Are You Writing For The Sake of Blogging?

5 Songs

1. She Used To Love Me A Lot- Johnny Cash
2. Wedding Song- Bob Dylan
3. Norwegian Wood- The Beatles
4. Still Crazy After All These Years- Ray Charles
5. Silver Springs- Fleetwood Mac

A bunch of us dad bloggers have been sitting out on the old cyber porch sharing stories and talking about life.

In between the conversation about the 25 sexiest and beverage threads (Got a bunch of Shiner Bock in my fridge, come have one with me Shmata Queen) there has been the kind of writing conversation that makes my keyboard smile.

There have been the usual comments about whether bloggers are writers and debate about what makes great writing. We haven’t gotten to the place where someone makes a snarky comments about posts and blogs.

You know, it is the one I make when you say you put up a new blog and I haughtily educate you about the distinction between a blog and blog posts.

 Bruce Springsteen Would Be An Awesome Blogger

The only distinction I make between blogger and writer is that one pays the bills for me and the other is something I do for fun. That is my answer to the question of whether bloggers are writers or not.

A while back my son asked me if I could be anyone else who I would be. I gave him the standard answer that I am perfectly happy being me and that is mostly true.

But it is also true that I wouldn’t mind to have Bo Jackson’s athletic ability and Bruce Springsteen’s music/writing skill. When push comes to shove I might even say that I value Bruce’s skills over Bo’s.

That’s in large part because it is easier for me to fantasize and say I can write songs like Bruce (can’t sing worth a lick) and because music/writing isn’t a skill that deteriorates with age the same way that athletic ability does.

I’ll go spend two hours playing pickup ball tonight and without question will silently curse my inability to do at 44 what I could at 24.

I am a much smarter player now, but my physical skills have diminished and that makes me a bit sad. Damn it, that fragile male ego wants to hide under the desk now.

But writing isn’t like that.

When I look at Bruce’s work I see so much that I could relate to when I was much younger and stuff that resonates with me now on an entirely different level.

Go read the lyrics to Happy, Tunnel of Love, The River or Born To Run and tell me you don’t see the story he is telling. The Best Bloggers Are Storytellers.

How To Become A Better Storyteller

When my children ask me what I am doing I often tell them I am working on becoming a better storyteller. It is a personal and a professional goal.

My grandfathers were among the finest storytellers I have ever known and if god smiles upon me one day I will be half as skilled as they were.

I want to be the kind of storyteller that can say something like “I am going to shave your ass bald” and not be questioned because it just makes sense.

Please tell me I am not the only person who has heard that expression and wondered what the hell the person was saying. Were they trying to be literal with me and if so, should I be concerned.

Take aside my macho demeanor and belief that it will take drugs or an army to subdue me so that you can shave my ass and then tell me if I should even care.

What is the harm in it?

I know, old Jack is over thinking things but not from a communication perspective because from that angle it makes sense to look at the words we put down and ask if the reader understands them.

Words that are understood are practically useless and in some cases, dangerous.

5 More Songs

1. Tales of Ulysses- Cream
2. The Man’s Too Strong- Dire Straits
3. Let ‘Em In- Wings
4. I Can’t Quit You Baby- Led Zeppelin
5. Thunderstruck- AC/DC

I am not writing for the sake of blogging. I am blogging for the sake of writing because this blog is where I hone my skills and prepare for the dreams I am trying to turn into reality.

• Saved: Blogging, Writing