vortex dot net dot en zed

I sometimes wonder how other people write: how they pull together disparate ideas, how they form their direction on a subject, if they too sometimes start off with an idea in mind but then after working things through change direction.

I have always been a short form writer, and my tendency in text is to edit and edit and edit. This has always been of slight amusement - potentially only to myself - as I throw words out verbally to explore ideas and tell stories more than anything else. It’s not uncommon for my viewpoint to change through conversation, though sometimes it can take a long time to get there. I have no opportunity to edit and be as acute verbally as I wish to be on the page.

I have scribbles on coasters and napkins, in my notebook and on the back of the carbon copy of my Warrant of Fitness form. Sometimes they become posts here, somewhere else, part of a zine, or shrink to a Twitter exchange. I have created several outlets for different types of writing to cater to all kinds of ideas - whether I feel my opinion is definite or discussion is open. I love that freedom, especially when I know that to get the full picture you need to have all the information. Even the web trail is only what appears online.

I think this is exactly why people start blogs with grand ideas about content and form, only to then get caught up in their newer/better/faster idea. I think that starting out, with some ideas, some notes, and not too much expectation is the way to build something that fosters community, discussion and makes you new friends.