Hate Relationship with Writers and theInternet

Talkin About a Revolution The Love/Hate Relationship with Writers and theInternet When the masses first realized the power and reach of the Internet, it was a bit like the fences being torn down at Woodstock. They werent very effective anyway, but once they were down, everyone, the dirty, the silly, the outrageous, and the dull stormed into the mudpit. In the days before the Internet, it was mighty hard to get published in any sense of the word.   Writers without the backing of a traditional media house had to resort to zines, vanity presses, or just weeping quietly over their Chai teas in sporadically attended coffee-house gatherings. All that would soon change. While there still may not be a lot of money out there for the majority of writers, there is coveted exposure.   Consider this. In 2003, there were 500,000 blogs on the Web. By 2004, there were 4 million. The latest statistics available reveal that by December of 2010, there were 152 million blogs. Some real writers were, and are, skeptical.   And with the dawning of social media such as Facebook, the chance for anyone who fancies himself a writer to post whatever and whenever the muse strikes them, only makes many of those authors roll their eyes even farther back into their heads. Consider the poem    The New Yorker   published this week by mega-star author Sherman Alexie: The Facebook Sonnet Welcome to the endless high school Reunion. Welcome to past friends And lovers, however kind or cruel. Lets undervalue and unmend The present. Why cant we pretend Every stage of life is the same? Lets exhume, resume, and extend Childhood. Lets all play the games That occupy the young. Let fame And shame intertwine. Let ones search For God become public domain. Let church.com become our church. Lets sign up, sign in, and confess Here at the altar of loneliness. While Alexies sonnet does not speak directly about the irritations many published authors feel about lesser known or obscure writers, the themes comes across as a bit cranky, and perhaps somewhat patronizing towards those who put their thoughts out there in written form for all to see. I have spoken to many authors who do not feel blogging is real writing (and granted, a lot of it is not, but some of it is).   And Facebook?. PLUUUEEEZE. The way I see it, the good writers will eventually win out and there is no harm in letting the poorer ones at least try to improve their skills.   Many of my friends are writers, and they regularly post their poems, essays, or just general witticisms on Facebook.   The feedback I personally get is invaluable, and I enjoy being able to be exposed to the thoughts of my friend and colleagues, as well as helping them in return by way of comment, support, or constructive criticism. While writers like Alexie may poo-poo the common man and his attempt at communicating, other writers are more accepting. I was surprised when I asked some very famous authors like Marge Piercy to friend me (not just become a fan of her page) and she accepted, as did Albert Brooks and Lewis Black. Now, I cant know if they personally ever view their Facebook pages, but they might and who knows? Im one of the 152 million vying for a spot at the table in Olympus.