Ray Bradbury, one of the kings of Science Fiction and a lover of books in print has done something that I never thought he would. Before I tell you what he did (because you probably would never read the story unless I told you about it - I guess I bring the random news, huh?), let me give you a little background. Ray Bradbury wrote a book in 1953 called Fahrenheit 451. The story is very famous and even if you haven't read the book, you might have seen the movie of the same name from 1966.
It's a story about books in print and how the government doesn't want them around any longer. They want people to watch television all day and get the news, entertainment and everything else from government programmed series showing on large screen displays (sound familiar?). However, there are still people in this movie world that care for books and they hoard them and hide them away from the government and the firefighters that are ordered to burn the books on site. And yet, one firefighter falls in love with one of the dissidents and starts to secretly read - oh no! I won't give away the ending because it's much too enjoyable a book/film.
Head to your local library for more information.
So, now that you have some background, it is easier to explain what I discovered today. It was in the news that Ray Bradbury has finally agreed to allow Fahrenheit 451 to become a digital book, basically realizing his own worst nightmares from the very book that is being converted. Think about it. In today's society, where do most people get their information? TELEVISION, the INTERNET - data communication. A lot of people don't buy actual bound books anymore. Look what happened to Borders just a few months ago. Almost every novel that is published now has a digital version of it for those millions of people with e-readers. And yet, the man who discussed the whole thing is slipping to the dark side and becoming part of the system that he wrote about. Ironic.
Maybe, since Bradbury is 91, he finally realized that all that technology isn't so bad and that he was wrong about what he wrote. I can kind of agree with that. But Bradbury has long felt that people need to see and talk with each other face to face in order to really gain the wholeness of interacting with others. These are ideas that I also share and yet, as a lover of technology and programs like Skype, I find that trying to be a traditionalist in the digital age is a lot harder than it looks. Maybe that's what Ray Bradbury finally understood.
Digital versions of a book are not a denial of the original work nor is it a way of throwing the bound book away, it's another way of keeping the book for a lifetime in case there are no more trees to create books. Real books are great, but eventually things like coffee stains happen or young children decide to rip the most climactic scenes from the binding and you're left with heartache trying to find another copy. With the digital version, there's no need to worry. But for me, I still like to have the real thing too.
Until next time.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Friday, November 25, 2011
Thank You
A couple of posts ago, I wrote about my writing. Well, today I'm here to talk about my writing once again and how it relates to Thanksgiving (yes, I know that Turkey Day was yesterday, but this still applies).
During this month of November, I attempted National Novel Writing Month once again. I was going strong. I had a great idea for a story, good characters, a decent plot and even some good action. With five days left, however, I'm way behind with no clear outlook on finishing the story. Now, before, I might have decided that "I could still finish" and stay up late and work extra hard in order to finish the 50,000 words by the end of the month. But, after reminding myself again of that previous blog post and the blog that it linked to, I have to remind myself that not all gifts will offer rewards, but that all gifts are rewards themselves.
I like to look at my gift of writing as a great reward. It's a way of clearing my mind of useless clutter that might be clogging it up and possibly even find other viewpoints bouncing around in there. And yet, I don't feel the need to validate those voices by straining myself to complete 20,000 more words in a matter of five days. That's not saying that I couldn't, but at the moment, I'm not feeling good and I have plenty of other things that I want to accomplish. This also doesn't mean that I am completely giving up on the story. It will still be there when I am ready and I'll be able to continue right where I left off.
But where's the part about Thanksgiving?
Oh yeah. Couldn't you guess? I'm thankful for my gift of writing. Sure, I'm thankful for all the other general stuff too (family, friends, a job, my daughter), but there are some things that people don't always seem grateful or thankful for and so I am thankful for my gift as a writer. It hasn't brought me fame and fortune just yet, but it has brought me peace, serenity and a lot of happiness.
Until next time.
During this month of November, I attempted National Novel Writing Month once again. I was going strong. I had a great idea for a story, good characters, a decent plot and even some good action. With five days left, however, I'm way behind with no clear outlook on finishing the story. Now, before, I might have decided that "I could still finish" and stay up late and work extra hard in order to finish the 50,000 words by the end of the month. But, after reminding myself again of that previous blog post and the blog that it linked to, I have to remind myself that not all gifts will offer rewards, but that all gifts are rewards themselves.
