In the newspaper business, a shorter, anecdotal article accompanying the main story is called a sidebar. There are sidebars to completing a manuscript that I have found rewarding.
The main benefit of this writing exercise is that it is good for the brain, soul and occasionally, the revenue. The sidebar for my memoir is that I have connected or reconnected with many associates and have become acquainted with many new people I would not have known had I not finished my work.
The common thread for all of us is either the specific Iowa hometown, the general era of our good old days or nostalgia for others relating to my various vignettes in Walkin' Joe and The Midnight Marauders.
If you are like me, the older I get the more I treasure the past and the more I look at the past the more appreciation I have for close friendships with admirable people. Many people with decades in the media develop a strong sense of sarcasm and suspicion. This may be from over-exposure to the type of news that grabs headlines and broadcast spots.
Switching to a writing career has helped me move past that into a more favorable view of life and the people around me. It has been a joy to hear from folks who share an experience or memory or just say how my little memoir affected them.
Of course I admit to being a little strange. I am a guy who likes to look at your photo albums and see your home movies. I am fascinated by people and their backgrounds and I am acutely aware that everyone has a story to tell. It is important to know that we can learn much from their stories.
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