New Series: The Known Unknowns

[T]here are known knowns; there are things we know we know.
We also know there are known unknowns; that is to say we know there are some things we do not know.
But there are also unknown unknowns – the ones we don’t know we don’t know.

– Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, “answering” a question about the connection between Iraq and weapons of mass destruction

These words of Donald Rumsfeld were instantly famous enough to become the basis of a number of whimsical “Donald Rumsfeld Poetry” projects, such as this one. I’m not a Rumsfeld fan, to put it mildly, but I do truly love this quote and find its logic flawless and strangely beautiful. Therefore, I’m stealing the second set of knowns — the known unknowns — for the name of the new series of posts which now form the structure of this site.

Twice a week, on Tuesdays and Fridays, I will post my thoughts and questions about writing and creativity. There’s no lack of blogs and podcasts (and certainly books) about what the author or host knows and would generously like to impart to you. But my favorite discussion-format podcasts — WTF, Mental Illness Happy Hour, and How Did This Get Made? — all spend far more time asking than preaching. This sits well with me. Maybe it’s because of a hesitancy to position myself as an expert, maybe it’s a product of my agnostic upbringing, but I’d much rather hear someone try and puzzle out what they don’t understand and why than proclaim a Definitive Answer for a thing (in my case, writing) that has no definitive answers.

So every week, twice a week, I will share with you a little of what I’ve learned, but a whole LOT of what still puzzles the shit out of me. Oh, and I will be using some coarse language, as well as referencing TV and movies, which I’m going to warn you here I love every bit as much as I love books and the written word. Post #1 is going up in about a minute, so please enjoy. Check back every Tuesday and Friday!