So one of my writing clients, Demand Media, often has travel-themed guides about Florida I can write quickly. Sometimes I get lucky and find one like “Best Nude Beaches in Florida” which, at a minimum, is a lot of fun to write and – this is crucial for a freelancer- I can do it easily and quickly and up my hourly average.
Other guides are not so easy. This morning, I started writing about hotels in Ebro. Never heard of Ebro? It’s a small town in Washington county, which is in the panhandle. The problem with these little places is that I get carried away with the details. Because of their narrow scope, I should be able to focus these guides quickly and ship them off to the client. Instead I find myself getting carried away on the details, getting caught up in the minutiae, and writing pointless blog entries about them.
Here’s what I know so far:
Ebro, Florida, which has a population of 269 people and, of the 133 men there, no reported gays. 60% of the town’s population is Southern Baptist, 10%, Assembly of God, and the were overwhelmingly red for the last two presidential races. Most residents never receive education past high school, if they even graduate. They have 16 gas stations, 15 restaurants, and apparently, only one hotel. Their adult obesity and diabetes rates are above the state average.
Kind of paints a mental picture of the town, doesn’t it?
I love the panhandle. God help me, I do.
