tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post1045127349492532839..comments2023-09-22T02:24:42.144-07:00Comments on a light inside: On Writing CrapJenna St.Hilairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16528611770211261141noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-81615936712489729732010-11-10T14:53:02.168-08:002010-11-10T14:53:02.168-08:00Also, don't get me wrong, I don't totally ...Also, don't get me wrong, I don't totally disagree with <b>Mr. Pond's</b> position. I think people should be encouraged to strive for excellence in writing. <br /><br />I just know that, for myself at least, if I think too hard about my writing, I don't get much writing done. I tend to spend too much time trying to find the perfect word or expression & don't get a lot of production thereby. I also don't spend a lot of writing either so maybe that's part of the problem. <br /><br />And while I don't participate in NaNoWriMo, it probably would be a good exercise for me.Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16501327753737422337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-26948237995549729252010-11-10T09:38:26.459-08:002010-11-10T09:38:26.459-08:00Mr. Pond, feel free to use any of my comments as l...<b>Mr. Pond</b>, feel free to use any of my comments as long as my residuals reach me on time. :)Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16501327753737422337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-90639340534042275682010-11-10T04:20:58.267-08:002010-11-10T04:20:58.267-08:00If, as you say, George, the dichotomy is there, th...If, as you say, <b>George</b>, the dichotomy is there, then you're quite right. It's not necessary. But, speaking as a working writer, I don't think it's a real distinction, in the sense that I don't think it exists in real life. So, to be brief, I agree with you. And I think I'll quote your comment in my webpartee.Mr Pondhttp://mrpond47.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-71715797304538218182010-11-09T19:46:16.264-08:002010-11-09T19:46:16.264-08:00Mr. Pond, LOL. Good old Strong Bad. And I'll b...<b>Mr. Pond,</b> LOL. Good old Strong Bad. And I'll be looking forward to your piece.<br /><br /><b>George,</b> your practicality is helpful. Also, I agree with you.<br /><br />Although--to both of you--I'm loathing the amount of truly awful that is making it into my current NaNoWriMo novel. I don't recall feeling that way last year. Hopefully it gets better. I'd be happy to come away with a structure that I can revise into something decent. If I really come out with nothing but crap, I'm <i>not</i> going to be happy.Jenna St. Hilairehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04474588706124865006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-9395069490738334902010-11-09T17:58:49.632-08:002010-11-09T17:58:49.632-08:00I don't know; I come down more on Jenna's ...I don't know; I come down more on <b>Jenna's</b> side of things. But I also think there's an unnecessary dichotomy going on. That it either has to be scintillating prose dripping from your pen after you've pondered five years exactly what you should say or a stream of consciousness flowing from your pen which you plan to straighten out later. Or to put it in the vernacular, a stream of crap.<br /><br />Anyway, I think NaNo may have made mistake in promulgating the idea that you'll be churning out a lot of crap during the contest. Certainly what is churned out won't be polished or complete. Some may be good, some may be bad. As someone said, there's no requirement one <i>must</i> write crap for NaNo. And not even the greatest writer, who is an accomplished wordsmith & who cherishes craft & beauty & style and what not, comes out with a perfect first draft. They still need to revise, sometimes numerous times.<br /><br />And some people obviously have different writing styles. Churning out 'crap' might be how one author prefers to generate material. With the expectation they will revise & polish later. And the odd nut from NaNo who thinks their first draft of crap is publisher worthy doesn't negate the efforts of those who write just for fun, never intending to show their work, & those who would like to take a stab at publishing their work. For a lot of people it just gives them the opportunity to try writing in a fun, non-threatening way, where you're only competing against your own expectations.<br /><br />Just my twenty-five cents worth. :)Georgehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16501327753737422337noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22927650.post-1507622240469734982010-11-09T02:25:55.517-08:002010-11-09T02:25:55.517-08:00'I like-a to say, "Holy Crap!"'
...'I like-a to say, "Holy Crap!"'<br /><br /><a href="http://www.hrwiki.org/wiki/Crap" rel="nofollow">This</a> is what can happen when one writes a lot of crap. Scroll through the list and be appalled. And please note the all important distinction between crap and whatsit.<br /><br />Seriously, great piece, and I'm certainly going to offer a rejoinder tomorrow. I think I've scrabbled around the main philosophical complaint in my article, and will likely address it head on. Thanks for getting me thinking. Again.Mr Pondhttp://mrpond47.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.com