Lewis Black on Writing and Blogs

[judeography]

I write. I wrote this.

[hanshotfirst1138]

@runly1 I personally wouldn't dismiss any specific discipline (someone who writes online, which is becoming more common, vs. someone who writes for a printed publication) so much as I'd judge the quality of a piece. I've read stuff in both mediums I thought was intelligent as well as things I thought were idiotic. It just depends on the quality of the piece. Mark Twain would be just as brilliant in a book as he was on a computer, and an idiot would be just as stupid in a newspaper.

[runly1]

You just typed something in response to a YouTube comment. Does that make you a "writer"? Tell me, what do you do for a living, via getting paid? How do you support your family? If I did what you do for a living for free, would you consider me a professional in your field? I'm assuming you gave a thumbs down to Lewis Black's video, because he supports my point.

[captainalbator]

20 years ago when you wrote something you had to submit it to a magazine, and an editor had to read it and if they thought it was good, then it would be deemed worthy to be published. Now the only person who has to think it's good, is the person who wrote it.

[runly1]

@captainalbator Exactly. Although still in the publishing world, you have to know somebody if you want to get paid. Just like in the music world. It sucks for the artist.

[Seej1982]

4 people are currently lined up to be punched by Lewis.

[nofxmike06]

Writing is just like any art/skill/career. Many profess it but few achieve success.

[mlrockrules]

Where was he performing?

[mongolenpup]

lol...what he sais about writing...it's true as it is weird...ever sit down and go: " Allright...lets go...lets write this fucking story..." ......absolutely nothing will happen...don't know how writers do it

[trinitymike]

@mongolenpup They do it by writing out the story without worrying about how it looks , then editing it.

[MisterBoneman]

blogs are writing for the unpaid.

It's fun, some people laugh (and THAT'S important)

Some bloggers GET paid.

But, this Lewis Black is so funny!

And, I would hope that the REAL information he was giving us is.

A writer writes.

You can watch Throw Mama From the Train a million times if you want, Finding Forester,...whatever.

You are a writer when you write.

[hawk8414]

Bloggers are not writers. they really aren't.

[MisterBoneman]

@hawk8414 Isaac Asimov has a blog.

now what? say HE isn't a writer?

better news than that.

You don't imagine people always give their real name when they blog, do you?

Heck... Could be that a LOT of writers have blogs.

Robert Ludlum does.

He's some kind of "writer" isn't he?

something recently on the theaters?

Three parts?

[hawk8414]

@MisterBoneman It's like they cheat to get noticed. Bloggers use blogs to get noticed, just website owners do to sell you something. But pour your guts,blood, sweat and tears into really sitting down and writing day after day, and then try to get published. NY publishers won't even so much as look at your manuscript without your first acquiring an agent. It goes into the slush pile. Here, on the web, anything and everything is made public.

[MisterBoneman]

@hawk8414 I started blogging to get my art into the public view. My paintings. All I've learned is there are three kinds of blogs (just like youtube channels) ONE a b'zillion hits a day blogs/channels TWO maybe a couple dozen hits a month THREE zero hits forever This is Lewis Black, a well known entertainer. He has 73,000 hits in three years. Talking Dogs? Three million hits a day. Talent? Sure it helps. But LUCK also helps. "A writer Writes" is all Black says here, but he says it funny.

[MisterBoneman]

@hawk8414 (Speaking of cheating...kind'a wonder why you didn't tell me I picked two dead people to use for an example...)

I figure some blog some don't, not a big deal.

I sure don't take my blogging seriously. Just a smart ass with a computer, that's me. But I like making people laugh, too. It's way better than dreaming about being a car muffler.

Which isn't all bad....

but I always wake up exhausted.

[hawk8414]

@MisterBoneman For some reason, this damn won't let me post. keeps giving me an error message.

[hawk8414]

Respond to this video... i tried giving out a link to another site,but it gives me an error message. pc of shit. lmao! i'll see if I can send you an email to your inbox.

[MisterBoneman]

@hawk8414 yes, sending links got nixed for some reason, however, if you go to my channel you can use "Send Message" and it accepts links.

(also patties, or, for that mater, meatless bacon, too. Not a bit picky)

[sm1else]

Sorry, Lew, but I disagree with you here. When I have to rely on bloggers for my news because "journalists" are too #$% lazy to check facts when reporting sensationalist bs, I have to conclude that bloggers are the lesser of two evils. By the way, if you ever took a swing at me I assure you it would be the last use of your motor function. Big fan, though.

