Doug Clark - in The Syzygy Poetry Journal

By Doug Clark
Head Writer - The Inspiration Engine


I am pleased to announce that two of my poems have been published in The Syzygy Poetry Journal. I have provided a direct link to my poems here.


Below is the acceptance letter I received from the editors of Syzygy Poetry Journal. I'll be keeping it in close proximity from now on as a reminder of what persistence can yield.

The key to getting published is never giving up.


Thanks for reading.

Doug Clark Stand up

Last Week Tonight with John Oliver: Abortion Laws (HBO)

Bad Situation?

By Douglas Clark
Head writer: The Inspiration Engine


http://i.imgur.com/ezdRfbT.jpg

Remember!

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The Inspiration Engine - Where are you going?

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The Inspiration Engine - your Mission in Life Video

Douglas Clark
-Head writer, The Inspiration Engine

Happy New Year

By Douglas Clark
-Head Writer - The Inspiration Engine


There's so much to be thankful for, even if you don't realize it. Set a goal for 2016 and do your best to meet it. For me, my goal is to get as much writing done as I can. Also, my other goal is to get something published.


Make a plan, stick to it and you should hit your mark. Believe in yourself and you can accomplish what you set out to do.


Good luck.

2016

Thanks for reading.

Enjoy the day!

Douglas Clark
-Head writer, The Inspiration Engine

Remember, there's always a chance to turn the day around. All one has to do is walk in a new direction.

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A Sun-Driven World!

Douglas Clark
-Head writer, The Inspiration Engine






I've wondered for a while just how much solar it would take to power the world instead of the archaic fossil fuels we use today. The guys and girls over at TechInsider answered the question for me.


Here's how we power the world.










Thanks for reading!

America Is Dead!

Douglas Clark
-Head writer, The Inspiration Engine


You think that’s democracy you’re tasting? Wrong. While you were sleeping, they secretly replaced your democracy with Oligarchy. That super-rich, sweet tasting form of government that fattens the pockets a select few in power while the masses get to starve on empty promises and the tasty calories of false hope. You better like eating air, because the super-rich powers-that-be would gladly watch you starve to death as they take the last crumpled dollar from your wallet. 

If the preceding dose of reality was too much for you, perhaps you can digest the true fate of American politics with former President Jimmy Carter’s eloquent words.

The super-rich have been raping this country for a long time.  It’s no surprise. That’s what the rich have always done. The fact that most people don’t do anything about it is even more disturbing. Seriously, the transformation from republic democracy to oligarchy is blatant, pervasive, and painfully obvious. All you have to do is open your eyes.

This disgusting perversion of American ideals has bothered me for a long time. The problem is, it doesn’t really bother most of the sheeple in this country. If it did, more people would fight back. I guess they like being indentured servants to the ultra-super-rich.  It sucks that so many people’s apathy negatively affects me. Hell I did my part. I spent 5 long years on a gray Navy boat to defend freedom and democracy, not apathy. And I certainly didn’t protect oligarchy, subservience, avarice and deceit.

But that’s the way it is these days. The rich rule, corporations are people, and the common man is considered nothing more than scum under the elite’s boot. Something to be scraped off and discarded. I guess the masses like to be slaves. Maybe we should wake up. 

Thanks for reading. 
Questions or Comments welcome.

Self-Publishing Struggles!

Douglas Clark
-Head writer, The Inspiration Engine

Sometimes I don’t care. I mean I just don’t give a damn. It’s not always and the feeling goes away pretty quick, but it happens nonetheless. I mean, devoting all your time and energy to positive thinking is great and all, but sometimes, it just doesn’t work. Sometimes you just have to say screw it. Forgive me if that’s blunt and crude, but it’s true. That negativity seeps in and takes hold; it’s like a poison. And in real life, every once in a while it wins. 

The trick is to make sure negativity’s win is only once in a while.

Right now, I’m struggling to get my book ready for publication. It’s a long, slow, involved, long, slow, difficult, long, slow, and stressful process. Anyone else who’s been through it can attest to that. And it feels like it’s going to take a thousand lifetimes to get finished. Keep in mind, the story is actually finished. Right now I’m just working on getting it ready for readers to actually enjoy. I mean, I’d love for you to read The Odyssey of Ryou Un Maru right now! But you can’t, because it isn’t ready… yet. Anyway, the point is, it’s hard and I’m struggling with the thought that even after all this, I’m still motivated to get it out there albeit much later than I originally planned.

Also, there are times when I ‘just want to write’, but that’s only a fantasy I indulge in periodically. Part of being a writer is marketing what you’ve written. It’s not the most glamorous thing but it is necessary. It’s a weird dichotomy but a necessary one for anyone that wants to make it as a published author. I know that, but it still sucks. In a perfect (read: fantasy) world, I’d just write the books and a legion of editors, proofreaders, and publishers would do all the grunt work of getting it to press. But that is just not the case, especially since my name isn’t StephenKing, JK Rawling, Dick Francis, Dan Brown, Jackie Collins, or any other best-selling author you could name off the top of your head. It’s when I compare myself to these successful folks, look at what they’ve accomplished and then look at my small body of work I get disheartened and just want to quit. A little guy voice in my head starts whispering negativity and cynicism and I start to believe him.  That ‘just screw it’ attitude sinks in and I want to quit. Man I Hate that guy!

I listen to him every once in a while and agree. It’s then I wish I had someone to smack me in the face (proverbially… or maybe actually). I hate failure; I hate not even trying waaaaay more. So I cry a little bit, sniffle, feel sad for a while and then do a ball check and suck it up. Because I just can’t quit.

I have found a few things to keep me going. The latest book I’ve taken the time to read is Self-Printed (3rd Ed.): The Sane Person's Guide to Self-Publishing by Catherine Ryan Howard. It’s pretty much a how to combined with a personal experience book about how she managed to get through the whole publishing mess that is self-printing. There are lots of useful tid bits and it’s nice to read about others that struggle with the same issues.

Even though it’s taking a billion billion times longer than I want or could have believed, I’m still on my mission to be a successful writer. Hell, I might not ever make it, but I just won’t give up. Is that pathetic or perseverance? I don’t know, I guess maybe success is the only way to answer that for sure…

Thanks for reading. Questions and Comments are welcome!

http://stephenking.com/

http://www.jkrowling.com/

http://www.dickfrancisbooks.com/

http://www.danbrown.com/

http://jackiecollins.com/