"No man is an island" Meditation XVII - John Donne
That's an old phrase that seems to have originated from a poem by the above named author in 1624.
Don't think I'm going to get into the works of a 17th century poet,even I don't want to do that.
I use that phrase to set up the fact that I am influenced by some of those persons around me,specifically other writer/bloggers. A lot of what I read is fiction and history,with news writing being a close second,however I do enjoy a little autobiographical writing in the form of the occasional blog. I don't really follow any of them closely,most of them just end up doing what I'm doing here,prattling on about 'blank' issue or 'blank' self indulgent introspective topic. That's not always as bad as it sounds,some folks are really good at it and their writing opens doors of understanding which go on to open other doors of respect and appreciation. Those people are rare but they exist.
At this moment I'm going to prattle on about a couple of them that I happen to know of (like you didn't see that coming,right? lol).
The two bloggers that I admire and find myself to be somewhat (at present at least) influential on my writing style are Wayne Engle and Marla Sink Druzgal.
Wayne Engle is a native of Madison,Indiana which is something I am not and every once in a while still realize. Mr.Engle is retired from the local newspaper the Madison Courier he was a beat reporter for the most part,covered the 'news of the day' stuff,but he wrote a few features that I really enjoyed too.
Presently he's staying busy with his blog Corporal's Corner. He doesn't write 'news' anymore. His focus is on topics of interest to him and,hopefully,his readers.
I happen to know Mr.Engle. We aren't pals,we don't go out for drinks or 'poke' each other endlessly via Facebook,but over the course of a few years we have spoken politely to one another and he's been quite pleasant toward my daughter,always willing to take just a moment to say hi and speak with her. I always appreciate people that will take a moment and speak to kids,especially when they aren't greatly condescending to them.
Just the other day I briefly spoke with him about my writing and he was tremendously supportive of me trying my hand at it. Of course at that time he hadn't seen a single thing I'd written so maybe he'll have different opinion later? lol
What I like about Wayne is that he can give you all the facts of a story but he also manages to convey his feelings on the matter. Sometimes he's a bit obvious but,when he dons a more velvety glove,he's can be subtle and not screamingly obvious. He's speaking as himself and not as some nebulous third party just passing along the facts of a story to those who are taking in his writing.
I aspire to be as professional as Mr.Engle in my writing.
Marla Sink Druzgal is the author of the blog travelingmarla,she's also a riot.
I've had the great pleasure to meet this woman in person and she is an engaging and intelligent conversationalist.
Mrs.Druzgal is one of those persons whose exuberance and energy are not only obvious but also welcoming!
For the most part Mrs.Druzgal writes about places she's been and the people she's met while in those places but,she also has a penchant for capturing a certain mood and energy that allows the reader to more fully immerse themselves in her chosen subject.
Marla is a fellow non-native,she's been here through the month of July accompanying her husband whose job tends to take him to quit a few far flung places (including Vietnam). That this seemingly worldly woman has managed to land in our midst here in Madison is very cool and by her stated admiration and love for Madison she's helped to show that this town has some kind of strange magic that pulls people in and only infrequently releases them.
What I like about Marla is that in her writing she is absolutely unafraid to take the reader on an emotional journey. Hers is NOT the journalistic approach,its alive with color and freedom of thought and the sense that you are with her as she goes about and explores and enjoys her environs. One of her finer qualities,as a writer,is her ability to laugh at herself and her own absurdities. Her blog is full of quite 'awkward' (to say the least) moments that serve to help humanize the experience she's relating and herself.
Not all writers can do that and I see it as a rare gift and it is one that I hope I may possess somewhere inside of myself.
I aspire to be as human as Mrs.Druzgal in my writing.
I have influences upon my writing,I am not an island. I just would like to think that I have particularly GOOD influences. lol
I really do hope that others will read their work and see what I'm talking about.
Good writing doesn't have to be found between the covers of a book,magazine,or newspaper and it doesn't have to be fawned over by critics either. So long as YOU like it and gain something from it that makes it good and isn't that ultimately what a writer wants? Is to have others understand and appreciate his words?
