My Major Problem with Journalism - Solved

Here's my thing about journalism. I love getting my information in a straight forward, no nonsense, just facts sort of way. I think it is, obviously, the most effective method of communicating to the masses: leave the personality out of it, just the skeleton, the minimalist approach.

However my writing, when it comes down to it, is anything but no nonsense. This probably has a lot to do with the fact that I am one of the rare, or perhaps not so rare, hybrids. I am both a journalist and a creative writer - call me an oxymoron if you wish, I'm sure some journalists would even consider leaving that first bit - oxy - off entirely, but I can't help it. I happen to like playing with words, you know let them run a little free, make puns and jokes and even sometimes a, God forbid, run on sentence here or there? Punc.tuation in strange places. I kind of delight in the chaos of things like that. It makes me crack up a little bit.

So here's my problem, what if I want to be a different kind of journalist? What if I get bored of the inverted pyramid, and the formula, and the way things have been done since forever? What if I want to write intelligent things and still have fun with it?

THE BLOG!

It is a lot like the perfect combination. I can say anything I want, opinion or straight forward or a little of both. Alright I won't get paid for it. And okay no one is really getting hard news from me. But it sure is fun to write...and read!!!

"OK, ya'll get to decide whether Beltway Blogroll has been a good blog, but it is coming to an end," writes Danny Glover of Beltway Blogroll.

Hark what is this? A serious and intelligent writer using the term "ya'll"? How thrilling! I would love to use improper English in my writing. How sensationally edgy of him! He still seems smart, he still has a point. He is still entirely credible. But he is using slang? Well that would never fly outside the safe confines of a blog - or perhaps in an opinion piece. Still - haha - we've got them fooled now.

Blog: (noun) Denoting a safe haven for journalists, creative writers, and amateurs to let their words run wild; fun writing; intelligent and kooky.

I'm sold.