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If there is a writers gene then I was born with it and, in my case, it is an overactive gene!
I have written since I was a child, when I first learned to read and write and, since then, I have written articles, poems, short stories, readers letters and greetings card inserts.
I am a published author both online and in hardcopy (in the UK, Im still trying to 'crack the American market), and I held the position of Editor for a staff newsletter for over two years. (In actual fact, "Editor" is a bit of a grandiose title as I was THE staff of the newsletter)!
It was a voluntary post but one I enjoyed doing immensely. Every aspect of the newsletter, including the writing, design, layout, printing and distribution were all my responsibility. I had to research, conduct interviews with staff, take photos for inclusion in the layout, seek in-house advertisers and then had to write it all up, using DTP, and then print off a minimum of 1000 copies every month and send them to all the different departments.
The feedback I got from the staff helped to keep me motivated nd I took pride in my work, striving to make it as polished and Professional as possible. Then I decided to change jobs, so that was the end of my freelance Editorial career. I AM a writer though and giving up that post didn't stop me. Since I first began to write, I have been honing and polishing my craft, trying to get better with it all the time. And I think I have!
Having read about blogging, I decided to take the plunge and check it out, last August. Prior to that I was strictly an off-line hard copy writer, sending off work to magazines and local newspapers and achieving some small successes in the process. I looked around a few different sites and, quite by chance, happened across Thoughts.com. I read some of the blogs and generally got a 'feel' for the site. Later that same day, I camne back, signed up - and have never looked back since.
Thoughts.com was intended to only be a blogging site for me though. A place where Icould flex my creative writing skills and get some feedback on my work, (however critical), which would help me to make improvements where necessary. I thought it would be an enjoyable resource to use as a stepping stone in my intended freelance writing career. The sort of place where I would visit occasionally to post a blog and get feedback before sending 'real work' to a publisher or editor.
Well, I did find all that but, in addition, I also found much more than I ever expected. I found a second home with a ready made family of writers, because every single person who has ever posted a blog or made a comment here IS a writer, (excluding the spammers of course!). The love of writing is so natural to me it could almost be genetic, like I said, but what came as a surprise to me was that it's the people here, (with all their differing opinions, feelings, problems, advice, anger, humor, biases, hang-ups, negativity and positivity) that make the site so addictive.
Of coyrse, I love to write blogs and offer opinions in the forums, (sometimes offering them just for arguments sake or to try and get someone to open their mind a little), but I find myself inexorably drawn to the forums to see what somebdy has said about something.
Juts like a dog waiting for the ball to be thrown, sometimes your the dog, sometimes the thrower. You know the ball is about t be thrown and the anticipation is exciting, fun and you cant wait to get going. Other times you are the thrower, ready to toss that ball, knowing that someone is going to go chasing after it, and its fun to watch them go too, just like watching that dog chase the ball..... But I digress...... 
I do love writing, reading and commenting. I wish I had more time because I do feel guilty to an extent that I don't get around to read all the blogs of people on my friends list as often anymore. I hate all the dumb arguments in the forums too, especially when there is no need for them, although I am guilty of being there in the thick of it, as much as anyone else. Now and again though, the air clears, and I think to myself, "wtf am I doing....?" 
I came to Thoughts.com originally, to write blogs, to read and comment on others' blogs and in the forums. I came to get feedback and to have fun, enjoying what I do best, even to encourage others to try their hand at this writing game too. I never ever came to prove I was right about anything and I couldnt care less if I am wrong about anything, (I probably am about lots of things anyway), but I fail to understand why being seen to be right is so important to some people, especially in this illusive, anonymous cyber-world!?
Thoughts.com is a place where we can offer and share our innermost thoughts and feelins, whatever they may be. It's not about who is right or wrong; It never was. It's about sharing, caring, discussing, encouraging, helping, listening, reading and writing - or something along those lines anyway. We all have weird and wonderful thoughts and even the most bizzare, outlandish ones are welcomed here. They do not need to be right, factual or proven; They just need to be shared.
That's my thoughts about Thoughts.com!
Someday I may just make a half decent living out of this freelance writing thing, or I may not. The money itself is not the main motivation, it's the impossibility of ever stopping writing that keeps me going. Whatever happens though, I know this much - even when I'm a famous published author (Yea, write! * rolls eyes) this place will still be my first writing home and one of the major building blocks on my dizzy climb to the top! lol :p |
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Posted by scotslad60 on 2008-06-11 10:39:01 | Rating: | Views: 119
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i am glad you are at thoughts, keep writeing, peace always,
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Posted by bjm1
on 2008-06-11 11:34:42
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Glad to be here too bjm. TY. :)
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Posted by scotslad60
on 2008-06-11 11:58:19
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Great post. I also fail to see why it's so important, to some, to be seen as right. There are many thoughts, ideas and different paths on this journey called life. It's about sharing ... not condemnation and judgment. I also wish I had time to visit and read more posts. There are countless amazing writers here, with new people joining each day. At times I get so caught up in the drama and lives of others that I forget why I joined. This post brought me back to my reason for being here ... which is expressing my thoughts and feelings through the written word and growing, maturing and fine tuning that expression as the days unfold. Peace.
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Posted by ColoradoDreamin
on 2008-06-12 13:45:29
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Thanks Colorado. Glad to have been of help. :)
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Posted by scotslad60
on 2008-06-12 13:55:58
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laddie
first of all what happened to those gams?
every single word you wrote could have come right out of my computer...I agree with everything and those are almost my thoughts exactly. You and I always had that same wave length thing happening. I dont really like to get in the thick of the forums though...anyway
I thought I would just write, get discovered and then I discovered feedback and I had never received any before and wow, what a bonus. Then I discovered other people and grew to enjoy reading what they wrote and then I made friends and the rest as they say is what you already said...that being said...I have sort of forgotten about getting discovered and I have not submitted a single thing. I do have a little writing assignment for money, nothing that will bring me my first book deal! Did you hear about our Buddy the George Bush impersonator, he has a book deal, Im so happy for him, what a great guy! I digress!
I too feel bad I cant get around to reading as much as I would like. I spend way too much time away from my family, they are all getting jealous of my blogging time...saying I might be choosing strangers over them...now we all know that would never be true, but that being said, you guys are no longer strangers, like you said, you are my never never blog land family and we all live in the same neighborhood. You are one of those people that I feel so blessed to have met.
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Posted by roe
on 2008-06-14 22:54:50
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"You are one of those people that I feel so blessed to have met."
Right back at you Rose, I feel the exact same. Thank you for stopping by.
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Posted by scotslad60
on 2008-06-16 09:14:47
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We are all glad you are hear hun.
You will make it to the top of that ladder, i can assure you of that.
Keep writing and keep enjoying it.
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Posted by misselusive
on 2008-06-18 11:25:04
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Ever since I was a child I loved the writings of R.L. Stevenson and Robert Burns. The honesty of your writing and your Scottish sensibilities attracted me to your blog. We are all tempted by wanting to be discovered by the world and by others, but I think the truly great discovery is discovering ourself. Perhaps, it is only after we have discovered ourself that we cannot help being of real service to others and to the world. There must be some sort of cosmic law about the capacity of flowers to grow on a garbage heap. The law of transformation is a work everywhere. Thank you for your blogs and God bless.
Bob Silber
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Posted by BobSilber
on 2008-06-22 10:34:02
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TY misselusive. I am glad to be here too. :)
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Posted by scotslad60
on 2008-06-23 09:50:27
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Thank you for your comment and for stopping by too Bob.
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Posted by scotslad60
on 2008-06-23 09:50:58
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