tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post113684545809005376..comments2024-03-14T00:16:32.077-07:00Comments on 50 Books: WORDS: All Writers Are Equal, but Some Writers Are More Equal Than OthersTammyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16613804843380827691noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1137292745094660672006-01-14T18:39:00.000-08:002006-01-14T18:39:00.000-08:00The headline to this post is actually a pretty unc...The headline to this post is actually a pretty uncanny summation of the writing trade. "All writers are equal" could be the motto of all kinds of writers' groups and professional organizations -- like, "we're all in the same boat, so we should critique each other and/or bargain as a group." But really good writers follow a separate set of rules. They don't need critiques from so-so writers to improve their work, and they don't need collective bargaining to make a lot of money. They're more equal.<BR/><BR/>I guess it kind of makes sense that the writing world should be Orwellian in nature.Spikyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13309177197580109879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1137166492968498642006-01-13T07:34:00.000-08:002006-01-13T07:34:00.000-08:00Orwell's essay reminds me of Philosophy and Litera...Orwell's essay reminds me of <I>Philosophy and Literature</I>'s Bad Writing Contest.<BR/><BR/>http://esposito.typepad.com/con_read/2004/11/academics<BR/>_defen.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1137124383957824132006-01-12T19:53:00.000-08:002006-01-12T19:53:00.000-08:00RE New Criterion, I had a similar experience with ...RE New Criterion, I had a similar experience with the Weekly Standard. They ran an entertaining essay about joss Whedon, and I was like, hey, why don't I read this pub all the time? THen I clicked around the site and was like, Oh, that's why. Hmm.Spikyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13309177197580109879noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1137036704468799152006-01-11T19:31:00.000-08:002006-01-11T19:31:00.000-08:00Egads.. how did you know that 1984 is the book I'm...Egads.. how did you know that 1984 is the book I'm reading now? ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1137023452864585642006-01-11T15:50:00.000-08:002006-01-11T15:50:00.000-08:00Speaking of David Foster Wallace, his new book of ...Speaking of David Foster Wallace, his new book of essays, <I>Consider the Lobster</I> contains a segment, "Authority and American Usage" that would be a nice companion piece to the Orwell essay you mentioned. DFW's piece is a must-read for any grammar snob (not that there are any of those here, nosirree...)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1137014725699898032006-01-11T13:25:00.000-08:002006-01-11T13:25:00.000-08:00Daryl, I did that on purpose. Hmm... maybe my litt...Daryl, I did that on purpose. Hmm... maybe my little joke wasn't as obvious as I thought.<BR/><BR/>tuckova, I totally agree with you. While loving everything Orwell had to say, I also have to admit that, in the right hands, flagrant rule-breaking is a marvelous thing. Because yeah, as Carrie points out, language can be fun. I don't think "fun" was one of Orwell's watchwords. And how weird -- I was actually wondering last night what Orwell would make of David Foster Wallace!<BR/><BR/>And now I have to dig up "Down and Out in Paris and London" and "Homage to Catalonia". I haven't read them in years amd years. Thanks for the reminders!Tammyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16613804843380827691noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1137011613914355562006-01-11T12:33:00.000-08:002006-01-11T12:33:00.000-08:00Er, wouldn't it be "If you want to learn to write ...Er, wouldn't it be "If you want to learn to write <I>well</I>..."?Dee Paolinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00451533175943518650noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1137010127182561702006-01-11T12:08:00.000-08:002006-01-11T12:08:00.000-08:00Great post!I have been thinking about it a lot rec...Great post!<BR/><BR/>I have been thinking about it a lot recently. I love a tight, tense sentence, but I also occasionally delight in ridiculous overuse of silly words if they are written by someone who clearly loves to write. It makes me think, "Oh, right. This is fun, that's why I do it."<BR/><BR/>Then again, I love the Orwell and classic instructive writing texts in general.<BR/><BR/>Who I am kidding, I mostly just wanted so see my name in print again like most writers.<BR/><BR/>BWAH aha hhaCarriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11333774834458788336noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1137007478769483432006-01-11T11:24:00.000-08:002006-01-11T11:24:00.000-08:00A boyfriend in university who was writing his poli...A boyfriend in university who was writing his political science thesis on Orwell had me read "Politics," which taught me more about writing than anything I learned in a classroom at the time. <BR/><BR/>All (okay, most lol) I know about writing I learned from Orwell and E.B. White, with and without Strunk...Beckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17697320319544886978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1136999497399234622006-01-11T09:11:00.000-08:002006-01-11T09:11:00.000-08:00I’ve never read this essay in its entirety, althou...I’ve never read this essay in its entirety, although I’ve heard it referenced a lot. I’ll pledge to myself here and now to check it out. I don’t analyze my writing as often as I should—-it usually only comes in bursts of introspection after I’ve read Strunk & White or even Lynne Truss. I should probably bone up on those books as well.<BR/><BR/>Hackneyed phrases employed: 3<BR/>Unnecessary words: 15Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06856187137331544258noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1136998956016673642006-01-11T09:02:00.000-08:002006-01-11T09:02:00.000-08:00Nice post. Good advice.I started out as an electri...Nice post. Good advice.<BR/><BR/>I started out as an electrical engineer. Then I was an editor and journalist. And a mother. I was developing my writing craft throughout this arc.<BR/><BR/>I tell novice writers and editors to imagine each word costs five dollars. <BR/><BR/>Don't believe me? Try this:<BR/><BR/>I value every single word I use. ($35)<BR/>I value words. ($15)<BR/><BR/>Word economy makes for better writing.Erin O'Brienhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09089592061725346901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1136997339468238402006-01-11T08:35:00.000-08:002006-01-11T08:35:00.000-08:00Hmmm . . . I've never liked his fiction, but I've ...Hmmm . . . I've never liked his fiction, but I've never tried his essays. I'll have to check them out!--Debhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00503615321799912549noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1136993728936928672006-01-11T07:35:00.000-08:002006-01-11T07:35:00.000-08:00I’ve got to give “Homage to Catalunya” full recomm...I’ve got to give “Homage to Catalunya” full recommendations, as well. It’s about his experiences during the Spanish Civil War, but also about what a nasty, mixed-up and confused world we live in and the little bits of pure happiness that can appear in it. I was living in Catalunya (the area around Barcelona) at the time and I could see the strong character he was talking about in the people I met on the street. He’s amazing.Carohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06007120832939598365noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9931308.post-1136987592222831862006-01-11T05:53:00.000-08:002006-01-11T05:53:00.000-08:00I'm pretty sure I wouldn't buy that shirt. Almost ...I'm pretty sure I wouldn't buy that shirt. Almost as sure as I am that _Down & Out in Paris & London_ is the best. memoir. ever. <BR/><BR/>Orwell rocks! (or does he rule? there's some cliche that would work here.)landismomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10328094347362872558noreply@blogger.com