Some Just Never Get It
Before I get into this blog, I must bring those who might be reading this at this time up to speed. A while back I wrote on a set of tidbits in this blog. Someone chose to make a comment. Here is the problem. The comment was not on the tidbits I had included in my blog but a personal attack against me as a writer. I chose to delete it from the blog but mind you, I did keep the comment in my personal file of responses.
Now, today I get another response from the same individual who by the way, refuses to list his or her name, and it is again an attack on me for deleting the first comment. I feel compelled to explain to this so called mature individual who may or may not be a writer that comments are to be made on the subject matter in the blog, not your personal thoughts on if someone is a good writer.
Another thing, let me remind you what a blog is and what it is for. A blog is nothing more than what one could call a journal or diary. Its purpose is to give people an outlet to share their personal thoughts with others. There are no wrong or right opinions to what is written in a personal blog. If I and others wrote blogs for businesses, it would be different but individual blogs are personal and no more. Hence, my blog’s title is “View Points,” not “Am I a Good Writer?”
I can now go on and explain to the gutless, immature, child who claims he or she knows about me and my writing based on one book he or she claims was read but provided no proof. First, if I am such a lousy writer, why do you keep going to my blog? Second, if I can’t write, why has my work been published in, oh let me see, the national magazine Writer’s Digest and the local one titled Strut. Not only that, I am a regular writer to engineers and IT professionals with Equal Opportunities Publications, Inc. going into my third year with cover pieces in Workforce Diversity and African American Career World. Third, my lack of writing skills has garnered me the publication of essays included in two anthologies to be released in April and July. They are, Gumbo for the Soul and Chicken Soup for the Soul, respectively.
If that isn’t enough, now college professors at the University of Michigan-Dearborn are sending their students to me to assist them with writing a proper paper to be turned in. I asked them why not send them to the writing center at the university and was told, they have lousy helpers there that do not teach the students correctly. Also, maybe you can tell me why I was called upon by South Lyon Recreational Center, Novi Continuing Education, and Macomb Community College to do workshops on freelance writing. By the way, all I have mentioned, I get paid to do.
With that said, all I can say to you the anonymous commentator, have the guts to sign your name if you wish for me to keep it listed at my blog. Keep your comments on the subject in the blog, not your personal opinions of me. State what you agreed with or not agreed on. It isn’t important if we agree or disagree but it is respectful to know who one is addressing. You know my name but I don’t know yours. Anonymous is not a name and anyone who can stand by their thoughts would never be afraid to list their name. Besides, I might not be the only one who would like to talk to you.
Let this be the last time we go through this. I don’t know about your time but mine is precious and cannot be wasted on junk.
Now, today I get another response from the same individual who by the way, refuses to list his or her name, and it is again an attack on me for deleting the first comment. I feel compelled to explain to this so called mature individual who may or may not be a writer that comments are to be made on the subject matter in the blog, not your personal thoughts on if someone is a good writer.
Another thing, let me remind you what a blog is and what it is for. A blog is nothing more than what one could call a journal or diary. Its purpose is to give people an outlet to share their personal thoughts with others. There are no wrong or right opinions to what is written in a personal blog. If I and others wrote blogs for businesses, it would be different but individual blogs are personal and no more. Hence, my blog’s title is “View Points,” not “Am I a Good Writer?”
I can now go on and explain to the gutless, immature, child who claims he or she knows about me and my writing based on one book he or she claims was read but provided no proof. First, if I am such a lousy writer, why do you keep going to my blog? Second, if I can’t write, why has my work been published in, oh let me see, the national magazine Writer’s Digest and the local one titled Strut. Not only that, I am a regular writer to engineers and IT professionals with Equal Opportunities Publications, Inc. going into my third year with cover pieces in Workforce Diversity and African American Career World. Third, my lack of writing skills has garnered me the publication of essays included in two anthologies to be released in April and July. They are, Gumbo for the Soul and Chicken Soup for the Soul, respectively.
If that isn’t enough, now college professors at the University of Michigan-Dearborn are sending their students to me to assist them with writing a proper paper to be turned in. I asked them why not send them to the writing center at the university and was told, they have lousy helpers there that do not teach the students correctly. Also, maybe you can tell me why I was called upon by South Lyon Recreational Center, Novi Continuing Education, and Macomb Community College to do workshops on freelance writing. By the way, all I have mentioned, I get paid to do.
