Thursday, August 9, 2018

When Writing Topics Go Bananas

Why has my writing gone bananas? Why have I gone from writing about business and economics, to covering politics, to now handling such esoteric topics that seem to defy the laws of physics? 
As I share what I know, many have expressed their wonderment about my articles' shift in topic. While I have the privilege of being taken seriously by so many people who have known me for decades, many of them struggle to come on-board with so many of the facts and ideas that I have covered recently.
When I started writing my various blogs, my goal was to capture my persona, my views and my perspectives from today and from years past. I wanted to create a written record of who I am and who I was. My hope has been that one day my little girls would find interest and the time to explore their dad. Without writing in a style directed at them, I wished for them to be able to answer any of the questions they would have about me through the many and diverse subjects I have covered. As a result, the rules for my writing were simple.

  1. I would always be honest about what I really felt without any fear of offending anyone. While opening oneself to public scrutiny through a medium like a blog, I felt strongly that it would be perfectly fine to piss some people off from time to time. 
  2. I would cover only those subjects that I wanted to write about. In other words, there was no need to stick to a structure or schedule. By writing what I wanted when I wanted, I was sure to cover a wide range of subjects which would serve well to create context about who I am. I knew that close examination would reveal patterns that would reflect my mood and emotional state. 
  3. No other rule. I could write long essays just as well as short narratives. It would all be as free flowing as my emotional state would dictate. It is important to recognize that such lack of structural clarity would ruin the chances of any aspiring writer because most media organizations want their writers to exist in nice little square boxes. But as I said, the blog is an indirect way to talk to my daughters. 
I hope that this short explanation serves to clarify why I have taken the direction I have. My recent subjects meet every one of my pre-established goals and needs. I am tremendously interested in them. I am being very honest as I write them no matter how vulnerable I become. 
I thank you for your audience and hope that you stay tuned. 

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