I’ve been thinking recently, and possibly some might have noticed, the lack of regular posting here. There are lots of potential reasons…
1. Too much going on to form coherent thoughts.
2. Too many things that are inappropriate to talk about in this forum.
3. Quality not quantity.
This third, I can reference right away.
I’ve noticed, in surveying some of what I’ve written in the last few years that the immediacy and accessibility of blogging technology to ‘publish’ my thoughts has possibly led me to a lazy place when it comes to the craft.
Storytime
When I was at high school, I shared an English class with a girl who simply a phenomenal writer. She had a distinct style, her talent was obvious to see, as was her passion. At school – I was focused on radio & media. That form of storytelling was more important for my career path. And sharing a class with Jenni, whose rising star absorbed the disciplinary focus of our teacher at the time… well, left me feeling lacklustre about my own prospects as a writer.
If it hadn’t been for my English & Media Studies teacher, Mr Bates.. (I google him often, just in the hopes of finding him again)… well, possibly none of my writing would have ever found the public eye again.
It’s amusing, considering how much of my business and communications skillset come from simple, well-practiced art of writing. And I still have more in me.
I left that 5th form class thinking I would never be published and never attempt it. I’ve graduated my early twenties, making a living from it without shame and owning the craftmanship required to ‘write’… or (how I think of it).. “be compiling words” in many forms for many reasons.
My love of language and construction leads me to journalism, poetry, prose, lyricism and storytelling through script and visual medium.
So.. the Blog?
The temptation with blogging is to be too undisciplined in my execution.
Not enough thought or precision put to style, word choice, construction, punctuation and process. So here is my dilemma..
If in every other medium, I am well-edited, processed, re-written, outlined, architecturally sound both in flow and ideological progression – is it permissible to be so stream of consciousness in blogging? Or does that reveal the weaker flaws in my writing?
Is this like a journal of thoughts (I’m still scarred by those who simply consider this an inappropriate forum for what is published here… though they have little idea of the catalogued journal and notebook system in place for that which is much more private) – so it’s “casualness” permissible?
Or, like meeting someone for the first time – because this becomes my most prolific publication source, should I make more of an effort when it comes to first impressions?
I’m going to start reviewing those posts which have led me into trouble. You can expect that I’ll re-publish those posts previously removed, revised and edited.
The difficulty is that I want to be a good writer. Mostly because I want to say things that are meaningful, more than saying nothing in a beautiful way. I’m no Jenni, but now.. rather than suspecting I’m not remotely deserving of my ‘teacher’s’ attentive discipline and correction.. I’m looking for the process myself.. in hopes of sending her a book one day.
So, in true McGill style.. I’ve said in several hundred words what I could’ve accomplished in 35.
All writing deserves the attention of craftsmanship, to refine the thoughts interred and the manner of architecture around them. My suspicion is that blogging has made me lazy, so I’m attempting to turn the tide.
Feel free to offer your thoughts & comments. Am I the only one that feels this way from time to time?