Sunday, March 22, 2009

Twilight, Mujournlumns, and Steve McQueen



The Twilight Phenomenon

What is the deal with Twilight? I just kicked my kids out of the house. Three of my daughters and two of the neighborhood girls, aged five to ten, sat in my living room watching Twilight six times in a row. I told them it was time to do something productive, to go play in the street.

I watched Twilight, even read the book, just to see what the hubbub was all about. It was a good book. I thought the movie was better.

The girls and I picked up the Twilight CD at Target yesterday. The girl at the register said they had to restock the shelves four times in six hours, that she’d never seen a movie move like this one.

When I asked my daughters if they thought it was a little creepy for a hundred year old vampire to date a sixteen year-old girl, they looked at me like I was out of my mind. What do I know? I don’t get it, but I’m thinking the next story I write should have something to do with teenaged vampires.

Why Blog?
The question continues to cross my mind. Why am I blogging? First of all, I tell myself, at least I’m not twittering?

I’m thinking of going to the kitchen to get some pretzels.
I’m eating pretzels.
A glass of milk might go well with the pretzels.

Why am I blogging? It’s a legitimate question.Is it worthy use of my time? After giving it some thought, I came up with three good reasons to blog:

1. Audience Development. I have received almost 1,500 hits in a little less than three months. I’m not exactly Stephen King, but I do have an audience.

2. Networking. I am communicating with other writers; writers like Bluesfrau in Germany, Bulshee in India, Guely in Sweeden, Bryan Frank, Curtis Kessinger, and Keith Boyd in L.A. , Rick Rivers in Northern California, David C. in Indiana, Wenbren in New Mexico, and James West a couple of miles down the road here in Arizona.

3. Mujournlumns . I’m still not sure how to define my blog. A collection of musings? A journal? A column? Maybe it’s a mujournlum. Whatever my blog is, it compels me to write. I’m a writer in the process of becoming a better writer and this blog of mujourlumns seems to facilitate that process.

Steve McQueen

Once again, today's blog has absolutely nothing to do with Steve McQeen.


Writing Report

Today marks the end of my spring writing push. It was a successful two weeks. My third book, The Really Weird Science Guys is off to a solid start at 22,489 words and114 pages.


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Here's my take on the Twilight phenomenon. The psychological principle of social proof states we determine what is correct by finding out what other people think is correct. Teenagers among their peers (but definitely not among their parents of course) conform strongly to what social proof tells them is correct. Any good marketer will tell you that when you reach a certain critical mass of perceived acceptance - YOU GET RICH! Other beneficiaries of this phenomenon include J.K. Rowling, *NSYNC, Vanilla Ice, etc.

Truth be told, I'm just trying to justify why I had a mullet in the 1980s.

Blues said...

I think that the internet offers a lot of very talented people the chance to develop "officially" without the gripping need of some financial business pushing them in the background "to be someone".
The net is a great institution - it has allowed me to get to know some of my closest friends whom I was lucky to, over the years, develope a profound and close bond with. We have been visiting during these years, and it's not at all a "virtual world". The net is a means to connect that which may remain hidden otherwise.
I see it much like you describe it here.

Blues said...

Oh - and congrats on your spring writing spree! It can't but feel good!!

Bullshee said...

I was a bit stupid today. i actually googled "Mujournlumns" before I discovered the word play!

Blogging has always been a great channel for writers-to-be to introduce their material and writing style.

Even in India, there are successful bloggers who went on to be writers and even editors of newspapers and magazines. Heavy stuff!

#167 Dad said...

Clif the Lawyer,
Do you think Steve McQueen fans could be the critical mass I'm looking for. I could write a Steve McQuuen vampire story...

#167 Dad said...

Bluesfrau,
I appreciate coresponding with talented artists like you.

#167 Dad said...

Bulshee,
Funny stuff.
And the internet phenomenon is mind blowing. Traditional publishing has been turned upside down.