Passion without a harness

иконографияikoniWe hear and read all the time about how we have to be passionate about what we do and, yes, we do. It’s hard to generate enthusiasm in others if we don’t feel passion and it is also hard to hold our own interest in something if we aren’t passionate about.

But we have to keep a lid on it.

I’ve just written over 3,000 words (and growing) for something requiring 1,000 to 1,200 words. It feels as if I could go on forever, though I’m sure there is an end point somewhere.

All these words are a result of caring about the subject.

Here is the problem: It is never simply what you write that makes it work; it is also how you write about it. The “how” often means personalizing it. This works great guns for making something more immediate, accessible and interesting to readers. But it also leads you down paths you don’t need to go down. It can clog the delivery of what you are writing.

That we are interested — passionate — about a subject is great. But we have to keep the reader in mind.

In what I am currently writing, I need to find balance between the factual information I need to impart and the anecdotal, personal writing that makes it immediate and engaging. I need to stop writing and drop about 2,000 words!

It got so long because it is so interesting to me. I am so passionate about it, I want to deliver everything.

You can’t. No one will read it if I do; it will be too long and meandering.

We need passion in what we do but we also need to keep that passion in control. Passion without a harness to keep it in check becomes tedious, unfocused and far, far too long. It’s a horse without a rider.

I shall now assume my role as editor and begin the cutting process.