It’s finally happened. I swore it never would. I’m not that kind of a girl, I told myself fiercely, and my reasons for holding out were good. By nature, I’m a private person. Opinionated, sure, though more comfortable doing the opining over dinner and a glass of wine or two, with friends and family. But with the world? On a weblog? I thought not.
Then there was the technology aspect. I have to admit it — it’s not so much that I’m a technophobe (which I am; I wouldn’t know an iPad from a smartphone, a text from a tweet), but that I truly loathe the way devices have replaced personal human interaction. You cannot make your way down a city street without weaving and dodging through pedestrians gazing downward at their little screens, typing with their thumbs, oblivious to their surroundings, be it a soft and perfect summer day or an oncoming bike messenger at 35 mph. That’s not me, I’m not that girl!
Vic, Charlie Smoke, Stephanie
In March of 2009 my partner and I had the wonderful opportunity to screen our film, RANDOM LUNACY: videos from the road less traveled, as part of the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers. We were to barrel through the American south, barely pausing for a change of clothes and a shower, covering eight states and ten cities in twelve days. All expenses paid, a stipend for our time, and a priceless experience. We were asked little other than to show up, preferably on schedule, do a Q & A, and — uh-oh! — to blog about the trip. I was horrified. At one point, since neither of us were tech-ed up, the possibility arose that I, the typist of the two, would be forced to not only BLOG, but to do so on some sort of hand-held device.
Fortunately, that didn’t happen. In the rare moments we had to catch our breath, we did capture this journey of a lifetime, if not on actual paper, then on our trusty new laptop. And it was fun, for the most part. Here’s a link to that blog, “THE ROAD LESS TRAVELED,” posted by Vic and Stephanie. http://southerncircuit.blogspot.com/2009/03/road-less-traveled.html To view our complete list of blog posts on the Southern Circuit site, click on this link: http://southerncircuit.blogspot.com/search/label/Stephanie%20Silber
So, I am not in fact a weblog virgin. And, I daresay I learned something from my First Time, as most of us do, and I expect to again. What finally pushed me over the edge to enter the blogosphere a second time? I’ve written a second novel. I’m keen to publish it. It’s a process, a long one, an arduous one. Steely determination required, along with faithful belief in the work. I’d like to share the process as I continue to seek representation, my current Plan A. Additionally, I’d like to comment on the artistic process in general when the muse is upon me — not just my own, but the whole often unhappy dissimilar family of people who are compelled to make art, and on the art they make.