Writer’s Envy

I’m a writer who always has writer’s envy. I blame much of this on the fact that while I make a living at this keyboard, typing my fingers off, I almost never get feedback. Really, there’s only so far you can grow without someone telling you to stop doing this, or start doing that.

However, the one thing I continually work on is my ability to write at length. Sit me down to muse, think, and chatter in an e-mail to a friend, and I will write pieces that rival the most epic novels. Ask me to write on a topic, or expound on a subject, outside of that, and I’m finger-tied. I blame this on an exercise I did years ago, where we had to keep taking out extraneous writing from a long, 500ish word piece, and sum it up in something like 50 words. I ripped through that sucker like a pro, and ever since then, any amount of length seems awfully superfluous.

Add to that a hugely-picky brain that can read very little long-winded web writing, and I’m just about screwed. But, I’m trying.

One of the steps on my path is hunting down those that can write long pieces that keep me glued ’til the end. The latest:

Anthony Bourdain

Man, he can write. I’ve always wanted to see his shows, but I am never around a television with cable to catch them. I hear great things about him, but haven’t had a chance to really appreciate any of it until now.

He’s got a new blog over at the Travel Channel, and I’m completely hooked. They’re long; they’re fun; and I’m hoping that I can learn a thing or two. If you like food, travel, and that mixture of personal commentary, social relevance, and life, it’s worth your eye time.

But right now, I need to take a break. For the last 8 days, I’ve spent monumentally more time working than I have doing anything else. It’s time for a breather.

In the immortal words of Slater: Check ya later!