I like to look at my gift of writing as a great reward. It's a way of clearing my mind of useless clutter that might be clogging it up and possibly even find other viewpoints bouncing around in there. And yet, I don't feel the need to validate those voices by straining myself to complete 20,000 more words in a matter of five days. That's not saying that I couldn't, but at the moment, I'm not feeling good and I have plenty of other things that I want to accomplish. This also doesn't mean that I am completely giving up on the story. It will still be there when I am ready and I'll be able to continue right where I left off.
But where's the part about Thanksgiving?
Oh yeah. Couldn't you guess? I'm thankful for my gift of writing. Sure, I'm thankful for all the other general stuff too (family, friends, a job, my daughter), but there are some things that people don't always seem grateful or thankful for and so I am thankful for my gift as a writer. It hasn't brought me fame and fortune just yet, but it has brought me peace, serenity and a lot of happiness.
Until next time.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
A Momentous Milestone
That's right, folks, as of this posting, my blog has reached 200 posts. I know that's not as many as some other bloggers out there, but it's a pretty big deal for me, especially since I only hit 100 posts in January. Of course, when you count the fact that I blogged for thirty one days in a row not once, but twice this year, it's pretty easy to see that I would reach two hundred before the end of the year.
And of course, with the year not over just yet, there are still things to talk about. Like Thanksgiving - the day that we give thanks to the Pilgrims for inviting the Native Americans to the dinner table before deciding that they wanted all of the land as a payment for cooking them a great meal (at least, that's what the history books said, right?)
Other things to talk about: Christmas, which actually isn't until almost the end of December, correct? That's why we're hearing Christmas music on the radio now?! (if you don't believe me, for those in the Los Angeles area, put your radio station to KOST 103.5).
I could also talk about movies - or at least movies that I might see, or movies that look interesting. In fact, an upcoming blog post will focus on the new Pixar movie, Brave. But I'm not going to write any more about that and let you read that one when it comes in the next few days.
Also on the plate, writing, because that's what I do. There will be more submissions to agents and I'll possibly get disappointed, but after reading that blog post that I mentioned in yesterday's post (I'll pause so you can look at it), I'm not going to worry myself too much if I get denied yet again. I'm just going to keep trying my best and that's good enough for me.
Oh yeah. I have a baby and it's very possible that some of her misadventures might end up on the blog as well. I guess I should set up her own email address so that her fans can start writing her.
So you see, these are just a few examples of what's upcoming for the blog. And I know that I wrote something like this before (check the archive), but I thought I would reiterate it now since I had your attention.
Until next time.
And of course, with the year not over just yet, there are still things to talk about. Like Thanksgiving - the day that we give thanks to the Pilgrims for inviting the Native Americans to the dinner table before deciding that they wanted all of the land as a payment for cooking them a great meal (at least, that's what the history books said, right?)
Other things to talk about: Christmas, which actually isn't until almost the end of December, correct? That's why we're hearing Christmas music on the radio now?! (if you don't believe me, for those in the Los Angeles area, put your radio station to KOST 103.5).
I could also talk about movies - or at least movies that I might see, or movies that look interesting. In fact, an upcoming blog post will focus on the new Pixar movie, Brave. But I'm not going to write any more about that and let you read that one when it comes in the next few days.
Also on the plate, writing, because that's what I do. There will be more submissions to agents and I'll possibly get disappointed, but after reading that blog post that I mentioned in yesterday's post (I'll pause so you can look at it), I'm not going to worry myself too much if I get denied yet again. I'm just going to keep trying my best and that's good enough for me.
Oh yeah. I have a baby and it's very possible that some of her misadventures might end up on the blog as well. I guess I should set up her own email address so that her fans can start writing her.
So you see, these are just a few examples of what's upcoming for the blog. And I know that I wrote something like this before (check the archive), but I thought I would reiterate it now since I had your attention.
