I was browsing through my most recent edition of the SGI-USA's "Living Buddhism" magazine last night, and enjoying both the study material and the personal experience articles very much.
One of the things I have noticed in past months is that a number of contributors belong to something called the "Young Writers' Group". This has to be an exciting group to belong to. I'd like to see them posting some blogs online (I know I keep harping on this topic, but it's something I'd really, really like to see). Online is where young writers are writing these days, right?
To quote Billy Crystal in "Throw Momma From the Train" (and to also quote a number of other writing teachers:
"A WRITER WRITES...EVERY DAY."
As of the 18th of this month, this blog of mine will be one year old, and I hope that I will have completed 100 entries in that time. That's roughly one entry every three and a half days. A pretty good clip, I like to think. For those of you who can't live without your daily dose of Byrdshit (yes, Santa Monica, it's OK if you want to use that word to refer to my blog, just give me credit for the term), I will try to come up to speed and do more in the coming year.
I have noticed a lot of changes and developments as a writer as a result of blogging regularly. These are:
1. I have become more confident in my own voice.
2. I have developed a stronger "habit" of writing regularly.
3. The blank page (or screen) doesn't scare me anymore.
4. I have started to actually have fun writing, and I have started on a new and exciting project (Note to Kris in Alaska, don't spill the kibble and tell anyone! Not even in San Francisco!)
I would really recommend blogging for any young writer, and particularly for members of this Young Writers' Group. I mean, why in the hell are you leaving the Nichiren Buddhist blogging field to a bunch of altecockers like me and the other guys here? The kids should be out here on the field playing their hearts out. At least that's what I'm thinking.
And if anyone at Gakkai Central is reading this:
Rather than sending out senior leaders to talk to me about my online activities, field your own all-star team online - I'm sure you've got a lot of talent, there.
I'll tell you, if I was an SGI-USA Young Writer, I'd be quoting that fabulous John Fogerty tune (that's right, whippersnappers, I said it - John Fogerty)
"Put me in Coach,
I'm ready to play
Today
Look at me
I can be
Centerfield."
Come out and play guys, it's really a lot of fun
Enjoy your Springtime everyone, Byrd in LA
Posted by wahzoh at April 13, 2008 01:44 PMByrd –
Below are some comments from one of my favorite writers, Robert A Heinlein, on writing (from the Notebooks of Lazarus Long):
Writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of--but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards.
A poet who reads his verse in public may have other nasty habits
A “critic” is a man who creates nothing and thereby feels qualified to judge the work of creative men. There is logic in this; he is unbiased—he hates all creative, people equally.
If you happen to be one of the fretful who can do creative work, never force an idea; you’ll abort it if you do. Be patient and you’ll give birth to it when the time is ripe. Learn to wait.
http://www.angelfire.com/or/sociologyshop/lazlong.html#inter
Enjoy, and Namaste, Engyo Mike Barrett
Posted by: Engyo Mike Barrett at April 13, 2008 03:01 PMByrd, i love your blog. I check in every day. I always look forward to your stuff. Guess great minds think alike, and you actually put it out there. I think this youth thing is great. Back in the early 1990's i had wrote a letter to Ted Marino, letting him know i thought that sgi-usa needed a presence on the internet as other buddhist groups were taking the lead. He wrote back telling me not to worry about it, and that most of the stuff being discussed online was of a very scholarly nature. Six months later sgi had bought up most com's and orgs so that sgi came up first when you searched buddhism. The org is just a little slow when it comes to this new stuff i guess.
Posted by: hardtotrack at April 14, 2008 01:22 AM