I wanted to let my OpEdge readers know that I’ll be taking a break from posting articles for from three to six months. I’ve been working on a novel for a number of years and am partway through a very polished second draft. I’ve decided it’s time to focus all my efforts on getting the novel ready for publication.
Composing the OpEdge articles distract me from the novel in two ways. Obviously, it takes a lot of time to develop ideas, research, write, edit and post the articles. But perhaps more significant: When I write expository prose I try always to remain logical and rational. I try to seek the truth and base my statements on facts. The voices of my novel sometimes get very emotional. They lie—to themselves and to others. A few are mentally unhinged, and most have a lot of pretty strange ideas based more on unproved myths than on observation and analysis. It’s getting progressively harder for me to switch from one mode of thinking and writing to the other on a regular basis. Perhaps my brain is slowing down—blame it on aging!
I think I can complete the second draft of my first novel in about three months, but it may take as long as six. So for the next few months my esteemed readers will have to do without my insights and rants. But I promise to return, fresh and ready to recommence the battle.
For the past several years, I’ve been thinking about how to turn the material I have created for OpEdge into a book. I recently came up with an idea, which will animate the direction I take OpEdge when I return in a few months. I won’t share this new twist with you now, but will reveal that it will involve popularizing important research that the mainstream news media tends to ignore.
In my absence, I have an easy way to determine how you should stand on any economic or social issue: If the current administration proposes it or is for it, it’s probably a bad idea. If the current administration dislikes it or wants to dismantle it, it’s probably working well and helping America.
I’ll be back.