TODAY marks my 50th article. The articles comprise around 20k+ words. Quite a number, you might think. That number is even based on our Editor-in-Chief’s (so proud to say that, now that I have one—read: grinning from ear to ear) requirements.
Having restrictions makes your writing concise and focused. I hope that’s how my writing comes across.
When I was starting (I’m still starting, mind you), I wrote down a list of topics to write about. I even asked colleagues for ideas. As I moved along, it became second nature to me. Everything that I hear, see, or happen every day of my life becomes a potentially good topic to write about.
Just like a salesperson, prospecting and selling are second nature. Everyone he meets is a suspect, oops, a prospect, I mean. However, don’t be conspicuous so everyone won’t turn his back the minute they see you from a 50-meter vantage point.
Several times, I had already written an article, but then a pressing incident happened. Overnight, I wrote down a fresh article. It happened twice before. The first was a local incident in the city, and the other was the global news that was Chandler.
Regarding the local incident, I couldn’t openly write about it. Instead, I wrote about responsible social media users. The article was “Think Before You Click.”
Just like today, I have a prepared article. It was ready for sending when I realized it was my 50th. So here goes. The former had to take a back seat.
Looking back, people asked if I didn’t run out of topics. But as Cong said in my pilot article, “Welcome to GSD, opinionated people.” Writing columns is an acceptable medium for all those excessive opinions and those words lurking in my head. Writing is a way of legitimizing my thinking out loud. Opinionated people always have something to say, and it’s not always a popular one.
John Steinbeck once said, “Ideas are like rabbits. You get a couple and learn how to handle them, and pretty soon, you have a dozen.”
That pretty much sums up what I’ve been feeling. Everything around me is a topic waiting for me to explore through writing. Friends, family, and colleagues would say, “That would be a good topic for your column.”
You might say, I’m beginning to be observant, wait, more observant. I let things pass me by before unless it’s controversial enough to catch my attention. Now, everything passes through my eagle eyes and all ears to all sounds and talks. I jot down and flip through my notes when developing an article.
I’m just beginning, and it’s now close to a month away since the first article came out. I remember that pilot article. It was all about coffee and me, of course.
49 plus one article, it’s been a journey of over 20,000 words and still counting. Who knows, you might be my next topic.
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