Every so often somebody in a store or coffee shop will recognize my face and ask if if i am still writing.
And sometimes a person will ask me if I’m still writing for the Duluth Reader. I answer this question with “Are you still not reading the Reader?”
I gave up on writing for the Reader when the editor/publisher bumped me too many times. I had started writing again when he asked me at a public event to write again. I don’t remember how long it was before he didn’t publish my articles again. After he published none of my articles for four issues, I gave up writing for him at all.
I also have given up on writing letters to the Duluth News Tribune. Chuck Frederik often rewrites any he publishes, sometime changing the meaning of what I wrote.
I also have given up writing letters to the Star Tribune. Changing the meaning has happened with the Strib also, but not very often.
In the case of both papers, it is a gamble if any letter will be published, and so why should I bother.
I do get most of my sidebar comments to New York Times articles published.
I get all of my sidebar comments to the Washington Post because they have “instant gratification”: only the most egregious comments are pulled.
Both of these national papers allow comments to comments. One does put oneself out there to other writers who take a complete different views.
Also, I should note that I am not “popular”. I generally get less than ten likes, compared to 20 to 50 likes or even more.
Of course, I should also admit that I get almost no comments to articles I write here by anybody who knows me. Most of my readership is trolls from Russia or Italy (Russian trolls masquerading as Italians).
So, if you know me and like anything I write here, please tell me the next time you see me. Better yet, tell a friend.
Even if you don’t tell me that you read anything I write, I will see a blip in readership from the U.S. and a few other countries.
And of course, a big thank you to anyone who reads this blog regularly.
