Reading and Writing

Girl Reading (1889), by Fritz von Uhde; Wikimedia Commons

Successful writers are frequently voracious readers. Here are some words from great writers encouraging all writers to be readers.

“Writing comes from reading, and reading is the finest teacher of how to write.” ― Annie Proulx

“The greatest part of a writer’s time is spent in reading, in order to write; a man will turn over half a library to make one book.” — Samuel Johnson

“Write. Rewrite. When not writing or rewriting, read. I know of no shortcuts.” — Larry L. King

“Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.” — Ray Bradbury

“Read, read, read. Read everything -- trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window.” ― William Faulkner

The Death of an Idea

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” ― Jack London

I constantly chase the inspiration that London speaks of. It gives birth to ideas or varying quality. Some of my ideas don’t make it past my steadily decreasing short term memory. The ones that stick around long enough go onto one of my lists of ideas.

I’ve got book ideas, ideas for first lines, ideas for opening scenes, character ideas and ideas for titles. I also have a fair number of nonfiction article ideas and memoir-type story ideas that have good beginnings, but may never see the light of day. In reality, the number of my ideas that grow into a formed pieces of writing is small.

The ones that I do fully apprehend are nurtured and cared for until they eventually grow up and have a life of their own. They might not necessarily be the cream of the crop, but for better or worse, they are survivors that deserve whatever life they have.

Immature Ideas
However, there are a host of perfectly good ideas that never reach maturity. Typically with these, one of three things happens:

1. I murder the idea promptly and expediently
2. The idea dies a slow death, wasting away until it vanishes
3. It hibernates for years until I decide to wake it and feed it

When I murder an idea, it is usually inferior and never would amount to much anyway. Alternatively, the idea could be too grand for my talent and ability. In this case, I kill it before it can embarrass me.

When an idea dies a slow death, it probably wasn’t very good to start with and probably should have been murdered.

Survivors
However, on occasion, an idea hangs on for dear life, waiting to be revived months or even years later. When I rediscover it and put some meat on its bones, it may turn out to be worth my time. Or I may go back to step one and murder it.

I leave you with this parting shot from Linus Pauling who said, “The way to get good ideas is to get lots of ideas, and throw the bad ones away.”

Be Specific (Concrete, definite language)

Last month, we looked at Section 13 of William Strunk Jr.’s Elements of Style, where he outlines the benefits of omitting words to make writing more concise. This month we look at Section 12 of Elements, in which Strunk advises writers to Use definite, specific, concrete language.

To quote Strunk, writers should prefer, “the specific to the general, the definite to the vague, the concrete to the abstract.” To illustrate his point, he gives the following sample phrases then his suggested changes. Notice how using more specific language also simplifies each sentence:

A period of unfavorable weather set in. → It rained every day for a week.

He showed satisfaction as he took possession of his well-earned reward. → He grinned as he pocketed the coin.

There is a general agreement among those who have enjoyed the experience that surf-riding is productive of great exhilaration. → All who have tried surf-riding agree that it is most exhilarating.

Keeping the Reader's Attention
According to Strunk, the best way of getting and keeping a reader’s attention is by being specific, and definite. He states that a good writer applies concrete language to transport the reader into the story. Strunk gives the example of Robert Carlyle, author of The French Revolution: A History.

“...if in reading Carlyle we have almost the sense of being physically present at the taking of the Bastille, it is because of the definiteness of the details and the concreteness of the terms used. It is not that every detail is given; that would be impossible, as well as to no purpose; but that all the significant details are given, and not vaguely, but with such definiteness that the reader, in imagination, can project himself into the scene.”

Translating Ideas into Images
Herbert Spencer, a Victorian era English philosopher, social theorist was also a strong supporter of concrete language and simplified writing. He argued in his work The Philosophy of Style that a writer should make meanings as easily accessible for the most efficient communication. Strunk quotes Spencer in The Elements of Style as he speaks about words and their relationship to mental images:

"This superiority of specific expressions is clearly due to the effort required to translate words into thoughts. As we do not think in generals, but in particulars--as whenever any class of things is referred to, we represent it to ourselves by calling to mind individual members of it, it follows that when an abstract word is used, the hearer or reader has to choose, from his stock of images, one or more by which he may figure to himself the genus mentioned. In doing this, some delay must arise, some force be expended; and if by employing a specific term an appropriate image can be at once suggested, an economy is achieved, and a more vivid impression produced."

