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AvrgBlkGrl
Over 90 days ago
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The Selected Poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke
Edited and Translated by Stephen Mitchell
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I collect antique, Japanese, cast iron teapots.
My husband had a beautiful display area created
in are breakfast area. It takes up an entire wall. And,
it's full.
I also collect hard covered books. I have a weekness for
books that explore early cultural mythology and
books that examine or have a story line that deals with
minority culture. Oh, and anything published by major
Existentialist. The older the better. I guess it's because of my
teaching discipline.
My husband had a beautiful display area created
in are breakfast area. It takes up an entire wall. And,
it's full.
I also collect hard covered books. I have a weekness for
books that explore early cultural mythology and
books that examine or have a story line that deals with
minority culture. Oh, and anything published by major
Existentialist. The older the better. I guess it's because of my
teaching discipline.
Active Ink Slinger
Punctuation in poetry is debatable. Like when it comes to grammar rules in poetry, some people feel strongly about it. I personally can take it or leave it. It depends on how I'm trying to say what I'm saying. So, I'm on the side of both. Not all poems need punctuation. And, isn't the poem itself the most important thing. Punctuation gives order, reduces confusion, establishes pace, gives emphasis and leads the reader. The whole idea of communicating is not just to be heard, but possibly understood. Of course an exceptional poem takes you beyond just the gift and insight the writer is sharing. Punctuation helps the poem. I'm pretty traditional about this. It is as important as word choice, phrasing and line/stanza breaks. However, what it should never do is distract the reader.
The very nature of poetry makes it attractive to the defiant, those of us that love to color outside of the lines--like me. There are all sorts of ways to experiment with it. I cannot stress enough the importance of not letting your idea of creativity ruin your poem though. "Kill your darlings." These are the harshest and hardest words to follow when writing. I don't care what type of writing you are doing. Do what is best for the poem. If punctuation distracts, then eliminate it. There is nothing wrong with that. The presence or absence should be a functioning part of the poem--not something you don't do because you are lazy (many people run to poetry because they don't want to learn grammar). Look at ee cummings (everyone loves to bring him up and refer to "anyone lived in a pretty how town"), no punctuation and no grammar rules. You can't even write his name the way we are taught to write them according to him. I for one love Ntozake Shange and her poem "it's not so good to be born a girl/ sometimes". She doesn't use line breaks, capitalization or stanzas. It takes an exceptionally highly skilled writer to break the rules successfully. I'm no Ntozake Shange and you're most likely no ee cummings. You are going to have to be that kind of creative somewhere else. We are not trying to change rules here.
So, use punctuation or choose not to. Never the less, YOU MUST BE CONSISTENT throughout the poem. (Like when people use rhyme and fully develop a rhythm or meter, then pick it up and put it down and pick it up again--but, that's another thread all together.588-rolleyes ) If you choose to use punctuation it must be grammatically correct. One way to check that is to remove all your line breaks and stanza's and edit it like prose. Capitalization is standard at the beginning of each line/stanza and quite acceptable (preferred but not totally necessary). I don't care how deeply you want the reader to think as your sentence trails off...An ellipses consists of three dots--end of discussion. Hyphens and dashes are two different things used for two different reasons. No AAAAHHHHH, just Ah (or maybe Aah because it's in Webster). AH is an acronym for Arts and Humanities.
Sidebar:
I don't care how deeply you want the reader to think as your sentence trails off...An ellipses consists of three dots--end of discussion.
Hyphens and dashes are two different things used for two different reasons. It is acceptable to use a hyphen as a dash, but you must have a space before and after it.
No AAAAHHHHH, just Ah (or maybe Aah because it's in Webster). By the way, AH is an acronym for Arts and Humanities.
Just because the system double spaces your poem, every poem doesn't need to be double spaced. Spacing controls the speed of the reading. Choose it carefully. Don't be lazy if it doesn't need to be double spaced, edit again and space it appropriately.
Have fun, but don't sacrifice quality.