[cohen5250]

@sm1else lol don't take it so seriously you moron. it's comedy. he most likely doesn't care enough about blogging to actually hate it, and he obviously wouldn't punch someone just for saying that they could be funny. in conclusion, you're an idiot.

[jackbentley708]

@sm1else if you want the facts, look at canadian and european news.

[LamonicBomb]

@sm1else nah, i'm sure Lew could kick yer ass. but if asserting your manood on the internet makes ya feel manly, you go right on ahead, blog-boy.

[STNeish]

My problem is that many people are calling themselves "Journalists" when they decidedly aren't, like Bill O'Reilly. Worse, these people are ACCEPTED as journalists.

[runly1]

@captnemo131, oh yes, I mean good journalists with honesty and integrity. I would never bash anyone in print. If I don't like 'em, I pass. =)

[deneco4]

as one writer to another...thats pretty much exactly how it goes.

[jrwilson98]

Blogging is entertainment, nothing more.

[davethehostage]

If churning out a couple of whiny paragraphs about your feelings towards American culture qualifies you as a "writer", then the ability to place peanut butter on toast qualifies me as an internationally respected chef.

[SenseiSlaughter666]

Awesome Bootleg Footage. Thanks for uploading!!

[SadlifeProduction]

@runly

some journalist aren't writers either

[azmanabdula]

money is money regardless of how you earn it......

just don't make others suffer and you will be set....

revenge is a whore......

[writertrump]

blogging is typing, not writing, the meaning of writting is using a penlike stick to paper

[thedudeabides2010]

"Maybe I should touch myself.." LMAO !!! Lew all the way !!!!

[thesharkchick]

If I didn't love him then, I want to marry him now...

[shadowsdie]

if he were to punch you in the face, you would have to fight off the strong urge to thank him

[Bladewing10]

Like it or not, bloggers are the closest thing this country has to credible journalists anymore.

[bennythelazy2]

is live journal blogging?

[LittlemissBlasphemy]

doesn't fuckcount to me, hehehe!! 

[runly1]

I agree, skydark. But if a paid journalist sucks, I blame the editor and/or publisher for hiring him. The quality of professional writing, like much else, has gone down the tubes.

[gunblade64]

Holy shit!

I've never seen this guy, but he totally rocks.

[xXKushkinXx]

uhhh... kill em haha

[wideningeye]

what the hell is a muskito? a miniature musket?

[Kaalec]

That is extremely, extremely funny.

[tsjakareira]

i hate muskitos

[timandsteph8488]

I think bloggers are the worst. They go on and on about nothing. At least youtubers leave rather short posts, that are usually topical....

[eoyourmom]

This one time I was blogging and then I deleted it because it was mindblowing. It was too good to blog. So I fired up a joint and preached it out to my friends who then told me to go to rehab. True story. Lots of laughes were had I can tell you.

[VideoGamer945]

what's blog short for? bio-log?

[mrovan]

Web log.

[bd593]

web log..

[guaranagrl]

rfol!!

[athagamor]

haha... amen

[runly1]

As a journalist for the past 20 years, it infuriates me when bloggers call themselves "writers". Try getting paid for your creativity. A nine-year-old can have a blaagh.

[acr08807]

Bloggers are almost as stupid as people who post comments on YouTube.

[runly1]

uh... and you just posted on youtube

[acr08807]

You're a regular Sherlock Holmes, aren't you, runly?

[Ozcrowley]

YEAH!!! ...hey... wait a minute...

[skydark]

@runly1 All that is true, except the idea conveyed that all journalists are good writers. Every once in a while you stumble on an article that is not only poorly constructed, but also manages to make all the wrong questions and arrive at ludicrous conclusions about the subject matter.

[runly1]

@skydark I agree

[alecsandros22]

@ Runly1 Hey, if you get angry with other people expressing their ideas on blogs (and some are paid with advertise on it), the problem seems to be with you. We must choose what is good and stick to it, no matter where it is published.

[bobbysnobby]

@runly1 It annoys me when people set in old ways talk about how everything was better back in whatever way they used to do it. Many bloggers do get payed and in my opinion a pay check is an utterly retarded bar for success, Herman Melvill didnt make jack when he was alive i don't think that makes him a worse writer. Our society has become so caught up in type casting it is absurd we paint in these huge brush strokes and really learn nothing about those included within each line of pant

[AnthonyDaFox]

@runly1 I Had A Blaagh Once, It was when i Had the Flu at age 7 XD

[YoungDaVinci91]

@runly1 I love how you re-invented the word. BLAAGH. BLAAGH. They ought to call themselves "bloggers" - when you call yourself a writer, you coma across as a smart person and you don't need to be smart to have a blaagh.

