Starting a column

Why and How. That is what I am going to write about in this column of mine today along with a self-styled definition of my column. The Why translates to why a column? Cos people don’t listen to me and I desperately need a way to jabber? Cos I am plain bored? Cos I have so much stuff in my head and I need a way offload it or record it? Well, maybe… But the truth is, I have been trying to write for sometime now and needless to say I have not had much success. Or rather I have been too sporadic to say I actually write. So I decided I will do a column. Now you are probably thinking Ok, I get the picture – it is a fancy name for her ramblings cos she doesn’t really have anything solid to write about. No, you are wrong. I do have lot to write about. Honestly. Or atleast I have a lot of ideas or topics to write about. So that brings back the question Why. The answer is, this is going to be a regular column, meaning I have to write regularly. Great idea, huh? So you are now asking how did I get such a brilliant(??) idea. That is the How. I was thinking of a way to make myself write as I glanced through the papers this morning. I looked at Paul Krugman’s column and Bingo! - got my answer.

So now having gotten the Why and How out of the way, I am pondering on other questions – is a column supposed to be about something - atleast some wide area? And there is supposed to be a word limit right? Or a range atleast? I know the newspaper columns do have them, but you do have these online publications these days… :D Alright, I am going to answer these questions myself and that way set some ground rules for this self–published column. This column is going to be generic. And the word limit ____. I will fill in the blank when I am done with this first column.

There is yet another question I cannot wiggle my way out of, the definition of my column will be incomplete without that – frequency. How frequent is this column going to be? Twice a week – Tuesday and Saturday. Biting off more than I can chew? Maybe, but then anything to make me write.

If you are wondering whether I am dreaming to make it big as a columnist and starting off on you unsuspecting readers here as a sounding board of sorts. You are a little off the mark. I am perfectly honest when I say I am just trying to write. Right now I prefer fiction and serious essays to free-flowing columns. But since I am yet to get my inspiration for a great character or plotline and not finding time to research in depth for any of my essay topics(I do have a list of them), I have settled for a column.

If you contend that a series of articles uploaded on a blog cannot be deemed a Column, call it what you will. I am going to call it a Column.

So we have a deal, a regular column -Tuesdays and Saturdays, on anything I ponder about. If you insist on a title, it is going to be Cryptic Runes, same as my blog. Oh, and the word limit will be 500 –750 words. (In case you are wondering, this one is 590 words long).

P. S: Look for Cryptic Runes in the title and “Column” and “Cryptic Runes” in the tags.