who wants to be a writer? anyone? anyone?
Hello all! Jennifer P. here! So happy to be guest blogging for Tiffany while she is out hob-nobbing with the celebs (or at least their assistants...)
This year I am finishing up school to get my degree in English with a Writing emphasis. For as long as I can remember, I have always been a writer. From the first book I won an award for in 1st grade (it was about litter box training my cat and came complete with drawings of stick figures picking up poop...!) till the present day--I have never had a period in my life where I wasn't writing SOMETHING!
This year I am finishing up school to get my degree in English with a Writing emphasis. For as long as I can remember, I have always been a writer. From the first book I won an award for in 1st grade (it was about litter box training my cat and came complete with drawings of stick figures picking up poop...!) till the present day--I have never had a period in my life where I wasn't writing SOMETHING!
Right now I am taking a poetry class taught by a well-known local writer, J.Reuben Appelman. He was on Oprah a few years back as part of her book club review. He wrote a documentary that was produced by George Clooney. One of his movie scripts was a finalist for HBO's Project Greenlight. He was the first Boise State University Master's grad to be published. In other words, he's living off of his writing.
He's a little curious about this whole world of blogging I've tried to expose him to. And I think there are probably quite a few of us bloggers who are a little curious about what it must be like to be a "real writer"---the kind that prints out their pages and puts them in manila envelopes and sends them out with cover letters to publishers, and waits and waits and waits-- with no instant comments to hold them over. Then, hopefully, gets told "yes, you're good enough. In 6-8 months you will be published". Unlike just clicking "Publish Post" and voila! (you're ALWAYS good enough for Blogger! :) ).
Here's my big question to you for today: Do YOU consider yourself a "real writer"? Or is blogging just a warm up for something larger one day?
My two cents on the whole thing would be this.....I would LOVE to see my work on the shelf of a bookstore one day. I would LOVE to make money off of doing something so close to my heart. However, if that never comes to pass---I am accomplishing RIGHT NOW what I have always wanted to with my writing: reaching an audience on a regular basis. Being able to inform, entertain, and/or uplift them in some way. AND I get to read others' writing and make connections with them. **PERFECT!** The Peterson's Go Public! may not be the next For Whom the Bell Tolls, but I think it's a step up from, say... Us Weekly :).
He's a little curious about this whole world of blogging I've tried to expose him to. And I think there are probably quite a few of us bloggers who are a little curious about what it must be like to be a "real writer"---the kind that prints out their pages and puts them in manila envelopes and sends them out with cover letters to publishers, and waits and waits and waits-- with no instant comments to hold them over. Then, hopefully, gets told "yes, you're good enough. In 6-8 months you will be published". Unlike just clicking "Publish Post" and voila! (you're ALWAYS good enough for Blogger! :) ).
Here's my big question to you for today: Do YOU consider yourself a "real writer"? Or is blogging just a warm up for something larger one day?
My two cents on the whole thing would be this.....I would LOVE to see my work on the shelf of a bookstore one day. I would LOVE to make money off of doing something so close to my heart. However, if that never comes to pass---I am accomplishing RIGHT NOW what I have always wanted to with my writing: reaching an audience on a regular basis. Being able to inform, entertain, and/or uplift them in some way. AND I get to read others' writing and make connections with them. **PERFECT!** The Peterson's Go Public! may not be the next For Whom the Bell Tolls, but I think it's a step up from, say... Us Weekly :).
So--have at it. Let me hear if you think blogging is real writing or not! ~and a big THANK YOU to Tiffany for letting me do this, and to you for reading! (wanna send me some money now ;)?! )
~Jennifer P.~
OH YEAH! Let me not forget to mention my fave post of all time that Tiffany has done! I have never looked at the ceiling in my ob-gyn's office the same since reading this (even though my Dr. is small and strange and not so hot.....ya know--the way it should be :) ).
Comments
I'll send you some money if you send me twice as much back K? It's kind of a pyramid scheme...only, not.
And, yes, I feel like blogging is real writing. I have learned so much about my writing style and gained confidence.
Kidding. I love you, Jennifer P. And Tiffany. And writing...and...oh, my head hurts.
I think your writing is brillant, Jennifer!
So- I'll just stick with blogging as a cathartic way to get my thoughts out.
I wish I could write in ways that evoke such emotion the way I have been touched by so many great novels.
But no I don't consider myself a good writer. You on the other hand have a God given gift for it.
I think you're a great writer and love reading what you have to say.
Tampon post was excellent, BTW.
And it's not much different than writing an article for a magazine (I've about 20 articles published in a local mag here).
I believe you can't write something, if you haven't experienced it, in some form or another.. even if you're writing something fictional, you need to have some sort of experience... first hand? I don't think for everyone, but for me, I have to have first hand knowledge of what I am writing about... and what better first hand knowledge IS there, when you are blogging about your life...
Yeah, I know.. I ramble. It's that bipolar brain of mine!