To improve my writing as an art form is one of the more obvious and expected answers. I have a lot of catching up to do with whatever talent I think I have and the actuality of superbly-crafted writing. This can only be accomplished by, simply, writing more. Right now, words and me don’t get along like we should, and I want them back at their rightful allied post.
Moving up from that (and I do mean up, not just next) is to develop the discipline to convey clarity in one sitting, within the boundaries of a single post. Thus these 300 or so word posts. I am trying to write each of them as a vignette, complete and colorful and compact. Some days I know I’m being sloppy. But since this is not going to press, I keep The Editor locked out for the most part (he’s only allowed in for some dusting).
Next up from that is to develop my voice. Writing is my voice.Without that voice, nobody will listen. I’m frankly getting sick of consuming other people’s voice, getting steamrolled by their words. So I’m damn ready to get in tune and crank up my own (voice). I have very high expectations for you, voice. Very high. I’m going for part-Hemingway, part- Langston Hughes, all Charles Bohannan.
Now beyond craft and voice and discipline and clarity is something much greater, and that is the impetus to write. Unlike the other three reasons, I don’t want to write just for the sake of writing, or to merely be heard, or to be indulgent and literary. Anyone can do those things.
I actually have something to say. I have a reason to write, and that’s better than writing for the sake of writing or writing because I have to. Writing is the only way I can get whatever message inside of me across to people.
I’m the type who writes to live, not lives to write.