This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: [GWL]: The decline of garden writing

At 09:33 AM 12/17/2001 -0500, you wrote:
>Jeff:
>
>If garden writers and garden writing has become boring than indeed we do 
>need controversy.

Well, US garden publishing is not likely to take you up on this. I well 
remember when one of my editors told me I had the first amendment 
constitutional right to write anything I wanted to but his publisher (who 
was annoyed at the topic of the column) had reminded him that their 
advertisers had the same right *not* to put advertising in any publication 
they disagreed with. He said he would defend my right to write what I 
wanted to but his publisher would defend her right to run her 
business.  The message was clear.

If there was a magazine who wanted to re-create those glorious early days 
of garden publishing complete with controversy and debate about the science 
and wisdom of gardening, I would be the first to apply for the editor's or 
columnist's job.  I would want to be in the middle of that wonderful 
dogfight - orchestrating articles and letters to the editor to create a 
magazine of substance as well as style and useful information. The energy 
would be delightful if a tad syncretic.   Publishers please note - I'm 
available.:-)

However...

Bland does not lead to litigation nor to advertisers bailing off the 
ship.  I could insert a rant here about the US legal system but I'll pass. 
You guys can write it.

>  One thing that was pointed out to me many years ago when you and I were 
> just new members of GWAA was that garden writers don't know their 
> horticulture.

<insert rant here>  You're being polite of course.  Even after running a 
nursery for 23 years, I still find there's too many things I don't know 
about the basics of horticulture and trying to keep up with modern science 
and development in hort and ag science is a full-time occupation.  Taxonomy 
is my own achilles heel (damn! - is that a subclass or a family?):-)  What 
other people do is not my business but let me simply say that I share your 
opinion.  <end rant here>

 >  The other thing that I remember and it too still seems to be true...is 
that some of the best gardens writers in this country have simply abandoned 
GWAA.

Well, that may or may not have anything to do with the state of garden 
writing. IMHO, GWAA has little that is exclusive to offer full time writers 
other than the chance to network.  I suspect that the really good writers 
move onto other areas of writing because garden publications pay so poorly 
in comparison to other major publications.

Doug
Douglas Green,
Freelance writing: You've got a story to tell - I can write it.
http://www.simplegiftsfarm.com/clips/clipmaster.htm
Tell your friends - a free gardening newsletter at http://www.gardenbrew.com

============================================================
ATTENTION Email Publishers! More professional email 
publishing is just a click away. Email targeting and
scheduling. Real-time reporting. Subscriber demographics.
HTML and AOL delivers. And more! Click now to try it FREE
for 60 days!
http://click.topica.com/caaaeQ0bUrGSSbVSZwBf/TopicaEmailPublisher
============================================================

Pass the word to garden writers, editors publishers, horticultural businesses about our list.

==^================================================================
This email was sent to: topica.com@spamfodder.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrGSS.bVSZwB
Or send an email to: Gardenwriters-unsubscribe@topica.com

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index