Like other people who are in the business of writing: authors, journalists, poets, bloggers, etc., I try to read other columnist’s work that’s similar to mine. It helps me feel like I’m part of a community; one that pertains to agriculture, humor, and column writing.
I read other columnists that inspire me, have a unique “voice†that’s appealing to me, and whom I feel are really funny. By reading other columns, I don’t feel so alone in my quest for material, ideas, and humor. I’m particularly drawn to columnists that reflect a sense of humor similar to mine, like Lee Pitts.
Lee is one of the first columnists I started to follow when I got started. He’s featured in an agriculture paper my husband gets and the more I read Lee’s It’s The Pitts columns, it’s evident to me that we think similarly.
I enjoy Lee’s column for various reasons but mostly because of his great sense of humor. He talks extensively about topics in agriculture in a humorous way, much like I try to do, and tells great stories. I can relate to a lot of what he talks about and I appreciate his point of view because it’s from a man’s perspective. He’s funny and makes me laugh, and that’s how I determine if a columnist is good or not.
A lot of what he writes gives me inspiration for my own column and a few times we’ve both written similar thoughts about the same topics unknowingly—I was going to give you an example here, but I seem to have misplaced it in my head right now. My point is, I can’t write this stuff (my column content) alone. I rely on other columnists to provide it for me. I’m kidding. Columnists give me inspiration, lead me into my own story ideas, and give me a good laugh for the day; which I sorely need on tough column writing days. Reading other humor columnists makes me realize I’m not the only one who feels like some days writing is the equivalent of trying to make chicken salad out of chicken doodoo, and has a deadline to meet.
Be sure to check out the books Lee has out too.
Leave a Reply