News in Brief

Hello Readers,

My attention is split this week. I will try my best to get something posted this week. I've started a third short story and am spending most of my time putting together a good first draft. It took six months to complete the last one, and that's far too long. Coming up with a unique angle and perspective is crucial to write compelling essays and op/eds. Everyone's attention this week is focused on the Presidential race and the endless media dissection of the first debate.

This is to be expected. I can't compete with the major media voices, pundits, and columnists. Their voices Trump mine. (Did you get the pun?) Those of us in the minor leagues are fighting for oxygen. For the next six weeks, I know that anything I write will fall on deaf ears, mostly unread. Once that used to frustrate me, now I have accepted it.

Please be patient with me. Backing up a bit, I am going to start taking some creative writing workshops in the next few weeks. I am told they are enormously instructive, but also enormously expensive. Creative writing is the new challenge. I've become a strong columnist and blogger, which satisfies and sustains me, but I want to push myself further.

Best to all of you.