The very nature of poetry makes it attractive to the defiant, those of us that love to color outside of the lines--like me. There are all sorts of ways to experiment with it. I cannot stress enough the importance of not letting your idea of creativity ruin your poem though. "Kill your darlings." These are the harshest and hardest words to follow when writing. I don't care what type of writing you are doing. Do what is best for the poem. If punctuation distracts, then eliminate it. There is nothing wrong with that. The presence or absence should be a functioning part of the poem--not something you don't do because you are lazy (many people run to poetry because they don't want to learn grammar). Look at ee cummings (everyone loves to bring him up and refer to "anyone lived in a pretty how town"), no punctuation and no grammar rules. You can't even write his name the way we are taught to write them according to him. I for one love Ntozake Shange and her poem "it's not so good to be born a girl/ sometimes". She doesn't use line breaks, capitalization or stanzas. It takes an exceptionally highly skilled writer to break the rules successfully. I'm no Ntozake Shange and you're most likely no ee cummings. You are going to have to be that kind of creative somewhere else. We are not trying to change rules here.
So, use punctuation or choose not to. Never the less, YOU MUST BE CONSISTENT throughout the poem. (Like when people use rhyme and fully develop a rhythm or meter, then pick it up and put it down and pick it up again--but, that's another thread all together.588-rolleyes ) If you choose to use punctuation it must be grammatically correct. One way to check that is to remove all your line breaks and stanza's and edit it like prose. Capitalization is standard at the beginning of each line/stanza and quite acceptable (preferred but not totally necessary). I don't care how deeply you want the reader to think as your sentence trails off...An ellipses consists of three dots--end of discussion. Hyphens and dashes are two different things used for two different reasons. No AAAAHHHHH, just Ah (or maybe Aah because it's in Webster). AH is an acronym for Arts and Humanities.
Sidebar:
I don't care how deeply you want the reader to think as your sentence trails off...An ellipses consists of three dots--end of discussion.
Hyphens and dashes are two different things used for two different reasons. It is acceptable to use a hyphen as a dash, but you must have a space before and after it.
No AAAAHHHHH, just Ah (or maybe Aah because it's in Webster). By the way, AH is an acronym for Arts and Humanities.
Just because the system double spaces your poem, every poem doesn't need to be double spaced. Spacing controls the speed of the reading. Choose it carefully. Don't be lazy if it doesn't need to be double spaced, edit again and space it appropriately.
Have fun, but don't sacrifice quality.
Active Ink Slinger
Punctuation in poetry is debatable. Like when it comes to grammar rules in poetry, some people feel strongly about it. I personally can take it or leave it. It depends on how I'm trying to say what I'm saying. So, I'm on the side of both. Not all poems need punctuation. And, isn't the poem itself the most important thing. Punctuation gives order, reduces confusion, establishes pace, gives emphasis and leads the reader. The whole idea of communicating is not just to be heard, but possibly understood. Of course, an exceptional poem takes you beyond just the gift and insight the writer is sharing. Punctuation helps the poem. I'm pretty traditional about this. It is as important as word choice, phrasing and line/stanza breaks. However, what it should never do is distract the reader. If it is distracting, for the sake of the poem, eliminate it.
The very nature of poetry makes it attractive to the defiant, those of us that love to color outside of the lines--like me. There are all sorts of ways to experiment with it. I cannot stress enough the importance of not letting your idea of creativity ruin your poem though. "Kill your darlings." These are the harshest and hardest words to follow when writing. I don't care what type of writing you are doing. Do what is best for the poem. If punctuation distracts, then eliminate it. There is nothing wrong with that. The presence or absence should be a functioning part of the poem--not something you don't do because you are lazy (many people run to poetry because they don't want to learn grammar).
Look at ee cummings (everyone loves to bring him up and refer to "anyone lived in a pretty how town"), no punctuation and no grammar rules. You can't even write his name the way we are taught to write them according to him. I for one love Ntozake Shange and her poem "it's not so good to be born a girl/ sometimes". She doesn't use line breaks, capitalization or stanzas. It takes an exceptionally highly skilled writer to break the rules successfully. I'm no Ntozake Shange and you're most likely no ee cummings. You are going to have to be that kind of creative somewhere else. We are not trying to change rules here.
