I never read the book, but I watched the movie and that line above is perfection.
Maybe it is because it is easy for me to relate to on a personal level or maybe it is because I enjoy simple writing that tells a story.
Those of you have been here for all, most or much of the journey know that I do this because I am compelled to write and not because I hope this will lead to a book deal, brand ambassadorship or fame.
If any or all of those things come because of blogging I’ll be very pleased but they won’t ever be the reason I stop or continue to blog.
I’m here because I am like the writing Captain Ahab but instead of a white whale I am chasing a great story or maybe it is more accurate to say I am chasing after the ability to tell a great story.
If the devil showed up and offered to exchange my soul for the ability to become a master storyteller I would be in big trouble because that is the sort of deal that I might actually consider.
But mostly because it would make one hell of a story.
Think for a moment how glorious it would be to tell the tale of the time Jack beat the devil at negotiating and how when the devil tried to get him back, Jack punched the horny dude in the nose and stabbed him in the ass with a pitchfork.
I may have grown up in Encino, but I come from the north side of the boulevard, no pussies allowed.
It Is What A Blog Should Be
Ask me what I want out of this experience and I’ll tell you that in addition to becoming one of the great storytellers I’d be happy to have people describe this joint as being what a blog should be.
Ask me why I about that and I’ll you how I sat in the corner of a coffee shop and listened to a group of twenty-somethings talk about what a blog should be.
Some of their conversation made me laugh and some of it made me feel really…old.
It is funny because even though I kid around about feeling like an old man most of the time I really don’t. I am always surprised by the reflection in the mirror.
Sometimes it is because I don’t particularly like what I see and sometimes it is because I see echoes of the guy I expect to stare back at me.
Jack punched the horny dude in the nose and stabbed him in the ass with a pitchfork.Click To TweetOne of them kept telling the others about how important his blogs were and shouting about how he should be the top writer because he wrote his blogs faster than the other.
Initially, it made me smile because I understand the whole multiple blog thing and have a certain respect for those who maintain more than one.
But then I realized he was doing something that makes old Jack Steiner crazy. He was substituting the word blogs for posts.
In the grand scheme of things this is not a big deal but it is like nails on a chalkboard to me.
If you ate three slices of pie you wouldn’t say you ate three pies unless you really ate three pies in which case you ought to get off of your ass and start running, I like my readers to enjoy the benefits of good health.
But I digress.
The Tools Of A Blogger
My favorite doppleganger wrote a quick post about how to make the most of our time.
It is certainly not his best work but it interested me because I have been thinking about what tools a blogger must have and which ones should be considered optional.
I picked up a single license for Social Warfare the other day because I kept hearing good things about it and the benefits it offers.
Disclosure: There is no affiliate link there, in fact there is no link at all. Â That is not because I am irritated or unhappy with them but because I haven’t signed up for the affiliate program yet.
Fact is I have spent far less time with affiliate and monetization programs this year than probably any other time in my blogging career.
There is no particular reason for that other than I am just ridiculously busy and I spend more time roaming the plains and places of my world than I do in the blogosphere.
That lack of time in the blogosphere is the primary reason why the numbers here have dropped again. I don’t comment very often on other blogs and I don’t update with the same frequency as I once did.
Don’t worry. I am not going to quit blogging. I am just focused in other places, but I can guarantee I’ll keep writing and that sometimes I’ll fill these pages with more than you can keep up with.
This is all tied into how and why I have lasted for as long as I have. I march to the beat of a drummer who has no rhythm but that dude’s beat still makes me dance and that keeps me happy.
Happy is probably the primary tool a blogger needs. Happy keeps you coming back to the keyboard.
It is why I didn’t lose my mind when the blog blew up today and I had limited time to fix it. I am/was happy so it was important to me to take a deep breath and figure out how to fix it.
What Kind of Blogger Are You?
It is getting late and soon I shall have to find my pillow and answer the call of the snore.
But before I go I’ll share another thought, even though I am far from hanging up my keyboard I am thinking very seriously about what kind of blogger I am and what kind I want to be.
Don’t know that it matters or if I have to define it for anyone other than myself, but I am thinking about it.
