For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for August 01, 2024

Write about Farley. Every one loves a heroic story of a beloved family pet and a toddler.

Mike is trying to write a newspaper article on local interest stuff, but he is trying to do it without actually leaving his home and finding something local to write about. I am not sure he understands the basic elements of writing a local interest article for a newspaper.

It appears the point of the punchline is that a good writer is emotional, full of self-doubt, sarcastic, compulsive, analytical, and living in a fantasy world. Oh dear, Mike. Those sound like symptoms of a disease or a disorder, not the signs of a good writer.

Michael has all the creative elements. He just doesn’t know how to use them…. yet.

Welcome to life, Mr. Hemingway!

It sounds as if Mike should be a fiction writer, not a journalist. Journalists don’t need to be “creative”. They should be observant, honest and fair, and a punchy writing style is a bonus.

Well, you’ve got a sharp lookin’ gal that’s sticking with you, and that’s a start

All those things Mike listed are traditional character traits of a successful (and unsuccessful) writer.

He makes for a pretty good pseudo-intellectual drama queen though.

Call it Farley’s Journey.

Panel one: Yeah, we know!!

Mike, my pal, those ARE the qualities of a writer! WRITE WHAT U FEEL!!

Sounds like he should write an advice column, like Ann Landers

Perhaps Drama Queen is your calling Michael.

ROTFL

Jeez, talk about your lack of self-awareness…

Try writing the truth backed by facts. That would be a complete opposite of what we have now.

Having had the last article he wrote, his very first which was inspired, reduced to a puff piece could be a cause for writers block

Take a breath Mike San , best writing still inside you!

Sounds perfect for a career in politics these days.

But you are definitely a fully-qualified whiner. :)

Well kid…it is what it is……….

Please tell me Michael marries Rhetta. She’s wonderful.

You don’t just write a local interest piece. You have to go out and interview someone about a specific topic.

I’m a big James Thurber fan, and panel 3 definitely could be describing him!

I wonder how many famous writers ever felt like Mike.