Spencer illustrates how specific expression helps readers choose images with these two sentences, the first more general and the second more specific:

In proportion as the manners, customs, and amusements of a nation are cruel and barbarous, the regulations of their penal code will be severe.

In proportion as men delight in battles, bullfights, and combats of gladiators, will they punish by hanging, burning, and the rack.

Taking the Experts' Advice
The next time you sit down to write, take Strunk and Spencer’s advice and choose:

• Specific over general
• Definite over vague
• Concrete over abstract

Then read what you’ve written and see how it sounds. Happy writing!

BONUS: For another good resource, check out this paper from San Jose State University on Concrete Language for even more info and examples.

Being Good and Shortcuts

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

I recently read a fantastic blog post from Scott Lynch entitled: Being good can be a shortcut. There is no shortcut to being good.

Give this post a read because he lays out the straight dirt on becoming a better writer. I won't steal his thunder, but, as I said in my previous post, Writing is Hard. But it is so worth it!

Writing is Hard, But Makes Good Reading

Screenshot courtesy of YouTube

“It’s easy to make things look hard, but hard to make things look easy.” Helene Lagerberg

I am a huge soccer fan. I especially love to watch the US Men’s National team play. At this past summer’s Copa America tournament, Lionel Messi, one of the greatest players of all time, placed a perfect free kick in the upper 90, just beyond USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan’s fingertips.

As a master on the ball, Messi is so enjoyable to watch because he makes hard skills look effortless. Watching the replay, you can imagine yourself stepping and doing the same thing. However when watching this spectacular shot, you don’t see the years of hard work and practice, the lifetime of training that preceded his shot.

I Could’ve Written That
Writing is also a skill that when done well, readers say, ‘I could’ve written that.’ But while stringing words together might be easy, doing it really well is hard. And writing something spectacular is rare and requires years of practice and the equivalent of the writer’s blood, sweat and tears.

No one sees the lonely hours where the writer toils away, writing things they don’t care about for clients who pay peanuts. Their years of repetition and hidden travail goes unnoticed. And like Lionel Messi who makes his on-field skills look so easy, the most skillful writers pour their heart and soul into their works to make them read effortlessly.

As Nathaniel Hawthorne said, “Easy reading is damn hard writing.”

Make Every Word Count (omit needless words)

Used for almost a century, William Strunk, Jr.’s The Elements of Style has helped many writers to hone their craft. Over the next few months, I’ll be featuring sections from the book. Today, we look at Section 13: Omit needless words.

In this section, Strunk says, “Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid all detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that he make every word tell.” 

Common Phrases

Strunk offers suggestions for omitting words in common phrases. A phrase is followed by it's concise replacement:

 the question as to whether → whether (the question whether)

 there is no doubt but that → no doubt (doubtless)

 he is a man who → he

 in a hasty manner → hastily

 this is a subject which → this subject

 His story is a strange one. → His story is strange.

He suggests that, “the expression the fact that should be revised out of every sentence in which it occurs,” and gives examples:

 owing to the fact that → since (because)

 in spite of the fact that → though (although)

 call your attention to the fact that → remind you (notify you)

 I was unaware of the fact that → I was unaware that (did not know)

  the fact that I had arrived → my arrival

Strunk also suggests that stock phrases like Who is and which was, “are often superfluous.”

 His brother, who is a member of the same firm  →  His brother, a member of the same firm

 Trafalgar, which was Nelson's last battle  →  Trafalgar, Nelson's last battle 

Single Ideas 

Regarding a passage or paragraph, Strunk says, “A common violation of conciseness is the presentation of a single complex idea, step by step, in a series of sentences or independent clauses which might to advantage be combined into one.” The example below shows how half the words can communicate the same idea without losing meaning: 

Macbeth was very ambitious. This led him to wish to become king of Scotland. The witches told him that this wish of his would come true. The king of Scotland at this time was Duncan. Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth murdered Duncan. He was thus enabled to succeed Duncan as king. (51 words.) 

