Wright Thompson : Letters From Augusta

Those are about as good an example of successful short-form writing as I've seen in some time.

 

I'm guessing he has good, consistant mangement that allows him to thrive as writer.

When it seems like the people calling the shots are bi-polar or throw tantrums like a toddler, then the entire process suffers.

 

I don't doubt it, but that's a credit to him. He was smart and aware enough, I'm guessing, from an early age to place himself into situations that would best enable him to succeed and grow. That doesn't mean just finding editors who let you do whatever you want, by the way. It also means finding editors who, at the same time, reign you in. But reign you in the right way, not just, "Inverted pyramid or die!" It's a tough balance. If I can think of analogy, it would be like trying to add muscle and lose fat at the same time.

 

Thompson has proven he's talented in any format. But I want to add, these pieces are also a good example of how a writer can be eloquent with relatively few words and without being "writerly" in any way.

 

Did ESPN show-talk about him during yesterday's broadcast?
I walked in and it looked like a shot of him standing along the fairway. But I missed what was said.

 

Big fan of these postcard things. Especially the one about the pimento cheese. 100% chance I use his grandmother's recipe. Soon.

 

The pimento cheese dispatch is endearing and funny.

 

That was a gorgeous collection of paragraphs.

 

I wonder is Bill Simmons notices what is happening here.

And that cheese sandwich thing was inspired. Does anyone think he just wrote that on the fly?

 

If Simmons is reading Wright's stuff, I'm sure he's just wondering why he doesn't write 50,000 words for each "Letter From Augusta" and insert about 300 "hip" pop culture, movie and Vegas references.

Maybe it's because I love the Masters, but I could read these things from Wright all day long. Thanks for linking them.

 

He's right about the pimento cheese being an acquired taste.

He's also dead-on about Bojangles.

 

I hope they don't serve sweet tea down there.