Affirmation. Something I guess we all want or need, whether we admit it or not. Recently I shared with some of you the fact that something I wrote with my blog in mind got posted on a website. Then I felt silly and braggy and a bit embarrassed that I had done so. And then, when some positive responses came through ... I felt kinda good. secretly proud a bit. but then worried that maybe it was so trivial that I looked a fool. Damn I'm complicated. and tiresome. sigh.
Which got me thinking and we know what that can lead to. Ah well!
Blogging is such a tremendous boon for aspiring writers, isn't it? I mean, one aspect of writing pre-blog was how did one get anything they wrote read. especially semi-anonymously. or with less rejection. as in, "thanks but no thanks, I really don't want to bother reading your blather". Or accepting the request with one of those looks. You know the ones. Where the recipient is obviously wondering what the minimum elapsed time is for politesse and what generic responses can be created.
In the not so distant pre-blogging days, writers were only one half-step above salespeople. knocking on doors. dialing for dollars, risking ongoing rejection in the hopes that someone, ANYONE would want to be bothered to read. Perhaps comment. Even better still, Publish! (unless, of course, one does it for the art!)
And then along came Al Gore to invent the internets ( I worship and adore you, Al) and the rest is history. We can all wax poetic or poorly, or rant madly or bore to tears, and out there in the vast universe of internet-land sit readers awaiting. With glee even. After all, the world IS a critic, it is just matching us all up together that was difficult.
Now there is a global community forming. Not just for news and information exchange by professional journalists. But for writers and their ideas. For non-professional citizens out there to register their 'on the street' observations and opinions. For a larger dialogue to occur, spurring new understandings and philosophies. The mix is healthy and invigorating.
More and more voices have the opportunity to be heard. Debated. Debunked. Applauded. Affirmed.
I love the conversations, don't you?
