A letter from composer and author
David Amram: "I would like to add my name in support of what The Burry Man Writers Center represents in the New
Millennium. The Burry Man is a new beginning for today's authors and dreamers and the fulfillment of an old dream that many of us shared and few could realize in the last Millennium
- the opportunity to communicate with others around the world during one's own lifetime. "At 70, I can look back and remember the incredibly
talented people I was blessed to be with who never could find an audience of more than one. When I first came to New York in 1955, Charles Mingus told me, when he invited me to
become a member of his band, that no matter how humble the circumstances were in the places where we played, to never be discouraged if the room was often filled with a handful
of psychotics who weren't even listening.
" 'Just find one person to play for and play for them all night. I know you're also writing symphonies, like me, that nobody's paying attention to either. Just find one person and
write for them. All you need is one person to write or play for your whole life.'
"With the magic of computer technology, it is now possible for just about anyone to find that one person many times over, in every country in the world.
"It seems clear that The Burry Man is using the new technology with a different idea than that of selling instant trash. It is a shining oasis as part of the global information
highway, to give writers of all styles the chance to speak to one another, to find that one reader to share their thoughts with and to use the internet as a way of honing their
skills and sending out their message.
"Jack Kerouac, a dear friend from 1956 until he died, was devastated that Visions of Cody never got published during his lifetime. If you weren't blessed to work and hang out
with him, you would never have known he had ever even written this extraordinary work. He used to read me passages of it, not in our performances together, but in the wee hours of
the morning . He would have loved The Burry Man, because he wrote to share his thoughts with the whole world. All committed writers do that, and now it is possible for us to have
access to one another.
"I am still traveling the globe in concerts of all kinds, and when at home composing concert music and writing two new books. I hope my webpage might inspire younger artists of all
kinds to know that you can follow your heart and pursue your dreams and never give up.
"I think The Burry Man reinforces the ideal of never giving up, being accessible yourself to others and always trying to find that one person Mingus alluded so many times over, and
always trying to be that one person for others. The Burry Man is important because it has been created with purity of intent. Small is beautiful. It always has been and always will
be. Having others to communicate with in this intimate way is a healing force and a refuge from the avalanche of refuse we are bombarded with in our daily lives.
"The Burry Man is a breath of fresh air that assures us we can continue to create and dwell in our own environment of creativity and continue to be brave enough to, as the Navajo
Prayer of the 12th Night states, 'Walk on the Trail of Beauty'."
David Amram - May 8, 2001 davidamram.com
| What people are saying...
"I am a writer by trade and this list would not be complete without my favorite writer's site. The Burry Man Writer's Center has in international following and
manages to encourage and promote writers of all nationalities and interests... all without ego. Hosts Joseph and Jennifer are warm, witty and gracious as ever in their brand new
blog, Burry Thoughts. If you write at all, this is a Must See!" -
DK
Raymer, A Flyover Blog "Usefulness: 10, Resources: 10, Amount and Quality of Material: 10, Navigation: 10. This is a site for all writers,
from freelancers to screenwriters, with articles on the craft and business of writing. If you can possibly bypass all the other information (don't do it, though) and go straight to
the listing for Stage, Screen and Radio... you'll find links to the very best of the American and European sites." - Sable Jak, Scr(i)pt Magazine
"Just thought I'd tell you that you have not only found me lots of jobs, you have helped me research and generally get by in a time when freelance writing is not the easiest of
careers to pursue. I know websites come and go...but you must NEVER allow your site to go down!" - Darren McDonald "Discuss genres, the job market
and other facets of the writing life with this community-driven site. It also has a market search and lists resources and links. Great information and fun as well.”- Writer's
Digest, "101 Best Websites for Writers" "I've always been impressed by your site, and I'm all swollen up like a toad to know my site is listed
on it." - Jason Sinclair, GrayBat.com "Muse abandoned you? If work on your 21st-century masterpiece isn't progressing quite as speedily as you'd
hoped, then a quick trip to www. burryman.com might be in order. The site is brimming with advice, publishing info and research tools for both the budding scribbler and the more
established scribe." - Sam Jones, The Guardian, "Links worth a visit" "The Burry Man site, for a novice internet plunderer such as myself, caused a
reaction not unlike that of some wine-testing monk centuries ago who came upon a cache of wine found in some monastery in Italy that caused him to cry out Est! Est! Est! upon his
first tasting. This site deserves the same rating. Keep up the inspiring work." - Dave Ross "Once you've gone through all the articles and reviews
on Inscriptions, make your next stop The Burry Man Writers Center. Writer's Digest recently named it one of the best Websites for writers, and we agree. Working
professionals and new writers from all over the world will find useful articles, books and job information. Looking for some great links? The Resources page is filled with 'em..."