See you in the comments…maybe.
Jumping on your pie analogy, if I sliced a pie representing my time each day this summer — blogging would have shrunk to a teensy sliver. I also have drifted away from chasing sponsored posts and affiliate dollars. Not that they are a bad thing and not that good bloggers (and good business people) can’t make money doing such. I’ve realized that I’m primarily a writer. If I’m going to make money doing that it’s not through my blog, it’s more from writing articles and posts to be used elsewhere. My blog is where I play and get to join in the blogosphere community. (And yeah. I get that feeling old reference too. My strategy now is to cram those negative voices in a box and focus on the positive about getting older. For one thing, I don’t feel the need to prove myself to enjoy being with other folks. Not like the guy bragging about all his “blogs”. And I like your voice. And blogging style. So you’ve got that going for you. (yippee, right.)
You had pie the whole summer? I’m jealous!! 🙂
You can never have too much pie.
I agree, which is why I am supremely jealous!
I appreciate the compliments and can return them wholeheartedly and not because it is expected.
The blog is in my mind the perfect place to play and participate in the blogosphere. Makes it much enjoyable and interesting to me when people take that approach too.
And since we mentioned age here I’ll share another thought. When I started thinking about 30-36 as being really young and the chunk before 40 as being young but slightly older I realized I had reached or passed some sort of of ‘age platform.’
Guess I really am a cranky guy. 🙂
The book (as in most of the cases) is WAY better than the movie. I implore you to read it someday, it’s before Sparks divorced his wife and became a big star. It was real. I cried throughout.
As for blogging it’s changed. I limit sponsorships and write what I want most of the time. But I hear you. Don’t go away though…we’re here reading your words!
I am willing to read the book. I just need to pick up a copy and do it. I like the quotes I have read and am curious to see what he is about.
Blogging always changes and I know better than to complain but I do it anyway. 🙂 The fun is critical.
I appreciate the support. It is always nice to know people are reading our work.
As with Johnny and his fiddle, make a bet should that ever happen, I’m certain you’ll win.
Thanks. I appreciate the support. I think I’d win too.
So, what kind of blogger are you? Are you undergoing a change? Have you ever known? I thought you describe yourself as a story teller.
I know what you mean about someone screwing up the blog and posts. Get it right – not complicated.
I am calling myself a blogger who is many other things too, dad blogger fits and so does storyteller. Mostly I am just focused on improving my skills and having a good time.
Don’t know if that is a good answer but it is the one I have got today. 🙂
Hi mate,
Like you, I haven’t read the book (one of the few Sparks novels I haven’t read), but I thought they did a great job with the movie, primarily down to the director’s love for the source, and the cast they used for both young and old versions of the characters. And, yes, that quote at the start is about as perfect a piece of writing as you’ll find.
Much like you, I’m commenting less on blogs (and I’ve actually found myself getting frustrated if I have to click over to a post to comment, now I’ve been spoiled with the Postmatic methodology!). I find most are the same old marketing and social media garbage. Today I saw a post about “influencer marketing” that’s talking about the same stuff my co-author and I spoke about in a book about the topic three years ago.
Sigh…. where’s originality?
For me, it’s all about “pure blogging” – the love of content, the love of stories, the love of interaction and exchanging of thoughts. We used to be so good at it, and then clicks and traffic and eyeballs and shares took hold.
Screw that – if others want to chase these metrics, have at it. I’ll be over in the corner enjoying the company of folks that remember and care why we started on this journey.
Cheers, sir.
Hey Danny,
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed the movie. You are right about the casting. they did a good job there.
I still love Postmatic but lately I have been so busy there hasn’t been time to respond via phone. Maybe it is because I am relatively slow typing on my Droid.
I figure as long as there are still people like us who enjoy the pure form of blogging and the interaction things will be fine. Don’t need a huge group to make it work, just a few.
Sometimes smaller is better.
Amen to that, mate. Somehow, it feels like there’s a little movement beginning around the topic of pure blogging. Interested to see where it may take us.
I sure hope so. I’ll tip one back tonight and toast you and the revival.