Blogocentric Formulations

Writing.Com & Seinfeld

PROMPT: There are many new, fantastic changes happening around WDC. What thrills you about the community we call Writing.com? On a broader note, what does Writing.com mean to you? How would you "sell" a community like ours to a writer friend of yours who is looking for a good writing site?


While I could easily point out a hundred different technical achievements by The StoryMaster or artistic accomplishments by The StoryMistress , it would be impossible to point to any one feature and say, "This is what makes Writing.Com great." Instead, I think it's the larger picture and the fact that there are so many of these great features that makes Writing.Com a thrilling place to be. SM and SMs do an unbelievable job of not just coming up with these exciting new features but also unveiling them at just the right time to keep the community interested and engaged. WdC wouldn't be nearly as amazing as it is if it were stagnant and satisfied with merely managing the features we already have without creating new ones.

Whenever someone asks me about Writing.Com, I always "sell" it as a home for writers. It's not just some place you go to pass the time... it's a place where you can feel welcome and encouraged and inspired to interact with other writers and readers. I often pitch the site as an outlet for people who are either frustrated with their efforts or in need of creative inspiration, often pointing out that there are a multitude of contests, activities, items to read, etc. and pretty much everyone can find something that will satisfy their needs, even if that need is just a break from the isolation and loneliness of writing, and commiserating with other writers going through the same struggles.

In terms of what it means to me, Writing.Com is two things: refuge and salvation. I found the site at a time in my life where I doubted my abilities as a writer and wondered if I really had what it takes to make my living from my words (I still worry about that sometimes. ). WdC, once I began participating in earnest, became a place where I could write stories and hone my craft in a safe environment filled with supportive people who encouraged my writing, gave me feedback, and let me stretch my wings. I wouldn't be the writer I am today if it weren't for those formative years on WdC churning out short stories and contest entries galore.

And even today the site continues to be a refuge for me. My chosen writing specialty of screenwriting is a very, very tough industry. Not just in how difficult it is to break in, but also how difficult it is to stay in and actually get something made. Motion pictures are a group effort, and the screenwriting process is often a frustrating one where you're getting lots of notes, instructions, feedback, suggestions, demands, and commands - some of which even contradict - and you can sometimes feel like banging your head against the wall in despair because all you want to do is write the best script you can and everything seems to get in the way. When I have those desperate moments where I doubt why I'm even trying to do this for a living at all, I can retreat into the safety and security of WdC, where I can write what I want to write and can rediscover my passion for the craft of writing.

Writing.Com manages to be - at the same time - dynamic and a safe haven. It's the perfect blend and reason enough why any writer who isn't a complete recluse would be lucky to be a member here.

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PROMPT: Write about an extremely popular movie or television show that you just can't get into. Why is it a miss for you?

SEINFELD
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098904/

When I tell people that Seinfeld is a show I just don't enjoy, I get a lot of dropped jaws and "Whaaat???"s. I know it was a monster hit (both commercially and critically) and quite a few people cite it as their pick for favorite or best television show of all time. And while I admit there are certainly very funny episodes that I've seen... by and large I just don't think the show is that funny. I never really connected with any of the characters. I agree with people who refer to it as a "show about nothing," but I'm not one of the people who thinks that's a good thing.

I even looked through several lists of "Best Seinfeld Moments" to try and find a clip or something for this blog post. I didn't find a single clip or scene that I found funny. And believe me, I looked for a good long while. I've tried watching the show half a dozen times or more over the years (usually after someone insists that I give it another try), and it's never clicked for me. I've probably seen about half of the 180 episodes of its entire run at this point and I can't recall enjoying more than a handful of them.

So yeah, SEINFELD is the immensely popular show that's just never quite clicked for me. Even as someone who loves inside jokes and creative approaches to different episodes. This show has everything I love about it in spades... except for characters that I cared about and situations that I thought were funny. Oh well.