So, use punctuation or choose not to. Never the less, YOU MUST BE CONSISTENT throughout the poem. (Like when people use rhyme and fully develop a rhythm or meter, then pick it up and put it down and pick it up again--but, that's another thread all together.
If you choose to use punctuation it must be grammatically correct. One way to check that is to remove all your line breaks and stanza's and edit it like prose. Capitalization is standard at the beginning of each line/stanza and quite acceptable (preferred but not totally necessary).
Side bar:
I don't care how deeply you want the reader to think as your sentence trails off...An ellipses consists of three dots--end of discussion.
Hyphens and dashes are two different things used for two different reasons. It is acceptable to use a hyphen as a dash, but you must have a space before and after it.
No AAAAHHHHH, just Ah (or maybe Aah because it's in Webster). By the way, AH is an acronym for Arts and Humanities.
Just because the system double spaces your poem, every poem doesn't need to be double spaced. Spacing controls the speed of the reading. Choose it carefully. Don't be lazy if it doesn't need to be double spaced, edit again and space it appropriately.
Have fun, but don't sacrifice quality.
I love our poets.
AvrgBlkGrl💋
The very nature of poetry makes it attractive to the defiant, those of us that love to color outside of the lines--like me. There are all sorts of ways to experiment with it. I cannot stress enough the importance of not letting your idea of creativity ruin your poem though. "Kill your darlings." These are the harshest and hardest words to follow when writing. I don't care what type of writing you are doing. Do what is best for the poem. If punctuation distracts, then eliminate it. There is nothing wrong with that. The presence or absence should be a functioning part of the poem--not something you don't do because you are lazy (many people run to poetry because they don't want to learn grammar).
Look at ee cummings (everyone loves to bring him up and refer to "anyone lived in a pretty how town"), no punctuation and no grammar rules. You can't even write his name the way we are taught to write them according to him. I for one love Ntozake Shange and her poem "it's not so good to be born a girl/ sometimes". She doesn't use line breaks, capitalization or stanzas. It takes an exceptionally highly skilled writer to break the rules successfully. I'm no Ntozake Shange and you're most likely no ee cummings. You are going to have to be that kind of creative somewhere else. We are not trying to change rules here.
So, use punctuation or choose not to. Never the less, YOU MUST BE CONSISTENT throughout the poem. (Like when people use rhyme and fully develop a rhythm or meter, then pick it up and put it down and pick it up again--but, that's another thread all together.
If you choose to use punctuation it must be grammatically correct. One way to check that is to remove all your line breaks and stanza's and edit it like prose. Capitalization is standard at the beginning of each line/stanza and quite acceptable (preferred but not totally necessary).
Side bar:
I don't care how deeply you want the reader to think as your sentence trails off...An ellipses consists of three dots--end of discussion.
Hyphens and dashes are two different things used for two different reasons. It is acceptable to use a hyphen as a dash, but you must have a space before and after it.
No AAAAHHHHH, just Ah (or maybe Aah because it's in Webster). By the way, AH is an acronym for Arts and Humanities.
Just because the system double spaces your poem, every poem doesn't need to be double spaced. Spacing controls the speed of the reading. Choose it carefully. Don't be lazy if it doesn't need to be double spaced, edit again and space it appropriately.
Have fun, but don't sacrifice quality.
I love our poets.
AvrgBlkGrl💋
Active Ink Slinger
Here are just two out of hundreds...
The soundtrack from the "The Mission" starring Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons
and
"The Fountain" starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz
The soundtrack from the "The Mission" starring Robert DeNiro and Jeremy Irons
and
"The Fountain" starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by authorised1960
The other difficulty I found was trying to find new and interesting ways to describe the physical act of sexual intercourse. It's a simple and basic act: once part a is inserted into part b there's not a great deal else one can say! Sure, you can find new and interesting places and positions to put a and b together but the fact remains that it's still a dull act to write about over and over again.