- Jade Walker, Inscriptions Magazine "Many thanks for a superb writers' resource. I've written websites myself, I find more than 50% of sites,
whilst still providing the essential information their owners wish to portray, are total crap when it comes to real usability and clarity. Yours is excellent. A definite 'Favorite'
on my browser." - Tony Seaton "Top Site - Literature & Writing" - Internet Monthly Magazine UK "Got three freelance
assignments within one day from the last newsletter! Many thanks!" - Tim Regan "Insightful articles and a large, diverse writing community make this
site one of the best writing resources on the Web." - Emily Vander Veer, Writing for the Web "... your web site is one of the most compelling I've
reviewed (and part of my job is to review web sites)." - Kathleen McNamara, National Writers Union "Burry Man is the single best listing of
guideline sources and related information I have found on the web." - Jane Arnold, Netwriter "What a great site! As a novice at the writing biz but
not at writing, I appreciate the depth your site exhibits and your patience with those of us who are rookies. I expect to learn a great deal, meet some great people and enjoy your
site in the months to come. Thanks again!" - Jim Franklin, Birmingham, AL "This website... is a veritable mecca for would-be and current writers.
Definitely a site worth checking out." - Briefme, "Books and Literature" "Community, as trAce members know... is an issue that cuts to the heart of
what it means to go online. [The Burry Man] is in the business of providing links to resources for writers. It covers various genres - from health writing to science fiction - and
is a useful addition to any writer's bookmarks." - trAce Online Writing Community "I have been visiting this site for some weeks now. I stumbled on
you by pure chance when I first got connected to the Internet. Its been quite simply, staggering. The encouragement I have had from your site, the advice, the possibilities of
work. Just magic. I'll be using you well into the future." - Daniel Ross "... a great web site for writers whether highly experienced or fledgling.
It is undeniably a magnificent site for writers and as a freelancer I constantly use it. If you are a writer and haven't yet checked it out I would strongly recommend that you do
so. I don't think you will be disappointed." - Raymond Wells, writtenbyme.com "I have found inspiration and encouragement in your site to begin to
write even when I thought I had nothing to offer." - Moira Judd |
Jennifer Greenhill-Taylor Born in Scotland, Jennifer is a writer and editor, an
award-winning journalist, former travel editor and theater and film critic. Joseph Reed Hayes
The work of playwright and freelance writer Joseph Hayes has been performed in two countries and across America. He writes for
print and online publications worldwide, and has worked with writers Douglas Coupland, Samuel R. Delany and Cornelius Eady.
www.jrhayes.net
Joseph and
Jennifer are proud co-owners of The Burry Man Writers Center and Inked-In, the social network for
writers, musicians and artists
Board of Advisors Stuart Auld
Clare Barry
actor, Manchester England Joy Dickinson
graphic designer, editor, US Ace Ford
songwriter, US John Greenhill
consulting engineer, Scotland and US Ian Mairs
award-winning playwright, actor, US Peter McGarry
playwright, actor, Artistic Director, Eyewitness Theatre, Manchester England John Miller
theatrical production manager, Scotland Kathryn Ptacek
author, publisher Gila Queen's Guide to Markets,
US Pamela Ross
concert pianist, writer, award-winning playwright, US Peter Taylor
IT engineer, web master, co-owner Basai Inc, US Robert Vaughan
inductee, Missouri Writers Hall of Fame, Pulitzer Prize nominee, author of more than 300 novels. Director of Robert Vaughan's Writers Retreat workshops,
Gulf Shores, Alabama Sandra Weintraub
writer, television and film producer and director, Weintraub/Kuhn Productions, US |
