...of no longer writing on social and political topics, and confining myself to my fictional endeavors. I reasoned that: 1) there are a lot of solid commentators on the Right side of things already; and: 2) that this op-ed crap often turns into an excuse not to face the music on a neglected or stalled fiction project. But I couldn't ignore the wave of anguished email that followed the announced demise of Eternity Road, and anyway, being overfull of unexpressed opinions is a lot like a bad case of constipation: relief eventually becomes a matter of survival.
But a couple of things have changed:
- I'll be posting a lot fewer of the law-review-length pieces I was known for at Eternity Road and The Palace Of Reason, but rather attempting to keep my emissions down to a more modest length -- say 500 words or less.
- I'll at least try to put aside the academic tone that I employed in prior pieces, which characterized the "Curmudgeon Emeritus" persona.
Why? Simply this: I'm too old to write for the mere pleasure of writing, or just to rid myself of accumulated bile. As my remaining time on this ball of mud is sharply limited, I'd like for my efforts to have some point. The point of serious op-ed writing should be one of the following three:
- To confirm the prejudices and established opinions of your existing readers;
- To equip those whose opinions match yours with additional rhetorical firepower;
- To persuade those who differ, or at least acquaint them with a different perspective.
It strikes me that brevity and informality are better suited to all three of those missions than my habitual quasi-scholastic verbosity. Anyway, "they say" that change is good for you, if you put any stock in "their" opinions.
So don't be too alarmed if my drivel here at Liberty's Torch reads a bit differently from what you're accustomed to seeing from me.
Good thinking. I'll miss that Curmudgeon fellow though.
ReplyDeleteI've often been awestruck by the ability of both yourself and the CE to give birth to the penetrating presentations at ER. You are correct in realizing that with advancing age, one's most valuable treasure is time. The 500+- word limitation is wise economics of a finite and diminishing resource. Now, if you will just consider a lighter background for your screeds I can postpone my cataract surgery for a few more seasons
ReplyDeleteI've always appreciated the ejecta of both you and the CE because they fulfilled both of your first two points.
ReplyDeletePlease don't give up all of the academic tone, though. You, Wm. F. Buckley, and very old fiction are the very few places available to whet my vocabulary. When I use the fun words in conversation, people just stare at me.
I wonder if you'll find writing the shorter, more concise pieces more time consuming than the longer ones?
ReplyDeleteEither way, glad to see you're still around.