This is where the erotica writers and the porn writers (or we like to call them stroke story writers) separate. A strong story line and interesting well defined characters are going to eliminate that problem. Then of course you have to have the imagination (or I like to say nature) for those types of details. Everyone that simply knows what the acts consists of isn't necessarily going to be able to make it erotic--as in real life. Experience is a major enhancement, admittedly not always necessary. If it is a really good story highlighted by the sex, the characters can be doing the most simple of things and your reader is hot an rooting for them regardless. There own imagination can fill in the whatever spaces do it for them. The entire genre is underestimated. However, it's a major thing right now. With online publishing and such, readers are flocking to it. In most book stores, it isn't even separated. It's all fiction or romance.
Strokers can care less and neither do those type of writers.
Active Ink Slinger
Professionally, I'm all about the outline, format, notes and intellectual soundness. But, I have to admit that it takes less out of me to do it and it is actually what I'm most noted for.
With poetry and fiction, my lack of organization is profound. I have a story or a line of thought pop up in my head (inspiration comes from the craziest of things), and I'm off. I have this picture and I simply explain it out. In my fiction, the characters lead the way. In my poetry, I can't even tell you what happens there. I get consumed and I'm simply somewhere else. I've lost poems and could not rewrite them at the original level to save my life. It's the minute I'm in it that shapes it. It's actually pretty much the same for fiction. When most of my friends who are writers sit back and talk about their creative process, I just shut-up. I know how flaky what I have to say is going to sound. There is no sense in having them think I'm crazy.
With poetry and fiction, my lack of organization is profound. I have a story or a line of thought pop up in my head (inspiration comes from the craziest of things), and I'm off. I have this picture and I simply explain it out. In my fiction, the characters lead the way. In my poetry, I can't even tell you what happens there. I get consumed and I'm simply somewhere else. I've lost poems and could not rewrite them at the original level to save my life. It's the minute I'm in it that shapes it. It's actually pretty much the same for fiction. When most of my friends who are writers sit back and talk about their creative process, I just shut-up. I know how flaky what I have to say is going to sound. There is no sense in having them think I'm crazy.
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I'm never satisfied. I always see room for improvement each and every time I do a read.
I have to sometimes make myself let it go.
I have to sometimes make myself let it go.
Active Ink Slinger
Being empathetic is one of the best qualities a writer can have. I mention it in something I wrote for here in the Musings Genre (L Is For Lazy). You can hate the character but to fully develop them and the how/why he acts the way he does, you have to empathize with them--understand them from within. Understanding does not always mean agreeing. Really good actors do this and are able to truly transform themselves in a part. Also, to create new character and not just mirrors of yourself and your feelings, you have to step out of yourself and clearly see something from someone else's view point. My characters live and breathe with backgrounds that shape the way they think, whether I choose to share all of that with the reader or not.
I've had people assume that they know me or how I think from a particular writing. I have to smile, because a fairly reasonable portion of the time it has absolutely nothing to do with me personally at all. But, I like that the reader thinks it does because then I did my job.
I've had people assume that they know me or how I think from a particular writing. I have to smile, because a fairly reasonable portion of the time it has absolutely nothing to do with me personally at all. But, I like that the reader thinks it does because then I did my job.
Active Ink Slinger
I had to come back and edit my earlier comment. It's true most of the time, but sometimes I have characters that need a name that strengthens the perception I want the reader to have. Right now I'm working on a supernatural novel. I actually did some research to find names in my character's native language and time period with meanings that culture would easily recognize.
I do believe that names should strengthen the story line. I don't make up names. I hate when parents do that in real life, unless it is a functional part of the story line. Names can also distract.
This one is one a student in my Summer program came up with: L--a.
At first, I was like "What?" But, her character is basically illiterate and that's her mark.
The character's name is L'dasha. The kids I work with are preteens. I had to laugh
because she had the right idea about names. I had to bite my tongue and not say,
"A dash and a hyphen are two different things." LOL
I do believe that names should strengthen the story line. I don't make up names. I hate when parents do that in real life, unless it is a functional part of the story line. Names can also distract.
This one is one a student in my Summer program came up with: L--a.
