How do letter writers, columnists and essayists turn their anger into (publishable) art? That's what students in my The Mighty Pen adult education class set out to discover. After analyzing their favorite columnists, they came to some conclusions. I took the liberty of turning their theories into canon:
THE COLUMN WRITER'S TEN COMMANDMENTS
1. Thou shalt keep ever in mind the power of a humorous tongue.
2. Thou shalt remember always that an image is worth a thousand words.
3. Thou shalt sing it out.
4. Thou shalt tell the people what thou will tell them and then deliver.
5. Thou shalt waste not thy words.
6. Thou shalt talk with the people, never to them.
7. Thou shalt always remember persuasion is thy task.
8. Thou shalt know thy audience.
9. Thou shalt strive always to keep thy reader's interest.
10. Thou shalt not tell a lie.
