Monday, January 23, 2012

The Words I Never Write

As a writer, the delete button is an escape, a necessary evil and, often, a friend.  When I write in verse, economy of words, paring away the unneccesary, the obvious, is essential. Despite this, I think I edit myself less as a novelist than I do as an "author" and blogger.  When I write a novel, I'm writing in the voice of my characters. But when I make a statement as an author-of-books, when I post an opinion on my blog, that's just me.

If you've met me at a cocktail party, or know me from the neighborhood, you know that I'm kind of an opinionated broad.  And, while I'm happy to chat about ALMOST anything over wine, I usually have a sober second thought before putting these opinions in print.  Where they'll never go away.  And could, possibly, become fodder for one of those angry Twitter strings.

Here just a few of the topics about which I've drafted and deleted blog posts...
  • PIPA & SOPA
  • Childrens Book Reviews in the Wall Street Journal
  • Why Google should pay ME
  • Tolling on the 520 bridge and Seattle politics in general
  • Blogger...ahhhh, Blogger
  • The trouble with defining the YA NOVEL today
Honestly, I've even edited this LIST.  Sometimes I get frustrated because I think hope I have a few interesting ideas to share--ideas that might spark productive conversations. And, in truth, with my paltry 1,000 Twitter followers and 370 blog members, I don't have a large enough bully pulpit to rock the world like, say, Miley Cyrus (heehee!). Still, I have this weird hesitation about editorializing on the interwebs.

Anybody else???

2 comments:

storyqueen said...

I write fake posts sometimes that never see the light of day. Even though it is "my" blog, I am very careful of the content...And sometimes I am far more comfortable writing as my characters than writing as myself.

Weird, huh?

Shelley

Unknown said...

If I didn't self-censor I would most likely get hate mail daily and would probably have no friends. ^_^