Blogging By Bus or Bike

In Journalism School they stressed that the destination determines the writing style. That is why we had radio, television, magazine, current affairs and opinion writing classes.

This is the reason why blogging is so difficult. Writers don’t have answers to who and where, because of the vague destination called ‘online.’ If they were writing a magazine piece, they’ll take the bus and enjoy the scenery of fall leaves changing colour.

Writing for radio news is tight for obvious reasons so taxis are the mode of transport. With blogging, I constantly get lost because I don’t know which train to catch at massive stations such as Gare du Lyons in Paris, Grand Central Station in New York or, King’s Cross in London England.

A bouquet of flowers is lovely to look at, but try it with writing. I don’t want to use stale English words still used by ‘highly educated’ characters in Nigerian movies. They call it grammar. Mixing it with street language favored by the kids won’t work. It will be like roasting sweet potatoes together with stones.

That is why my blogs take longer. Self-censorship, something most bloggers can relate to.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.