I've hinted about this coming out a few times, and a few readers have already seen it and commented or written me about it. But now that I've come home from a few days of motorcycling in the Appalachians and have seen the article in print for myself, I'd like to share it with the rest of you. I have a piece in the June issue of Flying Magazine, currently on a newsstand near you.
I was approached about writing for Flying late last year. Robert Goyer, Flying's Editor-in-Chief, had read my blog, liked what he read, and took the leap of faith of offering me an assignment. For my part, I've been a Flying subscriber since 1994 and grew up reading the likes of Richard Collins, Len Morgan, and Gordon Baxter, so I was thrilled to be invited to write for such an esteemed publication. I put a lot of effort into the article, polishing it considerably more than the typical blog post, and was pretty happy with the result. I've had some great feedback so far.
When I started writing this blog in 2005, it was mostly just as a creative outlet that I doubted anyone outside of my family would read. At first there was a lot of unimportant rubbish; later the focus and writing improved and there was more of it. More recently my posting has fallen off because my own career situation is fairly static and fairly satisfactory (providing me with the time and money for hobbies other than writing!), and I feel like I've said a lot of what there is to be said and I hate feeling like I'm repeating myself. But as I come across fresh topics worthy of some thinking and writing I'll continue to post about them, and I expect that I'll have a lot more to write about when my career takes its next step forward. In the meantime, I don't mind rehashing some of the old stories and topics in new venues, and so you may see a few more of my pieces in print. In any case, thanks are due to all of you who've taken the time to read my scribblings over the years, and especially to those who've commented, encouraged, and doled out creative criticism. You've made the whole blogging venture considerably more rewarding than I ever anticipated.
15 comments:
Congrats Sam! Being published is such an established magazine is well deserved on your part. Im a longtime reader of your blog, and i must say that you have a creative writing style combined with good insights on the industry. Keep up the good work, im interested how your flying career will unfold from this point on!
Well done. Motion picture next?!
So proud of you, Sam! Keep up the good work. Looking forward to reading more from you.
Awesome job, well deserved. I too have been a subscriber to Flying for that long and I feel like I have been reading your blog just as long :). Very cool, keep up the great work.
~Iowa Pilot
Congrats! I can't wait to read the article. Goyer chose "wisely", as the knight said.
I really enjoyed the article, but failed to recognize the author! I've been reading your blog for quite a while. Keep it up!
Very cool. Congratulations!
Will you be able to make the article available somewhere, like here on this blog, after the initial newstand sales are over? I live in Australia and would love to read your article, but doubt I can find this magazine here.
Jeremy,
You should be able to get a digital version if you have an IPAD or other electronic device. I just googled flying and it said you could get a digital version. I hope that would work for you. Good Luck!
Congratulations! I've not seen you article yet, but you bet that I will. As for the writing, the quality of your blog is one of the best available. You may never know how much a reader appreciates not having to 'fight' for an author's meaning. Please, keep up the great work, sorry - hobby - and please do post a bit more often. -C.
Jeremy, I see my #1 fan & mother-in-law lakelovers is on the case! ;-). But to expound a little further, if you have a smartphone or tablet, the Flying app is available for free on iTunes, Google Play, Kindle NewsStand store, etc; from within the app you can purchase individual digital issues. I can't repost the article to the blog due to copyright issues, especially if I want to write for Flying again :-).
Really neat to hear your well written posts found there way to a great magazine like Flying. I found your blog just before you left Portland, where I live, and have very much enjoyed your work. I have a private instrument rating and owned part of a C182 but sold it when by BIS level on commercial flights hit 150,000 a year. Your blog helps me stay connected with what is going on upfront and makes my travelling much more interesting as i try to keep tabs on our SA while having my cocktail(s).
Be careful though, your fans don't want to see an FL 390 disappearance :(
Whoa! I read that article a few weeks ago and saved it! I had no idea it was by you - I just thought it was really good, so I had my dad read it and he liked it a lot too. Crazy that I've been following your blog for a couple years now and that I happened to be reading that article. Crazy world.
Lots of reader praise in the August issue of the magazine. Being compared to Len Morgan is indeed high praise.
Dear Sam, 11/16/2013
I have long been an interested FLYING reader and you have become an instant hit with many readers though I am not trying to get on the fan wagon. A few people told me not to write, but your blog page says you welcome comments. I am writing because I feel a very small connection and for some reason wanted to talk about it.
Quickly, my background found me skydiving a little in college during the 70’s then learning to fly the Cessna 152 in the 80’s. I only flew for 58 total hours in the little trainer then had to quit for medical reasons. As far as being a passenger, I have been in gliders, helicopters and a DC3 and of course, endless hours in airline people movers. I imagine your Embraer, by the way, has to be a joy to drive.
This note is about one very small thing, a kind of connection. When you wrote about getting your own column in FLYING because of the many positive comments from us readers that was very kind because I am sure the people of FLYING saw new blood with talent from the start. You can write sir! FLYING publishers were nice enough to add my “thank you” feedback about your June article in their magazine. That is where the very small connection lies. Maybe it is envy!
(BY the way my vote goes to Len Morgan as the best columnist so far in flying. But after reading you got your ticket at 16 a lot of readers will see when you like something you do it well.)
James Smitka
Saratoga Springs New York
jsmitka@nycap.rr.com
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