At first, I was like "What?" But, her character is basically illiterate and that's her mark.
The character's name is L'dasha. The kids I work with are preteens. I had to laugh
because she had the right idea about names. I had to bite my tongue and not say,
"A dash and a hyphen are two different things." LOL
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by rolandlytle
ABG made some great points too. A second pair of eyes is always a good idea. If you want advise from an outstanding writer, she is the one to listen to. She is one of the best.
Your check is in the mail
Quote by nekala20
I don't mind the constructive criticism however I have asked her to tell me if she is going to make changes and she didn't it is just that I want her to tell me what she thinks of it and tell me if there is anything that needs to be changed...That is also why I decided to post my stories here so that I can get feedback from other writers.
This sounds like a reoccurring problem. Why are you giving it to her if you don't like what she does? I know that if I am reviewing/editing something lengthy, it's easier to make changes and notes directly in the document. I won't remember everything if they are expecting me to discuss it with them later. If she cares, you are sort of asking a lot. She is caring enough to "really" read what you are writing. You are saying don't change it, but vocally tell me what you would change. The best reader I have rips me to shreds, each and every time. I don't agree with him sometimes, but he is an excellent writer and even if I don't agree with him it causes me to be able to defend why I choose to do something other than "that just felt right". That even helps me with my writing and to examine myself. I wish he had more time for me. But I'll tell you this, it can hurt. But, don't you prefer honesty? Isn't that necessary to get better.
This is a personal thing, don't subject the SS readers to "ruff drafts" for editing feedback. It's a lot to ask of the mods and the readers. Everyone's time is valuable. Learn how to edit yourself. Keep a list of bad habits--a checklist of sorts to go through before you submit. Give us what you truly have worked hard to make the "final copy"--even if you are going to have to rethink things after readers feedback. And, asking for feedback doesn't mean the same thing as "just compliment me". I'm not saying that is what you are doing, it's just something to think about. I'll stress it again, in the end you are the only one that's actually going to go to your computer and make any changes.
Active Ink Slinger
Why did you ask them to read it if you didn't want any input? Did you tell them "Read Only"? Are their changes beneficial? You should have your own hard copy, so any changes truly made are made by you.
I recommend a second reader, sometimes a third. We can be blind to our own flaws. But, it should be by someone you respect as a writer.
I recommend a second reader, sometimes a third. We can be blind to our own flaws. But, it should be by someone you respect as a writer.
Active Ink Slinger
...could use an extra day to recover from my weekend, as beautiful as it was.
Active Ink Slinger
Pre-Valentine's: A F'n Hiaku
Bottom waxed bare.
Hair, nails, toes manicured.
He plays racquetball!
Bottom waxed bare.
Hair, nails, toes manicured.
He plays racquetball!
Active Ink Slinger
"Through the life of the senses."
"Create something that seems intimate but connects with the larger world."
Thanks, I loved the vid.
"Create something that seems intimate but connects with the larger world."
Thanks, I loved the vid.
Active Ink Slinger
I both hate and am obsessed with revising.
William C. Knott, in The Craft of Fiction, cogently observes that "anyone can write--and almost everyone you meet these days is writing. However, only the writers know how to rewrite. It is this ability alone that turns the amateur into a pro."
I constantly remind myself of that quote.
I don't want to be a person that just writes, I want to be a writer that happens to be human (imperfect). That helps me appreciate the value of the rewriting process and not ignore it.
Janet Burroway suggests asking yourself these questions to unearth your weaknesses, in her book Writing Fiction. She also suggests having someone you respect as a writer answer these questions for you as well. These are quite general pitfalls:
What is my story about?
Are there irrelevant scenes?
Why should the reader turn from the first page to the last?
Is it original? (I'll elaborate here. "Almost every writer thinks first, in some way or the other, of the familiar, the usual, the given...comb the work for clichés and labor to find the exact, the honest, and the fresh.")
Is it clear?
Is it self-conscious? [I call this self-indulgent] *see note
Where is it too long?
Where is it underdeveloped in character, imagery, theme?
Where is it too general?
