Welcome!

Written works are, perhaps, the most influential sources of communication. Even as we head into the digital age, where more and more is shown on a screen, you still cannot escape reading. In earlier days, those who controlled the pen often controlled the mindsets of thousands of individuals. Critics such as Daniel Defoe, Jonathon Swift, Alexander Pope, Addison, Steele, and others could often convince the masses through literature (in the form of essays and satires, primarily) of certain viewpoints; they could tear down some, and with a stroke of the pen, build others up. Such mastery of the art was, and in many cases still is, influential in the shaping of society.

What I hope this blog will do will provide accountability for me to practice this art. I can't guarantee an original work of literature every post, nor will I pretend to be that imaginative. But you can improve writing skills in more than one way. I not only hope and plan to write original works of literature (falling under whatever category comes to mind), but I also hope to improve general writing skills as I record life's adventures. With these various categories of posts, I hope to be posting between every 7 and 10 days.

In summary, here are the two main things I wish to accomplish with this blog - 1) Post an original at least once a month. This is the primary purpose. It may be an excerpt from something longer than a blogpost, it might be incomplete (and therefore I need input), but at least it will be there. As of now, I have not decided on whether there will be a set week that I will post an "original" or not. 2) Improve in writing skills. Comprehensiveness, train of thought, clarity, etc.

(I will say in advance that the next few posts will be on a certain trip to Europe my brother and I are taking in about a week's time. Those posts are the catalyst to the blog. This way, I have a set of posts I know I can do, and it will give me time to prepare an original.)

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog! I hope you will come again and help me along in this endeavor.