Good Reads already sorta spoiled it once?

The imprint I work for is doing cover reveals for several of our Spring 2021 books this month and next, so I think it's probably pretty normal timing. Most of our Spring 2021 books are like, finished, proofed, approved, and at the printer right now. Especially any that print in China (which i assume the UK edition at least must be), because that takes around six months (ETA, eh, OK, more like 4-5 months, though COVID is also slowing stuff down) from sending the files to books arriving in stores.

Oh that's fantastic perspective - so that timing really does make sense.

[starwatersong]

I’m just happy they’re both doing stuff, tbh.

[casualsun]

I’m very interested in a mental health biography! I don’t think he necessarily needs to consult with experts in order to write about his own personal experiences. I’ve read a lot of mental health biographies on eating disorders and addiction and often you can tell the people haven’t fully “recovered” but their experience is still interesting and insightful. I understand if people are worried the book will trigger them and I think people should use their individual discretion to see whether they want to interact with it or not.

I do still hope it’s more of a memoir/essay style book that explores multiple topics rather than just one about depression, but that’s just me. As long as Dan feels creatively fulfilled and proud of his work, I’m glad he’s putting it out!

[Catallena]

beware negative/dark/not fun please continue to celebrate dan

Ok I made enough jokes about bad poetry on Twitter and in my last post. It doesn't quite seem like poetry considering additional information, but if that tweet was a little look into the writing style... well that's a choice. Then the likely subject. Depression. If it's a self help guide, that's a no. If it's deep introspective thoughts about depression, a hell no.

But if it's him telling his story, that's great I'm proud of him. He's come very far. But I don't like non-fiction books about depression. They trigger me to hell and back. I don't wanna read other people's mental health experiences because in the end those people are now okay enough to write it all down (I'm not saying they're cured), or fucking dead. Three years ago I thought Dan was incredibly for making his video about depression, but I couldn't deal with the content itself and it left me in such a bad state I was thinking of doing stupid things. Hell, BIG mention of s**c*de almost got me there (but luckily serotonin won that week). A book of all that? I really wanna support Dan and read it, but I also the chances of fucking myself over by doing that. I'm a sad conflicted mess.

k now I'm gonna go overthink if I am ever gonna be okay with being ghosted for 2 years (or 3 by the time this book will be out) despite new content finally being on the horizon bye.

[elipie]

I think I'm on the same page as many of you - I really hope it's something to do with him/his experiences, or even just something that uses his unique perspective, that would make it different from anyone else writing it. That said, I'll be happy with anything except poetry. If it is poetry... then I'm glad he's doing what he wants to do and is finally putting something out there again, but I'll be personally disappointed that it's one of the few things I wouldn't be into.

[Amiaw]

Now if people are going to be up and excited why not give Phil’s video a watch so we can support him too

[bevioletsky]

I’m scared?

A book interests me – in addition to me liking reading I guess – in that it will mean many words directly from Dan that he has got to really consider (with an editor, too), and I generally have both liked whatever he’s had to say on things like mental health before and found it easily personally relatable (like the depression video). Also I expect personal insight and, well, obviously I do care about that. Any poetry aspect quite frankly terrifies me and I was not seriously considering the speculation because wow. Not excited about the idea, and not because I don’t like poetry, I can like it just fine. I am a bit comforted by the fact that it seems too long to be purely poetry.

Sooo I’m holding out for more information and not prejudging anything. But I mostly truly hope that whatever it is it will be good, or at least not terrible, because the prospect of Dan publishing an awful youtuber book makes me a bit sick, actually. And a book publication will get at least some attention from people outside of his dedicated audience, too, which makes me anxious on his behalf. Even if it maybe should be exciting? But I’ll try to trust that he knows what he’s doing.

(I’m mad that I noticed his tweet because now I’m still up and think I’ll get like two hours of sleep tonight. Bye.)

[rizzo]

Dan has the potential to write a book on depression from a really interesting and unique perspective: he was a quasi teen idol who spent his peak years hiding (for the most part) his sexuality, his tough past, and his struggle with depression all while those very attributes and a demanding public-facing career played right back into said depression. Even if he doesn't provide the most private of details, I think his take on how he's dealt with his mental health and how he works through it given his own unique circumstances could be an interesting one.

I also recalled the other day that he once mentioned maybe making a video about his journey to find a therapist - so that could easily play into this book.

All in all, I'm incredibly excited for it.... if not completely impatient to wait another year. I - perhaps naively - hope we'll get video content out of his need to promote the book and its presale. Maybe he'll do something to build up to it as well?

And also..... forgive this particularly shallow comment, but uhhh..... Y'all, this book is surely gonna have a dedication in it and I for one cannot wait to read it!!!!

[Megancita75]

Mental health memoir is pretty much one of my favorite genres to read so I am excited for this. There’s also lots of ways to write something like that which doesn’t have to be super heavy. I imagine he could intersperse a lot of humor in something like this. I also wouldn’t be surprised if he took a hybrid approach, with some chapters being more personal and some being more educational. And the poetry-like tweet could maybe indicate something like chapter intros that are more lyrical. I think there is a lot of potential in memoir these days to incorporate different types of writing. I really enjoyed Hannah Hart’s book, and less enjoyed the Rose and Rosie book, so I think a good editor can be key. I’ll have to look at the imprint to see what reputation they might have.

[Amiaw]

So are we thinking we’ll get an announcement video this week?

[Catallena]

i made the announcement video for him. dan, the invoice is in the mail.

[inanerat]

i made the announcement video for him. dan, the invoice is in the mail.

omg thank you for this. I know you're not zazzed about all this but this made me laugh and I really needed that today. Your continual archival efforts are also very much appreciated!

(I can't for the life of me find the goddamn bowing emoji but imagine it here lol)

[alien]

So on the amazon link it says it's 252 pages and in the Depression subcategory of Health Issues/Lifestyle

So I'm now thinking it might not be poetry it might be some kind of self help poetical thing and I

Yeah I'm not getting this book I think lol

Ug

I was kinda jazzed by the prospect of a memoir from Dan, but not a book of poetry. I'll admit, I'm a total poetry snob. I can't abide all this modern crap that reads like it was composed by people throwing darts at a board filled with random words. But even putting that aside, is that really what he's spent the last year doing? Writing crap poetry? Prove me wrong, Danny boy, please prove me wrong!

I don't want to dread your content.

I hate it, I hate it so much lol

With that being said, I'm going to try to remain cautiously optimistic because I do adore Dan on some level and really /want/ to enjoy whatever it is he puts out. So, I will try.