I just finished reading the book, Julie & Julia, and I'm so jealous of its author that I feel like giving up writing forever. You'd think I would find her story inspiring. She started out with a blog, I have a blog. She's funny, I'm funny. She came up with an unusual subject for her blog- to cook her way through Mastering the Art of French Cooking in a year and I...well, there it is. I don't have any unusual ideas.
I considered working my way through The Bartender's Bible: 1001 Mixed Drinks in a year and blogging about it, but I'm not sure they'd let me blog in rehab, where I expect I'd wind up.
Julie Powell started with a blog, which became a book, which became a movie starring Meryl Freakin' Streep! (Julie wouldn't have said "freakin'", by the way.) Granted, Julie is smarter than I am and has a husband who tolerated a messy house while she worked on her project. My husband would divorce me before he'd tolerate a messy house. Seriously.
*sigh* I don't expect, or even need, that kind of success. But i would like to be able to entertain readers on a regular basis and make a little money at it, too. I used to do that, you know. Friends and family stop telling you to get off the computer when your writing generates cash. If all you do is write on a blog they tend to shake their heads and worry about you.
Yeah, I slipped in a little dig. That's how Julie's book is making me feel today. Bitter. And a little hungry.
12 comments:
Hmm, well, I am glad you sort of enjoyed the book, LOL! I feel the same way though. I am still looking for my own voice and my own special "hook" for my blog too... and a book deal would be sweet, LOL!! But I am not holding my breath.
Hey, Jen! I really did enjoy the book. She's a great writer. I thought about you, with your fine cooking blog and entertaining writing style. Newspapers are dying, so the internet is the way to go. But how to get paid to write online? I haven't figured it out yet. If I do, I'll let you know!
Hey Caryl,
I think you write beautifully. Just wait until you see what I am sending you in the mail this week.
no hints....LOL....I am such a tease.
I have to tell you that your time will come to "shine" when you least expect it.(not that you haven't shined in the past) Example. I have not written a poem or song since my brothers 1st marriage and that was decades ago. He just celebrated 25 years with his 2nd wife Kathy...anyway....I just started writing again. I am into Christian songs. My pastor has the words from one that I wrote after a sermon of his and wants me to get up with the Worship Pastor and sing it at a service sometime. It is like my brain opened up a place for this "gift" to "shine" again.
Don't ever stop and don't ever give up on this wonderful gift that God has blessed you with. Carry on, carry on. Peace out Kathy
It always surprises me when someone I think is so freakin talented, puts herself down. As far as the clean house goes, tell your husband that "Dull women have immaculate homes."
I have to give my friend, Jenny (I'm the only one who calls her Jenny and I'm still not sure she likes it!) props for sending me the book, Julie and Julia.
I won it at her blog in a photo caption writing contest. Here's my winning entry:
http://breadandputter.wordpress.com/2009/10/14/winner/
Check out the rest of her blog, she's a great cook and quite funny, I might add.
(Could I be any gayer with that avi?)
Hi, Caryl...I'm sitting here at the Fredericksburg Trade Days bored and started catching up on my emails. I love to share inspiring information and it sounds like you need some inspiration. Since I'm in retail it is very easy to feel beaten down, especially with the economist being pessimistic and spreading the dreadful disease. I just read one of Jeffery Gitomer's Sales Caffeine and thought about you needing some caffeine to get your thoughts jump started. I try to read his email newsletter every week to keep me jazzed up. After reading this issue and as much as I’ve not wanting to do it, I’ve decided to start Tweeting on my website. The issue has also given me ideas of what I want to tweet about. Here is his link: gitomer@salescaffeine.com
Good luck and I hope this helps.
P.S. I’ve known you for a very long time, and girlfriend you’ve got talent! Keep us laughing!
Awww, thanks Caryl!! You are a great writer and funny too, and I don't mind you calling me Jenny. My husband calls me that on rare occasions, like with a Forrest Gump voice saying, "Me 'n' Jenny were just like peas 'n' carrots!"
Okay, Julie and Julia was good, but she just happened into that. Sorry I don't have any strangely inspirational stuff lying around (lke Julie's Mother's old cookbook.) But you have your own style and talent and when you don't wrtie for awhile, people start asking me, "Isn't Caryl writing anymore?" so you know they read you and they miss you if you have a dry spell. Keep ging and that book of yours will appear.
Love, Mom
Hi Caryl - I'm in Copenhagen, Denmark, reading your blog (found it through a link on the Itsallgrey blog). I just wanted to say that I really enjoy your writing. And that out of all the comments on Itsallgrey (and the zillions of comments on other Taylor sites), yours always stand out - they are funny, poignant and just really well written.
I try to find time to write too (in my own language, of course), and know that it's really hard. Virginia Woolf wrote about how women needed "a room of one's own". We should be able to claim that room now almost a hundred years later..Good luck!
anonymous, it means so much to me that you left that comment. Sometimes I feel bad that I post at iag at all, because the comments can become pretty juvenile. But then I think that someone has to show the other side, or bring some sanity. *shrug*
Truth is, I'm leaving the online fandom next week. I'm posting one last blog on "Taylor Tuesday" and then I have to move on. I'll still work on this blog and try to get a paying gig somewhere.
Thanks again!
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