WHY I WRITE AS I DO
by Anton Wills-Eve
<a href=”https://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/third-from-the-top/”>Third From the Top</a>
WHY I WRITE AS I DO
I have never expected that anyone I knew personally, and who did not know that I had a word press site, would inadvertently pick up my writings. Yesterday I discovered that several people I knew well had discovered my digital secret and were fascinated at what they thought I was revealing about my family and amical circle. As a result I felt it necessary to post this article to clear up any assumed misunderstandings. So ears back everyone, here comes the truth!
The most difficult thing about blogging, as daily posting of stories articles and jokes, is usually called, is remembering that there are readers out there who may wonder what is fact and what is fiction. Well in my case it is about 50-50 as far as biographical, spiritual, humerous and personal stories and articles are concerned. But a lot of my writing is obviously not about me, or true, because the characters are completely incompatible with those versions of themselves which have appeared in earlier posts or stories.
But when it comes to expressons of opinion, morality, my Faith and comments on current affairs it is straight from my inner convictions and I never lie to myself. About myself yes, I am a born ego-hyperbolist, but never in any seriously stupid or unpleasant way. My chronic anxiety neurosis from the age of six is totally true in so far as I have always suffered from it, but the way in which I often recount anecdotes about how I deal with my mental illness, or the situations in which I have found myself, everything from hilariously funny to literally depressed beyond belief, are as likely to have been understated as overstated. What I never do is write about my own family without asking them first and always, with one obvious exception if you have read it, changing the names of people who are still alive.
It is true that I am currently being treated for five major illnesses, including cancer, but I leave all that to God, Saint Rita and my doctors to sort out.They are currently doing a very good job.The worst side of this type of suffering is how it upsets my wife and sons, though my wife’s prayers have played a large part in making it possible for me to get by. But again I never mention real names when talking about people who I know and whose suffering I discuss. This is a big ‘no, no’ for any blogger. So how should my readers approach my writing? If I post an obviously fictitious story, no matter how obviously much of it is based on things I have experienced, then the whole thing should be taken with a pinch of salt; especially if it is riddled with bad jokes. Also my poetry and verse is always no more than an exercise in doing something I enjoy. The one exception which I think I have posted is ‘an Ode to my Wife’, a heartfelt and a genuine expression of how I feel.
The main important point I would like to make is the reason why I write. The nature of my health is such that this is now about the only way I have of talking to the ‘outside world’. Having been a journalist since the age of two and a half, really my pram was just missed by a bomb I shall tell you about that soon, but there was a break of 13 years in the middle, resuming when I was hired as London classical music critic for an American news agency. This augmented my pocket money enormously. Soon sports were added to my freelance writing and included tennis, rugby and motor racing between the ages of sixteen to eighteen, so I had an enviable start to what was to become my career.
But the most important things that can be seen from everything I write are that I have been an anomaly amongst my peers all my life. Also whenever I have decided to take a particular path in life something has happened unexpectedly to turn all my expectations on their head. Only my love of God has remained with me as I wanted it and that because it is also the source of my most enjoyable love. Also I am convinced that God has a really good sense of humour. Well just look at us all. He must have!
Anton Wills-Eve
Anton's Ideas 
That was a very interesting read. We don’t know each other, but in a way we do. I discovered blogging about 7 years ago. In a way it reminded me of my school days where we would go on an excursion and the penalty from the teacher afterwards was “write an essay about it”. I never enjoyed that part of it, but today writing a blog is my own thing, my decision and what I write is my choice. I do not like it to get too personal, but that is in our own judgement. I think we learn on the way. I enjoy reading your blogs.
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Thanks for that really nice comment. I had to write an explanation of my writing because friends were picking it up and raising eyebrows – well mobile phones to be accurate – but I did not want people to think that I didn’t know when I was appearing to just show off or tell an apparently blatant lie. In fact those blogs which are basically completely true include several that no one would believe. Others that seem quite believeable are as often as not made up. But like you I only do this because I find it enjoyable and therapeutic. I too remember those imposed essays at school and I always used to get my own back by over writing them and making the teacher or prefect read some 3,000 words on a tediously boring subject. Now is that last remark true or false or just exaggerated? Thanks again and keep the blogs coming. ciao. Anton
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