[YoungDaVinci91]

@YoungDaVinci91 Ooops, typo. *come (not coma)

[dramon231]

@runly1 love black but you couldn't be wrongerer any expression in this sense is writing and the resistance is absurd... blogging as we know it will refine itself in nature just like our current "formal" writing has so instead of denying the progress why not help to affect it.... I'm so tired of professionals and professors debating and enforcing the rules of a notion which was conceived in order to grow... how about the writers just try and keep up like the rest of us. u speld ur name wrong

[runly1]

@dramon231 wrongerer? speld? ur? Thanks for making my point even stronger.

[gv1955]

@runly1

Not being rude but where do you rate people who write fan fiction ?

Or short stories ?

[runly1]

@gv1955 I'm all for people writing all sorts of things if it's enjoyable, paid or not. My beef is when your paid profession (no matter what it is) winds up going to unpaid college interns or cheap help. It's irritating to see so many poorly-written articles full of typos and shoddy grammar, even in nice print magazines. These publications are not paying for quality. I'm sure we'd all like to be paid well for our skills.

[Malaka57]

@runly1 Bravo.... I've been a journalist for 25 years, same here. But I do have one of those blaaaghs to dump stuff that couldn't be sold, because editors no longer even answer their mail or they simply don't pay...

[MisterBoneman]

@runly1 a nine year old can have a blog, it's true. So" A nine year old can also have a gun. What's your point? Are you saying that a writer isn't a writer if he has a blog? Or are you saying YOU don't have a blog...let's make those who do feel stupid. Well, here's your own answer. If THAT is your intention, you are NO writer at all. You're lying to us right to our face, a "journalist for the past 20 years" . Black's statement is a writer writes. and A writer writes what people read.

[irishlad291]

@runly1 you sir, are a genius

[squamish4244]

@runly1 Well many blogs annoy the hell out of me because mostly they just complain but a lot of people write without ever trying to get their work published, just to express their creativity. Is that wrong? If they want to call themselves "writers", that's fine. They may never get paid for it, but if they don't care, it doesn't matter.

[trinitymike]

@runly1 A Writer writes.Period. If you have to express yourself via text on the page, you are a Writer. That is because you see the world through the eyes of a Writer, always filtering your experiences through how you would write about them. This bullshit about needing to get paid to call yourself a Writer is...well...bullshit.

[ReviewCam]

@runly1 same here. reporter for 13 years and I feel the same about bloggers

[ZachsMind]

I had surgery earlier this year to remove fatty tissue. They called it an umbilical hernia. It felt like my navel grew a golfball. So when Lewis Black said the word "Blog" makes him think of fatty tissue and pointed at his navel, I appreciated that on a level that people who have not recently had a surgeon digging around in their guts can't appreciate. He's absolutely right. I had a blog in my belly button, and it cost me a thousand dollars. With that said, I'm a blogger AND a writer. So fuck'm.

[Sanguiluna]

Calling blogging writing is like calling an editorial a news article.

[WAKeele]

YES!!! I feel so much more justified in my opinion on "blogs".

[dude7324]

I agree with Lewis. I write a blog but I don't go around telling everyone that I write. I blog. There IS a difference.

[comicfan1985]

Hate to break it to people, but "blogging" is not writing.

and THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ONLINE JOURNALISM!!

[MileyWilde]

You ignorant arse, people go to university to write online. Ever noticed that newspapers are online? Not everything in the physical publication is there, or vice versa. There are online websites that only produce online. Internet is a method of media. Retard. Stop hating people because youre an idiot.

[ToonCrafter]

"...nothing the fuck happens."

haha!

[acies37]

As a writer myself, yea, not a blogger an actual writer, this is so true.

[chronoman14]

"it goes blank"

lol, that is SO me, when I try to "think". 5/5

[Wryter1993]

Ditto Lewis! I write for a living and HATE hearing that. Blogs are NOT writing, that's opnion.  Writing difficult, selling even harder, keep selling....5 times harder.

[Fubieman]

His skit on water is hilarious

[stormchaser11]

I think I would be so blessed to be punched by Lewis Black...LOL!