I have a long list of favorite writers, not for their story-telling or engaging commentaries, but for their way with words.
among the best are Nicholas Delbanco and Alain de Botton. These are essayists, who whenever writing, are writing to me, with carefully chosen words, painting pictures. In "The Art of Travel," when de Botton describes gazing up into an apartment in Amsterdam, I'm right beside him as he describes what he sees in the apartment, and whispers how he longs to be up there, in that chair, reading a book, and looking out on the city he's in.
In "Lastingness," when Delbanco teaches me about creativity and graceful aging, he teaches me about life as he tells the story of his experiences in Provence, in Madrid, and back at home reading a pile of favorite books.
Showing posts with label NAIWE challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NAIWE challenge. Show all posts
Friday, March 11, 2011
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Day 4: Words Matter Challenge: Mangled Metaphors
Grammarians must have cringed when author Studs Terkel stated: "Nothing happened nowhere."
As writers, we know what he meant. -- There is always a story to be found, and sometimes the backstory is even more revealing. Whether writing fiction or non-fiction, our job is to write the truths that live beneath the surface.
But mangled language can also be great fun:
mangled words result in hurt feelings
Can become
Wangled mords insult flirt healings.
Thanks to Jerry for the creative boost.
As writers, we know what he meant. -- There is always a story to be found, and sometimes the backstory is even more revealing. Whether writing fiction or non-fiction, our job is to write the truths that live beneath the surface.
But mangled language can also be great fun:
mangled words result in hurt feelings
Can become
Wangled mords insult flirt healings.
Thanks to Jerry for the creative boost.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Day 3: Words Matter Challenge: Favorite quote about words
I have an entire collection of quotes, offering inspiration and wit for writers. My favorite, short but sweet, is by Rita Mae Brown:
"Never hope more than you work."
I am often inspired by the brevity and simplicity of quotes. Another, by Henry Ford, is "Think you can or think you can't. Either way you're right."
The importance to me is the glimmer of motivation that comes from such a tiny suggestion. With "Never hope more than you work," it serves to remind me that, as writers, we can't just wait, to be discovered, to sell our work, or to get published. We can't hope it will happen. We have to make it happen.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Day 2: Words Matter Challenge: Most important document
The most important document that inspires me in my career is De Profundis, by Oscar Wilde.
Written to his friend, Lord Albert Douglas, while Wilde was in prison, this is an essay of over 50,000 words, written over the winter months of 1897. While it may not be a document that changed history, it was created while Wilde was jailed for public indecency. The indecency? Having a male lover in the year 1897.
Beyond the poignant essence of this massive letter, it resonates with me for the precise, clear writing under adverse conditions. You see, Wilde was not only in prison, but he was allowed only one sheet of blue onion-skin paper per day. At day's end he had to hand the day's page back to the prison guard in order to receive another sheet of paper for the next day's writing. And as you can see, he used every inch of the paper.
I had the pleasure of viewing this document on display at The British Library in London. It was a marvelous, moving experience for me to see it firsthand. Imagine the mental clarity needed to write under such circumstances, and receive inspiration from the conviction and focus of this writer.
As it exists now, available at Project Gutenberg.org and on Wikipedia, the enormous letter remains as it was written, and was apparently never revised when Wilde was allowed to take it with him upon release from prison.
Written to his friend, Lord Albert Douglas, while Wilde was in prison, this is an essay of over 50,000 words, written over the winter months of 1897. While it may not be a document that changed history, it was created while Wilde was jailed for public indecency. The indecency? Having a male lover in the year 1897.
Beyond the poignant essence of this massive letter, it resonates with me for the precise, clear writing under adverse conditions. You see, Wilde was not only in prison, but he was allowed only one sheet of blue onion-skin paper per day. At day's end he had to hand the day's page back to the prison guard in order to receive another sheet of paper for the next day's writing. And as you can see, he used every inch of the paper.
I had the pleasure of viewing this document on display at The British Library in London. It was a marvelous, moving experience for me to see it firsthand. Imagine the mental clarity needed to write under such circumstances, and receive inspiration from the conviction and focus of this writer.
As it exists now, available at Project Gutenberg.org and on Wikipedia, the enormous letter remains as it was written, and was apparently never revised when Wilde was allowed to take it with him upon release from prison.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Monday, March 7: Is there a word that has changed, or could change your life? What is it, and what difference would it make?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet#HistoryDay 1 of the Words Matter Week blog challenge:
For details, see WordsMatter.Naiwe.com here
PROMPT: Is there a word that has changed, or could change your life? What is it, and what difference would it make?
As a warm-up essay, I'll start the week with the word: INTERNET ... Talk about a life-changing word!
Since first used by the U.S. government in the early 1960s as a resource-sharing electronic communication device, and early use in academics, it rapidly led to a brief life as nationwide free dial-up internet service (read full history here at Wikipedia), we've been given unforeseen opportunities to expand communication, knowledge, resources, improvements in science, medicine, job creation, and business. Technologies came before such as flight, radio, and television, but none have brought such rapid change to so many people.
We might wish to take back a few of the mistakes along the way, improve the learning curve, and shorten the digital divide that has created a benefit that favors a class of people who can afford it. But I doubt anyone wants to go back to the days before the dial tone, modem screeching, busy signal, "you've got mail." early days of the internet.
We fear what may come of a society already reeling from tech-overload, multitasking and absorption in the chaos of streaming video, tweets, chats, and millions of conversations lacking in substance. But still we rush to the lure of exploration with the internet's riches - web sites making our travel plans, worldwide communication, 24x7 live video news from around the globe.
The internet has indeed changed my life, and that of everyone I know. It became my career about 15 years ago. People who chose to disregard it can do so. In fact, it is as simple as turning off a switch. We can revel in a view of history through museum exhibits, scholarly dialog, and reading the works of great authors from past generations right on our computers and digital devices.
Humans have developed all of this in the span of a single decade, so much, so fast, I feel I can almost see tomorrow.
Helen Gallagher
For details, see WordsMatter.Naiwe.com here
PROMPT: Is there a word that has changed, or could change your life? What is it, and what difference would it make?
As a warm-up essay, I'll start the week with the word: INTERNET ... Talk about a life-changing word!
Since first used by the U.S. government in the early 1960s as a resource-sharing electronic communication device, and early use in academics, it rapidly led to a brief life as nationwide free dial-up internet service (read full history here at Wikipedia), we've been given unforeseen opportunities to expand communication, knowledge, resources, improvements in science, medicine, job creation, and business. Technologies came before such as flight, radio, and television, but none have brought such rapid change to so many people.
We might wish to take back a few of the mistakes along the way, improve the learning curve, and shorten the digital divide that has created a benefit that favors a class of people who can afford it. But I doubt anyone wants to go back to the days before the dial tone, modem screeching, busy signal, "you've got mail." early days of the internet.
We fear what may come of a society already reeling from tech-overload, multitasking and absorption in the chaos of streaming video, tweets, chats, and millions of conversations lacking in substance. But still we rush to the lure of exploration with the internet's riches - web sites making our travel plans, worldwide communication, 24x7 live video news from around the globe.
The internet has indeed changed my life, and that of everyone I know. It became my career about 15 years ago. People who chose to disregard it can do so. In fact, it is as simple as turning off a switch. We can revel in a view of history through museum exhibits, scholarly dialog, and reading the works of great authors from past generations right on our computers and digital devices.
Humans have developed all of this in the span of a single decade, so much, so fast, I feel I can almost see tomorrow.
Helen Gallagher
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