It is somewhat difficult to write something with a modicum of thought when the writer is in a pissy mood. What put me in a pissy mood is irrelevant. Even I don’t fully know why my disposition is foul. It is a combination of factors.
But aren’t you always pissed off, you might ask? And your point is … ?
That isn’t to say I can’t write when I am of ill humor. I don’t know how many words I have written while pissed off over the 17 years I worked full time for newspapers. If a way existed to determine that number of words typed while ticked I am sure it would be a number or a percentage of such sheer size that it would depress me.
A great difference may be found in writing for work, especially under a tight deadline, and writing for the pure pleasure. Yes, I write this blog for pleasure. It’s a hobby and one which helps me to keep in touch with the thought processes I must summon when I have, what has become, the occasional writing job these days.
Interestingly enough, once I became good at deadline writing I found I enjoyed it albeit in palatable doses. I did “rewrite” during certain breaking stories. It wasn’t so much that I handled that task because of my skill, it was more like I just happened to be on top of the event and ran with it. For non-newspaper people, when I say rewrite, I refer to taking calls from reporters in the field and writing them into an ever-developing story. The only monetary prize I received in my career as a full-time journalism — my half of a $1,000 company-wide award shared with another reporter — was during a breaking story in which I did the rewrite. I have to say that I miss the adrenalin buzz from breaking news, but not enough to quit what I am doing and going back to work for a newspaper.
I seemed to veer off the original subject a bit even though that is okay. The point I wanted to make is that although at times I am might possess a bad mood I can still write and sometimes just the action of putting together words — perhaps cleverly every once in a while — can lighten my mood.
I like to control my writing. I like to herd my wording like an old-time cowboy pushing those “little doggies” up the trail. I don’t always succeed either. But I also exercise more control when my mood is sufficiently stable and free from a sudden “damnittohell.” So, I’ll just kick back today and not attempt to write anything requiring much thought and I will hibernate thus lessening the chance of compounding my “tickedoffedness.” Is tickedoffedness a word? It should be.