Would Stephen King Be A Good Dad Blogger?

Dear Stephen,

What is new in your world brother?

I don’t think I have reached out since I wrote Dear Stephen King or maybe it was A Conversation With Stephen King and it is not because I haven’t thought about you because I have.

But man you have to understand that when people don’t treat me well, act inconsistently or ignore me I notice and sometimes I respond in kind.

Sometimes my thick skin isn’t quite as thick as it could be but most days I am too busy to spend time wondering or worrying if my friends are really my friends or if they are treating me the way they should.

And even if I wasn’t the girl drama I hear from my daughter and her school friends is enough to wear me out.

Ok, I don’t know if it is all drama but girls are so very different from boys. I think it is because we tend to be more direct.

If a boy/man doesn’t like you there is usually no question about it. We don’t need to analyze what was said, how or with whom.

That is not to say we don’t have our own shit to deal with or never create our own form of chaos because we do but it is easier for me to understand so there is that.

Would Stephen King Be A Good Dad Blogger?

Someone once asked me if you could do what I do and I laughed because to me it seems like a ridiculous question.

The hardest part of blogging is sitting down and putting pen to paper. It is taking the time to share stories about parenting in a way that makes it possible for people to relate to.

It is figuring out how to share stories about dealing with mean girls, school stuff, summer camp, diapers, teenagers, summer camp, questions about life and all sorts of other crap for the long haul and not just for a couple of months.

So I figure an author who knows how to write stories that are turned into books and movies has not only the writing chops needed to succeed here as well as the temperament that will help you sustain your effort.

That sustain your effort bit is something I have always wanted to speak with you about because I am curious to hear your take on how your ensure that the well of ideas never runs dry.

Blogging Is a Funny Sort Of Animal

A friend of mine read a post I wrote about blogging called If You Write It They Will Come and said he thought I made it sound far more difficult than it is.

I must have scrunched up my face when he said it because he told me he was sure it was much easier to get readers than I made it sound.

When I told him he was fooling himself if he thought he could put links to his posts on Facebook and that all of his friends and family would read them he said I was being negative.

I politely told him he needed to remove his cranium from his rectum and take a more honest approach to what might happen but he thought I was being a jerk and told me to stop deluding myself.

I said I would be happy to let it go but reminded him that sometimes those who accuse others of being deluded suffer from the same disease they think others have.

The whole thing reminded me of some conversations I have had with my kids where they have tried to convince me that my experience as a student isn’t as relevant as I make it sound because I have been out of school for so many years now.

That always leads to my saying “you can’t screw an old head on young shoulders” and some eye rolling on their part.

It also reminds me of how my friend pointed out some blogs that are relatively young that appear to have great success.

The kids can always point out something that is different between now and then but it is never significant enough to make me agree that the differences are too big for me to relate to.

I had good teachers and bad, homework, tests, finals and had to deal with all of the same kinds of people they do now.

Perspective Is A Funny Thing

I have to tell you Stephen that I would definitely ask you about perspective and how you develop your characters. I want to talk about how you create them and what kind of method you use to give your creation…life.

When I write fiction I always use an amalgamation of people I know as part of the foundation of the character and just work from there.

Sometimes I make a point to create some that I dislike because life is filled with all kinds of people and I won’t limit my tales to only heroes who only save the day.

That is because sometimes heroes fail and the happy ending they would have brought about never happens.

Oh Stephen, did I mention I have often wondered what life was like when your kids were little.

If they came to you and said they had a nightmare did you listen to their story and think to yourself, “that is not scary at all” and then want to tell them a scary tale so they would know the difference.

I kind of pictured something like, “Dad, I had a dream that some kids and their dogs were chasing me.”

You always respond with a comment about whether they came from the Pet Cemetery and were joined a clown driving a classic car with a rabid dog in the front seat.

I don’t get scared easily, but even that might make me think twice about being alone in the dark.

Happy Father’s Day Stephen

Since you never responded to the last post or two I am going to guess you probably won’t comment here or email either.

That’s ok with me, I understand what it means to be busy so I’ll just wish you a Happy Father’s Day and say if you ever do think about becoming a dad blogger or even just a regular blogger and want to talk shop you know how to reach me.