Viking Helmets and Writing

Let’s just say I’ve been delinquent in writing this blog. Horribly delinquent. My excuse is that I’ve been so dang busy with work and family and 100 Word Story and my fiction writing, but I hate excuses. (Technique to make excuses: list all of the excuses, and then stridently declare that you’re not a person who believes in excuses).

To kick off a new era of blogging, I’m pledging to simply plunge in and try to write posts that are less comprehensive. The urge to be thorough and polished holds back commentary, and commentary is what matters in a space like this.

For example, I’ve read so many books that I wished I would have written about, but I was dogged by my big theories that demanded hours and hours of probing. Roland Barthes’ A Lover’s Discourse. Teju Coles’ Open City. Meg Pokrass’s Damn Sure Right. I’ll try to write about them.

I’ve also had so many thoughts about writing and publishing, whether via attending Book Expo America last month or chatting with self-publishing sensations like Hugh Howey. From now on, even if it’s just a quick paragraph or two, I think it’s worth recording such things.

So, I’ll start the new era with a photo. I was happy to be photographed in what might seem like a goofy viking helmet, but one that has symbolic moxie. It was part of an interview I did with the San Francisco State alumni mag on National Novel Writing Month.

I like to think it’s a good thing to not take oneself too seriously as a writer. I also like to think it’s always good to be prepared to do battle, or go on an adventure (and have plenty of caffeine at the ready just in case).