Welcome back to Member Monday. It’s my pleasure to feature a piece by past Writers Forum President, George Winship. Here’s a little more about George.
Professional writer George Winship found his niche in community journalism even before he earned a master’s degree in that field from the University of Oregon in 1980. Since then he has reviewed opera, symphony, chamber music and solo performances in Oregon and California; covered Montana’s State Penitentiary (from the outside); revealed the mysteries of education and business; won awards for his writing in two states; worked for a California State Senator; ghostwrote three books while authoring a nonfiction biography; and enjoyed a regular paycheck all while honing his craft.
A Passion for the Word
Although I have practiced the craft of writing for more than 30 years, it never fails to amaze me when I discover a diamond of a story taking shape in the rough. Just as Winston Churchill once described Russia, chiseling a beautiful tale out of chunks of raw material is analogous to “solving a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.”
There are so many layers to this craft that each day I peel back one only to find another staring back underneath, one more way of seeing yet a different angle, always drawing me closer to an idea’s true essence.
The power of words never fails to amaze while simultaneously amuse me. All too often, I discover the best stories are those that sound simple at the outset, yet reveal deep truths through powerful emotions.
That is what keeps journalism — the art of telling the stories of real people caught up in an everyday world — so fresh and alive day in and day out. No two days ever create déjà vu. Life is always ebbing and flowing, an unceasing tide of reason wearing against a constantly eroding shoreline of misunderstanding.
Read more of George’s work at the Anderson Valley Post. Trust me, you won’t want to miss his heartwarming story of that all started with a POW/MIA bracelet bought for $2.50. You may, however, want to grab a box of tissue first.
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