Until next time.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
A Very Good Reminder
Before I ask you to leave my blog for another, let me just say that I happened upon this from another source - a source I trust. And so I hope that you trust me when I ask you to go read it. It doesn't take that long. When you're done, I'd really like it if you returned.
Wait. I changed my mind. Maybe I don't want you to wander away from my blog at the moment. If you did, maybe you wouldn't come back. And while that probably is no skin off either of our backs, it would be a lot easier for me if I were to just put the link at the bottom of this entry and let you read it on your own.
Basically, the person whose blog I want you to read, wrote a very important message. A message that someone like me needs to constantly be reminded of. You know that I try to be a writer and that I've tried to do a decent job - even submitting my work to agents in the vain attempt to publish my work. And yet, I haven't been successful. But I will eventually and the blog post linked below is a good reminder that it doesn't matter if I don't sell a book now. It also doesn't matter, really, if I ever get noticed for my writing. I would like to think it mattered, but I suppose just to say that I'm a writer and that some people actually like my work should be good enough. If not, then I shouldn't care what those people think because they are not moved by my writing.
That's what I need to remember - move people with my writing and I'll be happy.
Of course, it wouldn't be so bad if I were to sell my writing and move a lot more people.
Until next time.
Here's the link.
Wait. I changed my mind. Maybe I don't want you to wander away from my blog at the moment. If you did, maybe you wouldn't come back. And while that probably is no skin off either of our backs, it would be a lot easier for me if I were to just put the link at the bottom of this entry and let you read it on your own.
Basically, the person whose blog I want you to read, wrote a very important message. A message that someone like me needs to constantly be reminded of. You know that I try to be a writer and that I've tried to do a decent job - even submitting my work to agents in the vain attempt to publish my work. And yet, I haven't been successful. But I will eventually and the blog post linked below is a good reminder that it doesn't matter if I don't sell a book now. It also doesn't matter, really, if I ever get noticed for my writing. I would like to think it mattered, but I suppose just to say that I'm a writer and that some people actually like my work should be good enough. If not, then I shouldn't care what those people think because they are not moved by my writing.
That's what I need to remember - move people with my writing and I'll be happy.
Of course, it wouldn't be so bad if I were to sell my writing and move a lot more people.
Until next time.
Here's the link.
Monday, November 14, 2011
A Revelation
I've noticed something. Something that has been a problem recently. What is it, you might ask? Simple. If you haven't noticed, let me explain.
After each of the 31 blogs in 31 days, you'll notice that I disappear. Sometimes it's for the entire month and sometimes I manage to get a post in just before the end of the following month. What's wrong with me? Am I that drained from writing one post per day that I can't write for several days, if not weeks afterward? Is my brain tired of coming up with ideas every night to talk about the next day? Is it something else entirely?
None of the above.
I think I just like the fact that I don't have to write something and choose not to. The problem with this thinking is that it defeats the purpose of me being a writer. The whole point in being paid to write is that you constantly write. If I were a paid writer, I would have to work at writing at least eight hours a day. This could be mind boggling if you don't think ahead a little, but even worse if you don't.
And so, I'm going to try to keep blogging every few days from now on. Maybe I'll be good at it and maybe I won't, but at least I'll keep writing. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to one day look back and realize that I was a good writer and just got better once I started getting paid to write.
Until next time.
After each of the 31 blogs in 31 days, you'll notice that I disappear. Sometimes it's for the entire month and sometimes I manage to get a post in just before the end of the following month. What's wrong with me? Am I that drained from writing one post per day that I can't write for several days, if not weeks afterward? Is my brain tired of coming up with ideas every night to talk about the next day? Is it something else entirely?
None of the above.
I think I just like the fact that I don't have to write something and choose not to. The problem with this thinking is that it defeats the purpose of me being a writer. The whole point in being paid to write is that you constantly write. If I were a paid writer, I would have to work at writing at least eight hours a day. This could be mind boggling if you don't think ahead a little, but even worse if you don't.
And so, I'm going to try to keep blogging every few days from now on. Maybe I'll be good at it and maybe I won't, but at least I'll keep writing. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to one day look back and realize that I was a good writer and just got better once I started getting paid to write.
Until next time.
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