*note: Probably the most famous piece of advice to the rewriter is William Faulkner's "kill all your darlings." When you are carried away with the purple of your prose, the music of your alliteration, the hilarity of your wit, the profundity of your insights, then the chances are that you are having a better time writing than the reader will have reading. No reader will forgive you, and no reader should. Just tell the story. The style will follow of itself if you just tell the story. (p. 338, Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft)
William C. Knott, in The Craft of Fiction, cogently observes that "anyone can write--and almost everyone you meet these days is writing. However, only the writers know how to rewrite. It is this ability alone that turns the amateur into a pro."
I constantly remind myself of that quote.
I don't want to be a person that just writes, I want to be a writer that happens to be human (imperfect). That helps me appreciate the value of the rewriting process and not ignore it.
Janet Burroway suggests asking yourself these questions to unearth your weaknesses, in her book Writing Fiction. She also suggests having someone you respect as a writer answer these questions for you as well. These are quite general pitfalls:
What is my story about?
Are there irrelevant scenes?
Why should the reader turn from the first page to the last?
Is it original? (I'll elaborate here. "Almost every writer thinks first, in some way or the other, of the familiar, the usual, the given...comb the work for clichés and labor to find the exact, the honest, and the fresh.")
Is it clear?
Is it self-conscious? [I call this self-indulgent] *see note
Where is it too long?
Where is it underdeveloped in character, imagery, theme?
Where is it too general?
*note: Probably the most famous piece of advice to the rewriter is William Faulkner's "kill all your darlings." When you are carried away with the purple of your prose, the music of your alliteration, the hilarity of your wit, the profundity of your insights, then the chances are that you are having a better time writing than the reader will have reading. No reader will forgive you, and no reader should. Just tell the story. The style will follow of itself if you just tell the story. (p. 338, Writing Fiction: A Guide to Narrative Craft)
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by frogprince
I have stayed out of this long enough. There is a very small book that was written a long time ago. Every potential serious writer should carry in his or her bag of tricks. I refer to what I lovingly know as "Strunk and White." Its real title is "Elements of Style. Anyone who has taken a serious writing cours should have it. I was trained as a computer enginer. My very first English class was a writing class. Believe me I was surprised that an engineer would need such a book. But it helped me in my 47 years as an engineer. I also have a very nice list of other books that I personally use and give to writers as reference material. Guess whay they are all *free*.
***************
OMG! "Elements of Style" is a necessity. I still highly recommend it to my students and I cut my teeth on it in high school. Excellent reference Calvin. ❤️
Active Ink Slinger
I played hooky today. Shh...
Went to the movies with my dad.
And of course, cried.
Went to the movies with my dad.
And of course, cried.
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by maryruth
A new joke book
Let me warn you, if you drink it then don't drive.
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by DirtyMartini
...in order for something to dwindle, there has to be a positive value in the first place, and by all accounts, that has never been the case...around here at least...
And this is why I luvs you so much.
Active Ink Slinger
I was not referring to you or even thinking about you. Obviously you recognized some part of yourself. And if the shoe fits, place it on your own foot and wear the heck out of it.
But, please don't try and say I forced you to wear it.
But, please don't try and say I forced you to wear it.
Active Ink Slinger
"None of them knew the color of the sky."
From The Open Boat by Stephen Crane
I love that line.
And of course a plug...
"When you love an artist, sometimes you feel as if you are loving alone."
From When He Plays Piano In The Dark by AvrgBlkGrl
From The Open Boat by Stephen Crane
I love that line.
And of course a plug...
"When you love an artist, sometimes you feel as if you are loving alone."
From When He Plays Piano In The Dark by AvrgBlkGrl
Active Ink Slinger
Quote by gypsyQuote by Circle_SomethingQuote by authorised1960Quote by AvrgBlkGrl
Every word should be necessary. Ask yourself why it is there. If you can remove it and it changes nothing, than remove it. It was a waste of energy to write and a waste of energy to be read.
This sort of unctuous pronouncement really galls me!
