Renaissance Man Reloaded!

What do you get when you mix a vision with a little creativity, determination, hard work, genius and a little bit of swag? You get Jason Mars, CEO of ReRenaissance Publishing, an Indie publishing company established to help up and coming writers and poets express themselves through literature and poetry. We sat with Jason for a little Q & A and we must say it was one the most inspiring sit downs we’ve documented. Take a seat and read our conversation with Jason Mars as he explains his path to becoming today’s Renaissance Man.

BSQ Mag: Why did you choose the name ReRenaissance for your company?

Jason Mars: “Re” refers to redefining as well as in response to. “Renaissance” refers to the revival of art and literature.

 ReRenaissance is the redefining of what it means to revive art.  ReRenaissance is what I hope will document this generation’s response to said revival. I founded ReRenaissance in order to establish a platform for artists to alter the literary world. I think the most effective way to further a culture is to take something apart and rebuild it and be willing to repeat that cycle throughout it’s course. The only way to further art is to leave it in the hands of artist who are willing to act with a high level of honesty and courage in their approach to their creative processes.

BSQ Mag: Does ReRenaissance offer any other services besides publishing?

Jason Mars: We are focused on providing literary works that can be judged as art in regards to both content and construct. I recently partnered with Robert Brown for an apparel project that will allow us to branch out in terms of creativity and foster collaborations with other artists.

BSQ Mag: What inspired you to write?

Jason Mars: Initially, writing was another form of expression. Like anything there was space to grow and with growth comes a certain level of responsibility one must adhere to. It has allowed me to think critically of most situations and address them in ways that really relate to other people. Living is a universal task. Writing allows you to dissect this task and page it in a way that is necessary in so many ways.

BSQ Mag: Is there a book out there that someone has wrote that you would love to re-write in your own version?

Jason Mars: I was in a gallery in L.A. and read a quote: “What moves those of genius, what inspires their work is not new ideas, but their obsession with the idea that what has already been said is still not enough” – Eugene Delacroix.  I do not want to re-write any book in particular, but I would like to create work that could serve as an extension to pre-existing text.

BSQ Mag: What is your writing routine?

Jason Mars: Depends. I do not have a ritual of any sort. Initially I tried to establish one but it felt forced. It felt like I was coaxing a true emotion to reveal itself by my set deadline. I do edit within the actual writing of the piece because I think that is when it can best be molded without losing the original intent. I can never go back a day later and rework a real emotion. Life does not give you an option to rework situations into a more favorable outcome. It requires you to deal with it as it comes and that is how I try to approach my art.

BSQ Mag: How do you come up with ideas and have you experienced any of them?

Jason Mars: I write based on reality and though I may have not experienced certain situations I try to find what is universal about the situations, emotion. You may strike a nerve in an audience by touching on intimate details but what carries more weight is the ability to convey an emotion.

BSQ Mag: Have you ever suffered from writers block?

Jason Mars: No. I have suffered from seeking validation from people. I have suffered from not wanting to surrender to the fact that creation is a process that requires a certain discipline and is not something that just happens without effort. I think that not being able to write is a myth. It may take longer to find an approach but with effort and intent I think it produces amazing work.

BSQ Mag: How does one go about getting a novel published? Is it a complicated process?

Jason Mars: It is not a complicated process. It is a process in that there are steps, there is action required. Write something you believe in. Find an audience who will benefit from your work and give them the option to support it in a way that perpetuates growth for that project. The internal process is different for everyone, in terms of content, construct, deadlines, the decision to go through an indie or major publisher, etc.

BSQ Mag: Does music put you in the mood to write and if so what genre?

Jason Mars: Music definitely steers my writing. I am a huge proponent of good hip hop. I think that it is the most thought provoking genre of music because of its ability to touch on so many aspects of life within 3 minutes. I try to approach my work with that mentality. People’s attention span is growing short. You have to work with a sense of purpose. I also think that the provocative nature of hip hop should blueprint the work of artists who are trying to contribute work to be taken seriously and have any lasting impression on culture.

BSQ Mag: If you could have dinner with one celebrity dead or alive who would it be and why?

Jason Mars: I would love to have dinner with Jay-Z. His celebrity too often exceeds his ability to relate with his audience. His music grows within every song and causes a shift in culture due to his ability to poem his expansion into these albums that people make soundtracks to their lives. I would ask him of his processes and ask him of fatherhood and ask him of his opinion on culture and relationships and what it means to be human and still wear God as a name. I’d invite him to Roscoe’s and encourage him to order a Carol C. Special and a Lisa’s Delight and just try to figure out life.

BSQ Mag: What advice do you have for up and coming writers?

Jason Mars: I asked Brandon McEachern of Broccoli City for advice recently and he told me, “Don’t stop.” That is something I would tell anybody attempting to do anything of any importance.

BSQ Mag: What’s your favorite book?

Jason Mars: Every time I crack a new spine, I get a new favorite. I am reading and re-reading an e-chapbook called “heirlooms” by Safia Elhillo. That shit is epic. She does this thing with her life that seems to invite you into her world and offer you a bit of her language to take back with you.

BSQ Mag: Does weather affect your writing creatively?

Jason Mars: Everything affects the writing in one way or another. Bad weather forces me to stay in and in some cases I get a lot of work done. Good weather allows me to get out and experience life which makes feeds back into the writing.

BSQ Mag: What does the future hold for ReRenaissance?

Jason Mars: The first thing is to continue to build internally and form a team that holds the same values all throughout to make the process an easier one to get through. I am finishing up a book of poems, Mistakes on Canvas that will published under ReRenaissance.  I am looking forward to working with my friends on an anthology that I hope will embody what ReRenaissance is about. I  am also looking forward to working with Anthony Andujar on a childrens book entitled I Am a Rocket. Robert Brown and I are putting together an apparel line that we are excited about. I want to continue to grow ReRenaissance and keep us honest in our pursuits to further culture.

Check out Jason’s website here http://re-renaissance.com/

BSQ Magazine would like to thank Jason Mars for taking the time to speak with us and give us glimpse into his Publishing Company. We would also like to thank Rex Pham for providing the photos, The ReRenaissance logo was designed by Omar Rajput.