There are few things I enjoy more than a blank sheet of paper.
The possibilities are endless. There’s no limit on what I
can say. But words are under attack.
For years, everything on Al Gore’s Internet has been built
upon removing words. Starting with Facebook lying about video views, the conventional
wisdom is we no longer enjoy words.
“If you want people to read your articles, you need photos
and videos.” I don’t want to take pictures. I don’t want to make videos. I want
to type words.
My career started as a newspaper reporter a long time ago. I
had one job: to write. When I covered events that needed photos, the newspaper
would send one of our photographers. In the 2000’s, the Internet existed, but
social media did not.
I was never asked to cultivate a brand or an online
presence. I went out in the world and I wrote about what I saw. Whether that
was the Ultimate Warrior spewing homophobia or a bear running through the small
town I covered, it was up to me to convey what happened to readers who paid for
it. That was the job. It was the best job I ever had.
That job no longer exists, along with most local newspapers.
It’s a small symptom of the disease infecting our culture.
I miss words because words take time. It is a skill to move
words around so they effectively make a point. Are you still reading? Good,
I’ve succeeded. That feeling is addictive.
Instead, so much content today sucks.
What’s the last truly insightful podcast interview you
listened to? Anyone can talk, and most people should not be recorded while they
do so.
It gets worse. And I won't even bother re-airing my AI complaints.
How many more videos does the world need of someone holding
a microphone and talking in a very exaggerated manner because what they just
discovered is the most important thing ever. And it’s usually something
like “John Candy made $414 on Home Alone” or “the global elites don’t pay their
fair share” as if those are revelations.
In fact, one of the worst things that ever happened to
Twitter, now X, is the removal of the character limit. But Sean, don’t you like
words? Yes. I also like words that have been edited.
There is a process that comes with drafting an article, or
an opinion piece, or a story, or a poem. It can be painful. You fight with
yourself. You fight with the words. You fight with syntax, tone, and pace. It’s
a deeply personal battle. And done right, it leads to a rewarding, satisfying victory.
Earlier today, I interviewed a pro wrestler who has only had
three matches, for my new pro wrestling site. As much as I love the dance of an
interview, poking and prodding, it’s the only the foreplay.
Because after that interview comes the really fun part. Pages
and pages of quotes that I need to turn into a coherent story that attracts a reader.
Even more fun, this wrestler is a nobody – he has no name value, yet. It’s up
to me to draw interest. Hopefully with a killer lede.
As soon as I finish post this piece, I’ll move on to that
one. I’m only writing this one since I don’t have the lede for that one. Yet.
But all this writing has been fired up.
If you’ve read this far, please, go write something better.
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