Every writer - be they a bestselling author or rank amateur - has a writing style or 'voice'. It's what defines them as a wordsmith. As someone who enjoys words and enjoys using them in my writing to read the sort of self-serving b.s. like the quote above reads as though my style of writing is somehow inferior because it does not conform to someone else's definition of what is 'right' or 'wrong' in writing. I'm sorry, but that sort of attitude is extraordinarily patronising!
If I was to edit my own work and cut out all the (so-called) extraneous words I have used not only would my works be considerably shorter, obviously, but they would also lose that special ingredient that made it MY work. I would, in effect, be losing my writing voice for the sake of a fashion statement by someone whose opinion doesn't really matter one way or another!
One of the big issues around being a writer is the deluge of (allegedly) helpful information out there for beginners. In my opinion most of it can be ditched along with the empty snack packet and chocolate bar wrapper, for that's about as much use it is. My personal advice would be to take and utilse the advice that best serves your needs. You cannot be all things to all people in life so not everybody is going to love what you write. You will, though, establish your own fan-base in time and it is to those readers and fans that your work should be addressed, not the smug, the pompous and the oh-so ful of themselves authors who seem to believe that they are God's gift to literature!
I think you've misunderstood the spirit of the quote. It isn't saying that you shouldn't write in your own style, but merely saying to remove unnecessary wastes of space. For example:
"The knife was dull, so he got out his sharpening stone and sharpened it" is an okay sentence, but it doesn't exactly grab you, and it does, in fact, trip over itself because of the repetition of the sound "sharp".
Consider "The man smiled as he listened to the sound of the sharpening stone on his favourite knife."
That's more interesting because I'm showing, rather than telling, that the knife is dull and needing sharpening. There are no wasted words there, no repetition of sounds, and gets the point across rather well, I think.
If you don't like some advice given, the simplest thing to do is to ignore it, not attack it. Those "oh-so ful of themselves authors who seem to believe that they are God's gift to literature!" have worked hard to get to where they are. They have the respect of their peers, publishers and readers. What do you have? Hypocrisy, is what you have. You're sitting there lambasting people for being full of themselves, yet you seem to think that your advice is the best advice in the world.
I'm not perfect, and I admit that in several musings and forum posts, but at least I don't go attacking fellow writers when they give advice.
Excellent reply, Andrew.
I've outlined in bold a particular part of the previous poster's comment. I'm not sure he is aware that the writer he is referring to, in those words,
Quote by authorised1960
smug, the pompous and the oh-so ful of themselves authors who seem to believe that they are God's gift to literature!
is Toni Morrison, whose credentials, amongst others, include the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Toni Morrison (born Chloe Ardelia Wofford; February 18, 1931) is an American novelist, editor, and professor. Her novels are known for their epic themes, vivid dialogue, and richly detailed characters. Among her best known novels are The Bluest Eye, Sula, Song of Solomon and Beloved. She was also commissioned to write the libretto for a new opera, Margaret Garner, first performed in 2005. She won the Pulitzer Prize and the American Book Award in 1988 for Beloved and the Nobel Prize in 1993. On May 29, 2012, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
But in fact, that should not even matter, because the reaction was taken as being personal, which it was not. Far from it. No one in particular was addressed, so there was no need for such umbrage to be taken.
And as you stated, Andrew, do not attack it. In no way was the quote addresed to anyone in particular.
It is also quite out of place, because AvrgBlkGrl was relating advice that was, to her, quite personal and meaningful.
So yes, it would really be nice if some people didn't take everything personally, when that is not the intent.
Gypsy, you definitely speak with knowledge and I appreciate your wisdom. I was simply responding to the thread topic in the same manner as so many others. You are so right. I was speaking of advice that I've benefited from and any advice from Toni Morrison is definitely worth listening to for me--specifically in regards to my writing goals and the reason I'm here. She has proven herself worthy. It may or may not benefit some one else based on their personal objectives. And like you, I can respect that.
My goal is always to encourage the positive in writing and life, share and keep smiling, never to inflict myself on anyone. I hope that my SS friends know this.
Thanks so much for your comment Gypsy.