Writing sucks.

Let me rephrase that. Writing for mass consumption sucks. It lacks craftsmanship, to copy and paste buzz words and bite sized quotes together in an article mostly comprised of previously hacked and slashed pieces. It truly takes away from the term “author”, in my opinion.

I’ve always loved writing, but writing for me, from my own experience. I’m about to be 25, and I feel as if I’ve wasted my own time attempting to fit a mold of what my work needs to be. I’ve read countless articles on Facebook about the latest Marvel film, what scandal has befallen which actor, another misleading headline designed to rake in clicks. It’s by no means a new sensation, harkening back to the tabloids which still proliferate the shelves nearest to the grocery store checkout, but it’s certainly more accessible when everyone is on social media and wants to consume. These forms of media, sites that exists purely to generate revenue, do so on the backs of actual attempts at craft. Take the recent photo leaks from the set of Deadpool 3, recently changed for marketing purposes to Untitled Deadpool Movie. I don’t bring this up to say that the next Marvel film in the churning lineup will be a complete artistic expression, as it both serves a purpose for Disney shareholders and must meet certain narrative and structural requirements as befits a portion of this shared universe. I reference the leaks because of the genuine seeming upset expressed by cast and creative team member Ryan Reynolds, who took to Instagram Stories to share the following;

“Surprises are part of the magic of theatrical movies. It’s important for us to shoot the new DEADPOOL film in real, natural environments, using practical effects as opposed to making the movie indoors and digitally. Telephoto lenses continue to spoil surprises and create a difficult situation for everyone."- Ryan Reynolds

Yeah, the latest installment in the Deadpool franchise and larger MCU needs to serve a lot of purposes. But within that are people, trying to make the best out of something they love and care about. This is proliferation of a societal addiction; a constant need met by an industrial level of content churn through whatever means necessary. Again, it’s not new. From Princess Diana’s death due to rabid paparazzi to the recent WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes over better conditions and the use of generative AI to push out people in favor of cheaper and abundant content, it’s more relevant than ever to respect the craft. It’s something I’m beginning to teach myself.

So yeah, writing for mass consumption sucks. I’m gonna write for me. I hope you join me.