Ben Armentrout: New 49 Writers Blog Coordinator

Today is my first official day as blog coordinator for 49 Writers.  It strikes me, reading the pages of this blog, that writing is a vulnerable activity.  In a time when perfection is so easy through the use of the technology, writing is a voice that maintains its human frailty.  If it did not, it would not be art.  I am honored and excited to join you who have been sharing your writing here.

This blog is a connection between writers.  Writing between artists of the written word is special, just as music played by one musician for another is special, or a painting rendered for painters’ eyes is special.  You who have written and read these posts have been sharing your art in its uninhibited medium.  It fills me with joy to join you.

I am a student in the MFA program at UAA.  I teach science.  I am married and I have two little boys.  I’ve lived in Alaska for twelve years.  I have a writing desk surrounded by bookshelves I built with my father.  I never write at my desk because it is in my bedroom and I write in the morning while my family sleeps.  I go up and sit on the couch in a dark living room to write.  I don’t know if those things are important in a blog coordinator.  That’s me.

This blog scares me a little because Deb has built it into such a fine community and I want to work up to the expectation of this community.  I looked back to the first post of this blog.  Deb started that post, “Amazing writers live in Alaska.”  The blog goes on to show that through the work posted by those amazing writers.  I look forward to corresponding with you, amazing writers of Alaska.  Thank you all for bearing with me while I make mistakes and please, please submit posts to me.  I have a big schedule to fill and I am filled with human frailty.

Thanks for reading.