Once again, medical issues are dominating my thinking, today-with the results of some recent labs, playing on my mind a little. As a writer, something that helps is maintaining focus on what's most important. Periodically, in-between my unremarkable writing, suddenly a gem of worthwhile work puts in appearance. Earlier this year, one of my articles made the Editor's Pick and front cover on Open Salon-a 'sister' website to Salon.com. Since then, it's had several thousand 'hits' and quite a few Facebook 'likes'. Entitled, "How Watching My Father Die Changed How I Lived My Life" it chronicled my father's diagnosis, terminal illness and death, from a rare form of cancer. It also touched on two, highly topical and controversial debates: socialized medicine and assisted suicide. Articles written within the 'blogisphere' are particularly challenging, because you have to hold people's fickle attention-spans for more than five seconds, within that ever-present 24 hour news cycle.
Beyond that, I have another article for Open Salon in the works at the moment. But, it's still a bit patchwork-like for now, because I'm in the midst of carefully stitching together the narrative. Anyone can be a stroryteller, in their own way. Yet, being a convincing storyteller is quite a different animal altogether.
For College Comp I, last term, I wrote about providing health-care to illegal immigrants here in the U.S.. As an informative essay, it was pretty much a matter of just writing it. Once I'd developed an outline and figured out my thesis statement, I managed to get the bulk of a solid first draft written in one sitting. Sometimes, agonizing over a topic for too long can be counter-productive. Besides, if you can link your thesis to your references (or vice-versa), then you likely have a solid start. Leaving opinions out of it, and sticking with facts, helps (after all, everyone has an opinion, but that doesn't mean that it's based on anything specific).
On a personal level, in keeping with my 'work-hard/play-hard philosophy, I'm hoping to get out to Moonstone Beach for a run, and some surf-gazing. Or, head a bit further inland for some camping and kayaking. Six more weeks until Fall?.
