And so it begins…

Why a blog?

There are already quite a few out there.  There are blogs, but then there are websites about blogs, experts on blogs, providers of blogging domains and templates…in fact, if you Google the word “blog,” you’ll get nearly 13 BILLION results in just .17 seconds.  It’s a big, blogoshperical world out there, with blogs on every topic, every interest, every bit of minutiae known to humankind.

And here’s little ol’ me.  With the myriad of blogs already dedicated to writing, poetry, and radio & advertising, what could I possibly add??

I thought about this for quite awhile.

I’ve been writing ‘stuff’ nearly all my life.  When I was a child, my father introduced me to some of the classic radio programs of the Golden Age, like “Lux Radio Theatre,” “Fibber McGee & Molly,” and “The Shadow.”  At barely 10 years old, I became a fan of entertainer/comedy writer/satirist/advertising mad man Stan Freberg and the voicework of his cohorts, Daws Butler and June Foray.

All of this, along with my love of reading, got me started writing short stories and skits that I would record onto dad’s old Panasonic cassette recorder, sound effects and all.   I suppose it was only natural that I’d eventually fall in love with live theatre and acting.

And now here I am today.  I’ve spent 25+ years writing, voicing, and producing radio commercials, on-hold messages, and other voiceover projects.  I’ve shown up on-camera a few times as well, in corporate videos.  And ever since I discovered iambic pentameter in my 9th grade English class (thank you, Ms. Jencks!), I’ve been writing poetry.

I feel I have a unique perspective on children’s poetry, having devoted so much time doing radio production and voiceover work.  The two are not entirely disparate subjects, really. Both need to draw the listener or reader into the message or story, both need to keep the listener or reader interested by telling a compelling message in a compelling way, and each needs to provide a payoff – whether that’s a solution to a problem with a call to action (in the case of the advertisement), or a satisfying ending to a poem that is neither contrived nor cliche.

And as the father of three, I have a near-endless stream of inspiration for said poetry.

The way I envision it, I’ll post new entries at least twice a week, probably on Tuesdays and Fridays; some days will be dedicated to radio advertising and sales, some days will focus on creative writing, specifically children’s poetry.  I especially hope to support Poetry Friday  and all the poets and readers that enjoy it so much.

So I thought it was about time to get this blog up and running.  If all goes according to plan, you’ll find jewels of wisdom, humour and insight in every post, and won’t be able to wait to share it, link it, and tweet it with everyone you know.

Or, at the very least, you’ll come back in a month or two and see if anything’s improved.

What can I possibly add to what’s already out there?

I guess that remains to be seen!