Am I really that important in the Oz community?
Seriously! Some people e-mail me like I am. I, on the other hand, feel I am rather inferior there...
- I've never had anything about Oz or Baum published anywhere, except online, all of it my own doing.
- I've never had an Oz story completed to where I feel it is suitable for publication.
- I have never attended an Oz festival or convention.
- I have never met any notable Oz fans, writers, etc. (Well, I have met Roger S. Baum, but...)
- I have never been mentioned in any important Oz item.
Would I like to change the truth of these points? Yes, I would! None of them are impossible. Points 1 and 5 could be done by contributing to The Baum Bugle. Points 3 and 4 could both be done at the same time. And if I had enough time to work out the bugs in my writing styles and stories, I could do point 2.
Here are the only things I have done that I can mention.
- Sharing information and items online via the Club's message board, my Oz website, this blog, YouTube, and MySpace.
- I HAVE contributed some very small bits to Eric Gjovaag that have been included in his FAQ. I've also submitted some reviews for his website.
- I was on Aaron Pacentine's Returning to Oz.
- I have e-mailed some more important Oz figures.
- I'm also currently working on two large Oz projects.
Now... give me your comments. Am I that important in the Oz community?
2 comments:
There once was a junior HS teacher from Escanaba, Michigan named Fred Meyer. He wasn't particularly 'connected', but through energy, the power of the pen,and love of Oz he managed to get a lot of Oz creators and lovers together which led to the Oz Club and many other projects that followed. All it takes is love of Oz and perserverance to make a difference!
I think you've answered your own question: anyone's importance within the Oz community depends on his or her contributions. Some contributions are more immediately visible than others, but visibility isn't the only measure of importance. We can all contribute what we can when we can, and keep the community going.
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