Print Media: To Sell or to Inform?

For the past few years, one thing that has been seriously getting under my skin is the media. I know this is not something new and I’m sure lots of us feel the same way but I want to make a comment on it none-the-less.

I’ll forsake beating all forms of media with the same brush and I’ll just stick to the newspapers. TV, and social media, you have escaped my wrath. For now!

To get my point across I’ll use two recent events that have been prevalent in the weeks newspapers. The Boston Bombings and Luis Suarez. Before I start, let me just say that there are many print journalists out there that I admire but for the most part, that is not the case. It is in fact the opposite. Also, there are some newspapers (be they published in hard copy or online) that I do have time for but again, unfortunately, they are in the minority.

Write your personality.

Dear, Readers,

Firstly, let me apologise for this prolonged absence. I had a minor medical matter that needed to be taken care of (it has been, and I am fine and well and recovering nicely, thank you very much), but I missed this place; missed it dearly. For what writer enjoys not being in a fit enough condition to do so?

Over the past few weeks I have been giving my writing, and writing in general, quite a bit of thought. Oh, not plot or character or themes or anything as enjoyable as that. No, I have been considering how much of our own personalities we actually put into our writing, if any at all. And I don’t just mean, how much of ourselves do we put into our main character or our villain. I’m looking at all aspects of writing. When we write; our style of writing; the amount we write per sitting; are we planners or pantsers.

More importantly, are we substituting our own personality in favour for the behaviour of our favourite (favorite for my American friends) authors and how they write? Are we following others methods of writing at the expense of finding our own unique way?