Toe in the Water

Wide Angle or Telephoto

Wide Angle or Telephoto

I was looking through my portfolio this morning and it struck me that I write about almost everything. There’s none of that dedicated concentration of the specialist evident in my work - it’s just all over the place. When asked what I write, I always answer with fantasy but that’s a lie. I only write fantasy when I’m really trying. Otherwise it’s either whatever the present contest demands of me or those weird things that parade themselves through my mind (like this that I’m writing now).

Naturally, I wonder whether this says something about me as a writer. Years ago, when I still had dreams of being a famous painter, I submitted a few drawings to the annual exhibition in a particular national gallery. When they were rejected, I asked a friend of mine who happened to know one of the judges if he could find out the reason. He came back with the information that I was too inconsistent. I had yet to find my style, apparently.

This came into glaring focus when I considered the work of an artist of about my age who had been accepted for the exhibition. He did pastel drawings of shoes. That’s all - just drawing after drawing of shoes. Obviously, he had found his style.

Well, I sneered at his shoes and carried on without regard for the thoughts of the art world. And, shortly thereafter, writing won out in its competition for my attention with art. But, every now and then, I have a sneaking thought that maybe that judge was right and I am too diverse in my interests and focus to ever make it big in the literary world. Not that it bothers me - my ambitions in that area have long died and I am satisfied with whatever I produce.

Which reminds me that today I ventured for the first time into the genre of comic verse. I managed to write something that I’m quite proud of. Indeed, I think that it may be the best thing I’ve written since the dreaded writer’s block captured me after the completion of the Wonderland Challenge. That’s what I think now, of course - in a few days I may be able to see it in its true colours. If you like (and if you happen to be reading this), you could judge for yourself by having a read. It’s quite short, I promise.

STATIC

Comic's Lament  (E) Comic verse describing my venture into comic verse. #2224082 by Beholden

Word Count: 399