Funny, Music Man Tackles the Craft of Writing and Being Famous
Melinda Palacio -- December 20, 2009
Billy Goodnick hasn't used up his nine lives yet, but he is on his third iteration of being. He's managed to make a name for himself as a musician, a green garden design architect, and most recently, he's putting it all together by blogging, the Garden Wise Guy, and freelancing and working on his new book, which he hopes will translate to a national speaking tour.
Billy Goodnick as Garden Wise Guy
Goodnick is no stranger to success. As a musician, he's opened for the Doors, Little Richard, the Commodores, and he's toured with the Jackson Five. Years ago, he took a hiatus from music in order to pursue horteculture. With several freelance gigs and a popular blog, Goodnick also teaches Residential Landscape Design, and he plays with the band King Bee. He worked for the city of Santa Barbara for 22 years as a landscape architect; he also wrote some grants for the city. Even before being fortuitously laid off, he knew he had a knack for storytelling and writing.
"I like to amuse and entertain. I write little stories the same way I would talk to someone. I have a voice. When I was sending out the King Bee emails, people looked forward to getting the emails. Late one night, about four years ago, I discovered Blogger."
Being laid off from the City of Santa Barbara, has given Goodnick much more time to focus on his writing career. Although his various interests can sometimes interfere with the hard work that is writing, he welcomes the new challenge and is working on a book. Earlier this year, he attended the Garden Writers Association Symposium and discovered a wider market for the type of writing he likes to do: Garden Guy Meets Dave Barry or Lewis Black is the voice that he naturally evokes. He's had over 35 years in retail nursery sales, landscape design, and teaching. His current work focuses on sustainability. Having grown up with humor in his family has helped the 58-year old writer develop his voice.
"I come from a funny family of New York Jews who hung out in the Catskills. My brother is brilliantly funny. I've always been an entertainor. Everything's a joke and nothing is sacred. I'm even funny in front of the City Council."
As a musician, teacher, writer, and landscape design expert, Goodnick says his biggest enemy is having so many interests. "I need to cut out alot of things," he said. For now, he knows he's strutting down the right path since he is finally getting paid for his writing. When he started blogging and, later, freelancing, he was lucky to exchange his writing for a banner ad in a magazine. Now, he receives a paycheck from Fine Gardening . Next step for Goodnick is a book and speaking tour.