One doesn’t always get Amazon coupons for writing an excellent blog entry, or an excellent script, or even an excellent joke. For real writers, though, writing isn’t just about compensation; it’s about communicating something through storytelling, or, if not exactly storytelling, then through effective written communication of the non-story kind.

I’ve recently taken on a couple huge writing tasks. One is about an 18-month or so commitment to write lessons for my bar and bat mitzvah kids at my messianic temple. That’s turning out to be a growing experience in ways beyond the creative realm. It’s turning me into more of a researcher.

The other is also equally research-related as much as it’s related to writing; I have my first published article coming out soon in the next issue of Ripper Notes. It’s a true crime piece, obviously, and focused on the “last” Ripper victim, Mary Jane Kelly. Now, I’m delving into deeper research and have committed to doing more articles related to Jack the Ripper for that periodical.

Do the two writing commitments seem at odds with each other? I suppose they are to at least some degree, but both are important in this way: they are chances to write, write often, and write well. What writer could resist either offer?