Battleground of Authors:
There are three type Authors we talk about on this site.
1) A Published Author. One who has been published by a standard publisher.
2) Those who have taken the easy way and call themselves published authors. Vanity, pod, or the side of a demster
dumpster.
3) Mazzikin's. Mazzikin's are the one's who don't like standard published authors and throw stones.
At Zooty and Flappers, we consider those who can join the American Society of Journalist and Authors; ASJA as Published Authors.
If there are mazzikin's who do not share our view, that is okay. Since they have decided to attack my dog ruff, I've been thinking about taking her paw print and publishing it. Then she too can be a published author. "Ruff,Ruff. |
The Mazzikin
I think everyone at some point in their life, has taken pen in hand and wrote their feelings down. Some keep their thoughts buried away in a secret diary. We have all seen others who burst their feelings forth on walls of buildings, passing trains, trucks, freeway over-passes etc.
There was once a young German soldier, frustrated that his country was forced to surrender. The war devastated his homeland, and he like many others, looked for someone to blame. He knew he was not at fault. He had fought bravely under fire. Not once, but many times. They called him a hero, and had given him the Iron Cross. There was little work to be had for him and those like him, so the young man turned to painting to express the anger he felt. Rejected by Museums and Artist, he joined a group of others who shared his feelings. Together, they fired each others anger. In the beginning, they were as the gangs we see today. Angry, and armed. His actions soon came to the attention of the authorities. For crimes against the State, he was sent to prison. The young man took the long endless days to express his most inner feelings. He wrote a book, and became a famous writer.
The Name of his book was, "Mien Karpf." The writers? "Adolf Hitler."
We can still find others who's entangling emotions show in their writing.
Three writers come to mind. Ernest Hemingway, J.D. Salinger and Sylvia Plath.
Hemingway: His deep rooted problems found an outlet in writing. The man had a great talent. Who hasn't read, "The old man and the sea." His problems never went away, for in 1961 he put a shotgun in his mouth and committed suicide.
Salanger. Now here was talent. Author of "The Catcher in the Rye." He never did get over his many neuroses.
Sylvia Plath. I think I like her writing the most. No one could have written "The Bell jar," but her. Only thing that stuck her foot in the mud, and held her back from going on, was a very bad breakdown.
One thing for sure, writing may slow a persons problems down, but it never seems to remove them.
Today we have the inner-net. A platform for millions who find a need to express their emotional wounds. A few have a talent for writing, most do not. Yes, one can join a writing class, take a home study course, or just read up on the subject. I do believe just about anyone can learn to write. The only thing one cannot learn, in school, home study, or by reading in a book, is "Talent."
That's akin to someone who want to learn how to sing. True, they can learn to sing, but if they don't have talent, they should confine their singing to the shower, or church.
Standing on the edge of the writing world, is where one finds the "Mazzikin's." That's Hebrew for harmer. Unable to enter the real world of Published Writers, they position themselves on the paths leading to the Publishing World. It is here, they take the new writer aside, and whisper their view of the truth into their ear.
Case in point; Jean Lauzier, co-founder of Storycrafters, a chat room for new writers. It is here her reason for writing comes to light. There is a true saying amongst writers, "You cant hide who you are when you write.
Jean lives in Texas with her three children and husband, who is a Baptist preacher.
Once asked, "How long have you been a writer?" She replied, "I first started writing as a means to deal with the emotions of turbulent years."
Jean was the daughter of a military family. That's hard on a young girl, moving from base to base, never feeling like your roots ever take hold. The major devastation came when her parents divorced. it wasn't her fault, she had been a good daughter. Hurt and anger are sometimes hard for young people to deal with. Those are pains that never seem to go away. Some kids get into trouble when they express anger over a hurt. It's a very emotional, critical time for teens. Folks understand, and can pass over the things they do wrong. But as the troubled teen becomes an adult, they are expected to control their anger, and not use it to harm others. if they do, they are held responsible. Some try to rebuild and change their past by positioning themselves in a parallel situation. I can't say Jean Lauzier was doing that when she married a military man.
What sparked her to go public with her writing? And what direction did it take?
She said she read an article in a magazine. Angered, she wrote a letter to the editor, giving a rebuttal. Her letter along with those of several other people was printed. She had slapped someone down in print! How did that make her feel? In her own words, "I think I slept with that issue under my pillow for a month."
She went on to write some short stories etc. Sent a manuscript which was rejected by Standard Publishers.
Rejection may have uncovered embers of deep rooted emotions. Anger is a hard issue to overcome. Many, cannot except rejection by the Publishing World. Jean would find her own platform. She started her own Ezine (inner-net magazine) somewhat like a blog. There are a billion ezines on the net. It is a soap box anyone can start, and spout off in. It even makes some feel like real writers.
Her next venture, was to join the Long Story, Short Story School of Writing, as an instructor.To date, she claims she never taught there.
Many still write as a way of working through problems, sometimes they live the problem out in real life.
Once Jean Lauzier was asked, "Where do you get your ideas from? Life or your imagination?" her reply? "An oak tree in my front yard inspired a hanging story."
Hmmm? The wife of a preacher looks at a beautiful oak tree, and sees someone hanging there?
I met Jean in her chat room. She rules with an iron hand. What are the rules? She can say what she wants about members. What does she do if they respond? Simple. She will close the thread to all rebuttal, and if that don't work, she will shut one out of the room.
Zooty and Flappers was formed in December of 2007. To date, the site is still being built, and is not ready for business.
Ms Lauzier does not like my view as to who is and who is not a Published Author.She wrote a rebuttal in her chat room, and made every effort to discourage writers from attempting to place their work on this site.She shouted from her platform, "Spread the word, warn the world, this guy Domenic Pappalardo is harming writers."
Hmmm? Well, in my opinion, Jean Lauzier is a Mazzikin. She says, "Writers don't have to be published by a standard publisher to be a published author." To me, that is drawing them away from the dream she could not have.
Am I angry over her spouting? Naw. I just don't like bumping up against her type.
I am willing to help?... Ms Lauzier, if you want to find out if you have talent, and prove the Standard Publishers wrong, put some of your work on Zooty and Flappers. Let the reading public judge it. After all, that is the true test, now isn't it?
Hmmm? Sorry, I forgot, you did ask me, "An just what is their (readers)qualifications to rate a book?"
Like I said my dear, "If readers don't like em, they don't buy em."
To be Cont;
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Jean Lauzier-Mazzikin
Hmmm? I thought there was only one Mazzikin in that hole! Seems she rounded up some other little krit's for her Blitz. Followed the thread. It keeps leading back to a pod and writing school? Did I stumble onto something girls? Come on kids, tell me you're not getting paid to send new writers to a writing school, and a pod? Tell me you're not leading them away from the dream of being published by a Standard Publisher just for a few bucks. Tell me this isen't what I'm seeing. Tell me I got hit over the head by a coke bottle Madona threw out her private jet. Come on Mazzikins, tell me you're playing the game fair with these new writers. Come on, tickle my ear. |
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