With that said, all I can say to you the anonymous commentator, have the guts to sign your name if you wish for me to keep it listed at my blog. Keep your comments on the subject in the blog, not your personal opinions of me. State what you agreed with or not agreed on. It isn’t important if we agree or disagree but it is respectful to know who one is addressing. You know my name but I don’t know yours. Anonymous is not a name and anyone who can stand by their thoughts would never be afraid to list their name. Besides, I might not be the only one who would like to talk to you.
Let this be the last time we go through this. I don’t know about your time but mine is precious and cannot be wasted on junk.
posted by Sylvia McClain at 8:57 AM
6 Comments:
My name is Soad and if you were writing for your pleasure alone, I would take no issue with your lack of talent. You, however, pass yourself off as a professional, conning the gullible out of their money only to have you impart to them such gems as "For research, try google.com." Now that's scholarship.
The publications you mentioned are of two sorts. Some are takers of all submissions and others bottom-of-the-barrel publications desperate enough to accept whatever writing is submitted.
So far as your submissions to "diversity" publications, I'd venture a guess that you trade on your status as a black woman to keep that going, rather than your writing skills, such as they are.
And while you did an enthusiastic job of showing off your fourth-rate credentials, perhaps you can tell your readers why your column in the local paper was dropped? A little bird has whispered that it was due to your lack of skill and your overbearing demeanor.
You might also have noticed that it's become more difficult to even get your tripe published in the local freebies. Well, Sylvia, that's because you actually have been published often enough for local editors and publishers to be familiar with your work. Your reputation as a writer precedes you and they want none of the trash you turn out.
I may sound a little harsh now, but with my previous post I was merely trying to give you some good advice. The kind of advice others have tried to give you, until you started screaming "racism." Get used to it. Writers need criticism and, given your abysmal lack of talent, you're going to get plenty.
So far as my credentials are concerned, I was a teacher of English as a second language and English as a foreign language for five years. I have been published around the world. I submitted work to publications in three languages. I worked as a reporter at a 30 thousand-plus daily for nine years before being promoted to assistant metro editor. So yes, I know what I'm doing. And since you asked, the reason I visit your blog is because there is more than enough bad writing in the world without your efforts to inflict even more upon it and I want to warn all comers to not be taken in by your fake "credentials."
Being published doesn't make you good. Following the conventions of our language, striving to become better (which means accepting criticism)and inherent talent make you good. This and the fact that you are a thoroughly unpleasant person bring me back, if only to warn others. You seem to believe, Sylvia, that it is your right to be published and that anyone who disagrees is either racist,sexist, or both. Well, that's hardly ever the case. The fact is, your poor writing and the attitude you carry that says "the world owes me" are your biggest obstacles.
So if Soad is so accomplished, why is he or she posting on your blog? Why "waste" his or her precious time on someone with less "talent". Why did he or she fail to go into detail about how they define talent? Sounds like someone had a bad day :D
Because talent and skill are based largely on opinion, I don't think those alone would be enough for anyone to pursue something. To me, caring about and enjoying what you do is far more important.
LOL. Sylvia couldn't get anyone to respond, so had to do it herself.
PS
Soad is a woman's name.
Ayah and the other anonymous commenter, thank you for seeing what I see, a point of view that was not attack.
Perhaps you misunderstood. It's all too obvious, Sylvia, that since no one cared to try to refute Soad's comment, that you yourself responded "anonymously." Or maybe it's just a coincidence that the comment went unnoticed for weeks and weeks until the very same day you began to post again.
Coincidence. Right.
The Internet is a cruel Place Sylvia. Try not to take it to heart. I'm not a judge of Sylvia's writing, but I can speak for experience on her character. I was a young little white boy and a friend of her son's 20 years ago, back when Sylvia was just a single mother doing what she could to care for her son and to get by. To say she is racist is a little unfair as she was more than kind to me in all the years that I slept over with her son and did the innocent child things.
Even if her writing isn't up to some level of expectation that some would hold her to, I don't believe it fair to treat her as you do Soad. It's a little sad.
Remember, writers write to a specific audience and I'd like to believe that her audience appreciates the stern voice of a proud black woman.
Sylvia, try to take what you can from comments as these, and turn your back to the hurtful things. Change what you need to, ignore the rest.
Post a Comment
<< Home