Maybe a paycheck too,but that's a different story.
That's an old phrase that seems to have originated from a poem by the above named author in 1624.
Don't think I'm going to get into the works of a 17th century poet,even I don't want to do that.
I use that phrase to set up the fact that I am influenced by some of those persons around me,specifically other writer/bloggers. A lot of what I read is fiction and history,with news writing being a close second,however I do enjoy a little autobiographical writing in the form of the occasional blog. I don't really follow any of them closely,most of them just end up doing what I'm doing here,prattling on about 'blank' issue or 'blank' self indulgent introspective topic. That's not always as bad as it sounds,some folks are really good at it and their writing opens doors of understanding which go on to open other doors of respect and appreciation. Those people are rare but they exist.
At this moment I'm going to prattle on about a couple of them that I happen to know of (like you didn't see that coming,right? lol).
The two bloggers that I admire and find myself to be somewhat (at present at least) influential on my writing style are Wayne Engle and Marla Sink Druzgal.
Wayne Engle is a native of Madison,Indiana which is something I am not and every once in a while still realize. Mr.Engle is retired from the local newspaper the Madison Courier he was a beat reporter for the most part,covered the 'news of the day' stuff,but he wrote a few features that I really enjoyed too.
Presently he's staying busy with his blog Corporal's Corner. He doesn't write 'news' anymore. His focus is on topics of interest to him and,hopefully,his readers.
I happen to know Mr.Engle. We aren't pals,we don't go out for drinks or 'poke' each other endlessly via Facebook,but over the course of a few years we have spoken politely to one another and he's been quite pleasant toward my daughter,always willing to take just a moment to say hi and speak with her. I always appreciate people that will take a moment and speak to kids,especially when they aren't greatly condescending to them.
Just the other day I briefly spoke with him about my writing and he was tremendously supportive of me trying my hand at it. Of course at that time he hadn't seen a single thing I'd written so maybe he'll have different opinion later? lol
What I like about Wayne is that he can give you all the facts of a story but he also manages to convey his feelings on the matter. Sometimes he's a bit obvious but,when he dons a more velvety glove,he's can be subtle and not screamingly obvious. He's speaking as himself and not as some nebulous third party just passing along the facts of a story to those who are taking in his writing.
I aspire to be as professional as Mr.Engle in my writing.
Marla Sink Druzgal is the author of the blog travelingmarla,she's also a riot.
I've had the great pleasure to meet this woman in person and she is an engaging and intelligent conversationalist.
Mrs.Druzgal is one of those persons whose exuberance and energy are not only obvious but also welcoming!
For the most part Mrs.Druzgal writes about places she's been and the people she's met while in those places but,she also has a penchant for capturing a certain mood and energy that allows the reader to more fully immerse themselves in her chosen subject.
Marla is a fellow non-native,she's been here through the month of July accompanying her husband whose job tends to take him to quit a few far flung places (including Vietnam). That this seemingly worldly woman has managed to land in our midst here in Madison is very cool and by her stated admiration and love for Madison she's helped to show that this town has some kind of strange magic that pulls people in and only infrequently releases them.
What I like about Marla is that in her writing she is absolutely unafraid to take the reader on an emotional journey. Hers is NOT the journalistic approach,its alive with color and freedom of thought and the sense that you are with her as she goes about and explores and enjoys her environs. One of her finer qualities,as a writer,is her ability to laugh at herself and her own absurdities. Her blog is full of quite 'awkward' (to say the least) moments that serve to help humanize the experience she's relating and herself.
Not all writers can do that and I see it as a rare gift and it is one that I hope I may possess somewhere inside of myself.
I aspire to be as human as Mrs.Druzgal in my writing.
I have influences upon my writing,I am not an island. I just would like to think that I have particularly GOOD influences. lol
I really do hope that others will read their work and see what I'm talking about.
Good writing doesn't have to be found between the covers of a book,magazine,or newspaper and it doesn't have to be fawned over by critics either. So long as YOU like it and gain something from it that makes it good and isn't that ultimately what a writer wants? Is to have others understand and appreciate his words?
Maybe a paycheck too,but that's a different story.
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