Good writing

I'm discovering (duh, I guess I'm a little slow) that the best writing is usually collected around a central theme or focal point.  Perhaps this is why my attempts at blogging seem like a series of rabbit trails to strange places in my brain.  Because they are.

I just read this fantastic book called Little Chapel on the River by Gwendolyn Bounds.  I won't take time to go into a full review here, however raving it would be.  The book is focused on this little Irish pub in New York and all that goes on there.  That is a gross oversimplification, but I think gross oversimplification is something my writing lacks.  A thesis statement, a main idea.  There you go.  That's what it is I don't have.  Now High School English is all coming back to me.

Julie's blog in the movie Julie and Julia was wildly popular because people were drawn to her central premise; reaching a life's goal.  Another example of just what I'm missing.

Profound questions of the day:  Suppose I had a main idea, what would it be?  What would provide enough material for a sustained effort?  Even if I found something wildly consuming to me, would it matter to anyone else?