Nonfiction flip-flop

Okay...I'm probably going to keep with my creative nonfiction thesis. I've been struggling with this decision for several reasons:

First, my writing in that area is just not as strong as I thought it would be -- see reasons in earlier posts.

Second, I've not received feedback.

Third, I really want to concentrate on the novel.

However... I've done a lot of work already and would hate to start over. Case closed.

My interest was rekindled by Truman Capote (long story) and when I started thinking about some of the situations I've encountered. I want to write about those situations; they are stories that I feel others would find interesting and maybe even beneficial.

In 30 short years, I've seen a lot. Most of it came when I was a reporter, and, unfortunately, most was not "good," as the stories were often crime-related. I'd like to get my personal reactions and feelings toward those stories on paper. Maybe it's therapeutic. And maybe people would read them.

For instance, there was this time an African man hanged himself from a tower not far from the newspaper. Immediately, people felt it was a lynching, but it turned out to be a suicide. Regardless, try to erase an image as culturally significant (and overwhelmingly sad) as that from your mind.

There are happy stories in my life, too -- like the four hours I spent shadowing one of my heroes, Jack Buck, at KMOX radio, or the time I stood in line behind Baseball Hall of Famers Stan Musial and Enos Slaughter in the press box buffet line (Old Eno cracked wise about the baked beans and Musial likes mayo on his hotdogs).

And then there are the cliche moments that many people have experienced -- marriage, birth of children, etc. -- but those are so personal and so emotional that it would be hard to explain, or get people (other than my wife and kids) to read.

You see? This is where the encouragement part comes in. This little freewriting exercise has helped me convince myself that I have stories to tell.

This blog is working!

P.S. If this seems to be somewhat of a rant, I apologize. Life's been kind of stressful lately. I know this because I'M STRESSED, and I know this because I've had my blood pressure checked twice in the past week (once at the dentist's office and once at one of those little stations at Sam's) and it's been high on both accounts. This is the first time in my life that I've had high blood pressure. The holidays can't come soon enough -- as long as all of the family plays it cool and gets along.