Comments on: Learning to Write II http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/learning-to-write-ii/ Reflections of a working writer and reader Mon, 06 Feb 2012 15:06:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Free http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/learning-to-write-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1776 Free Sun, 25 Jun 2006 23:46:45 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=147#comment-1776 <i>Don’t try to be a writer without a thesaurus. Life is hard enough as it is.</i> That one cracked me up because I pretty much sleep with mine. I also like to eavesdrop on other people to pick up words and phrases. (Remember, I'm the chick who develops an accent whenever I read Agatha Christie novels.) I'm digging these lessons, John. I'm taking a writing break and feeding the mind. You're serving up well! Don’t try to be a writer without a thesaurus. Life is hard enough as it is.

That one cracked me up because I pretty much sleep with mine. I also like to eavesdrop on other people to pick up words and phrases. (Remember, I’m the chick who develops an accent whenever I read Agatha Christie novels.)

I’m digging these lessons, John. I’m taking a writing break and feeding the mind. You’re serving up well!

]]> By: Pearl http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/learning-to-write-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1599 Pearl Tue, 20 Jun 2006 05:13:50 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=147#comment-1599 Ezra Pound's example is solid. I'll keep it in mind. Ezra Pound’s example is solid. I’ll keep it in mind.

]]> By: Bill Liversidge http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/learning-to-write-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1558 Bill Liversidge Sun, 18 Jun 2006 15:39:52 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=147#comment-1558 That's really good advice about specifics. I wish I'd realised it before. Excellent way to counteract flabbiness in your writing, which is one of my big weaknesses. Thanks. That’s really good advice about specifics. I wish I’d realised it before. Excellent way to counteract flabbiness in your writing, which is one of my big weaknesses. Thanks.

]]> By: john baker http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/learning-to-write-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1553 john baker Sun, 18 Jun 2006 10:35:12 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=147#comment-1553 Thanks for these responses, all of them. Travis, I didn't even notice the over-use of 'often' until you pointed it out. And, yes, the haiku is improved by your intervention. Polaris, I love <em>the hieroglyphics of her destiny</em>. It reminds me of something Proust said about the story which is hidden inside of the writer. Proust refers to it as a series of hieroglyphs. It is there, complete, but in order to gain access to it the writer has to translate it. And Lee, I'm sorry but you can't leave us dangling like that. Please expand on the danger you perceive in making it new without making it true. Thanks for these responses, all of them.
Travis, I didn’t even notice the over-use of ‘often’ until you pointed it out. And, yes, the haiku is improved by your intervention.
Polaris, I love the hieroglyphics of her destiny. It reminds me of something Proust said about the story which is hidden inside of the writer. Proust refers to it as a series of hieroglyphs. It is there, complete, but in order to gain access to it the writer has to translate it.
And Lee, I’m sorry but you can’t leave us dangling like that. Please expand on the danger you perceive in making it new without making it true.

]]> By: Lee http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/learning-to-write-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1548 Lee Sun, 18 Jun 2006 07:13:20 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=147#comment-1548 There is a distinct danger, however, in trying to make it new without making it true. There is a distinct danger, however, in trying to make it new without making it true.

]]> By: Polaris http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/learning-to-write-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1545 Polaris Sun, 18 Jun 2006 00:38:23 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=147#comment-1545 Talking of "Making it new", my sister recently read out (on the phone) a passage from Love in the Time of Cholera, where the lines on Fermina Daza's hands are called the "hieroglyphics" of her destiny. What a superb metaphor! Talking of “Making it new”, my sister recently read out (on the phone) a passage from Love in the Time of Cholera, where the lines on Fermina Daza’s hands are called the “hieroglyphics” of her destiny. What a superb metaphor!

]]> By: Paula http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/learning-to-write-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1543 Paula Sat, 17 Jun 2006 21:33:07 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=147#comment-1543 These are words we should remember and use in practice. These are words we should remember and use in practice.

]]> By: Travis Jay Morgan http://johnbakersblog.co.uk/learning-to-write-ii/comment-page-1/#comment-1539 Travis Jay Morgan Sat, 17 Jun 2006 16:21:05 +0000 http://www.johnbakersblog.co.uk/?p=147#comment-1539 ...and one other thing, don't use the word "often" as often as I did in the previous comment! LOL. :) …and one other thing, don’t use the word “often” as often as I did in the previous comment! LOL. :)

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