Encouraged by his wife, Macbeth achieved his ambition and realized the prediction of the witches by murdering Duncan and becoming king of Scotland in his place. (26 words.) 

Fewer Words = Better Writing 

According to Strunk, omitting words makes your writing tighter, more concise and easier to read. Try omitting words and making every word count. To help you identify fillers and ‘crutches', these sites offer lists of omittable words:

http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/10_words_to_cut_from_your_writing_15389.aspx

http://dianaurban.com/words-you-should-cut-from-your-writing-immediately

http://thewritepractice.com/better-writer-now/

https://smartblogger.com/weak-writing/

http://www.dailywritingtips.com/five-words-you-can-cut/

Diversions - Dealing with Blank Pages and Writer’s Block

photo courtesy of George Hoda; Public Domain image

“Being a writer is a very peculiar sort of a job: it's always you versus a blank sheet of paper (or a blank screen) and quite often the blank piece of paper wins.” ― Neil Gaiman

Here’s a realistic scenario. The blank screen stares at me. Ideas come to mind, but I cringe at their inferiority. I write seven or eight words and stop. Fed up, I glare at the screen, willing words to come. When they don’t, I give up and do something else.

Take Breaks
Nine times out of 10, when I take a break from the blank screen, ideas flow. For me, one sure-fire way to get things my mental juices flowing is taking a walk outside.
 

In a real way, the change of environment is like a release valve. The pressure to create dissipates and ideas flow more naturally. As my body moves and I feel the air move around me, my brain unplugs and my thoughts move and turn. Ideas come.

My intentional act of walking outdoors leads to ideas, but they also come incidentally when I am not actively pursuing them. As Agatha Christie said, “The best time for planning a book is while you're doing the dishes.” Things may come to me in the shower, while I’m eating breakfast or even in my dreams.

Something Completely Different
Few things are worse than wanting desperately to write something, but feeling like you can’t. As Neil Gaiman says, from time to time, the paper (or screen) wins the battle. However, when you’re struggling to get the words out, take a break and do (as the Monty Python crew says) something completely different!

Adventures in Twinsitting

Recently, I got to do a fun project at work. It was my first foray into screenwriting. Here it is, Adventures in Twinsitting!

Biting the Bullet: Manuscript Submission

Over the past few months, I've written a book. Actually, several. The first book is a kids sci-fi novel, the first in a trilogy. I've already written the 2nd and 3rd books and have begun planning a fourth. At the same time, I've also written another, totally unrelated novel and am starting on the sequel to it.

I've been revising and re-revising this first manuscript for weeks. This is a good thing because I want to make sure that whatever I send out is the best that it can be. But I've also been afraid of the eventual next step: Submitting to an agent. Today I bit the bullet.

I submitted portions of my manuscript (depending on their guidelines) to 4 agents in hopes that one of them will like what they see. Odds are, they won't. But that's not important. What matters is that I took this step.

I am neither an optimist nor a pessimist; a realist. So in reality, I know the chances of being picked up by an agent are slim. BUT, I still want people to read this (and the following books).

Fingers Crossed!!

Writing novels - a new project

Writing a novel is something I've wanted to do for years, but have never seriously tried. To be honest, I've tried to write stories and books, but never felt like they were good enough for the grownup book market. So last fall I had an idea - write a kids' book!

I was inspired by my older daughter, who is a voracious reader. Attempting to write a book geared towards her was much easier than trying to write something geared towards adults. Once I got started, I found a groove and since October I'e have written 2 books with a third and fourth already in the works.

The first and second book are part of a series of three books. I chose sci-fi as the genre because it is something I love and because it is a nice backdrop for a story. At the moment, I'm polishing the first book as much as I can before I submit it to a bunch of agents.

My long term dream is to be a full time author. However, the short term dream at this point is to get one book published, then get all of them published. As I make progress, I'll post updates.

Governors Living article

Got another article published in Governors Living magazine. Check it out!