Reply #893 JackTheBat's post
in his book ON WRITING, ex-English teacher Stephen King describes a story as a pre-existing fossil. i LOVE this analogy--he says that yr job as a writer is to excavate the story. u gotta be very careful to use the right tools (he's specific about these tools, as they are language, and that's what he works with) on the right parts of the fossil.
What you wrote...man.... the above has been rattling in my head all day long!
How true this quote is!
I suspect that most people - including me - do usually have a train of thought prior to writing anything down - but the difficulty is how to get it down in black and white. I mean, which particular word I should use to PRECISELY describe what I am thinking, how to phrase it properly, which part/thought to be over-emphasized/de-emphasized, ensuring correct grammar and speling??!! And word/sentence runs.... MAN, I'm always doing that!
And usage of words, how one wrong word can change everything; how one word can give such a different nuance even in everyday life!
As an example, I was with an old lady the other day and I was getting ready to send her back home. She turned around and told me - don't worry, I can HIRE a taxi to go home - and WHAM!! It hit me! She used the word HIRE instead of how most people would just say that they'll TAKE a taxi - thereby expressing to me that taking a taxi for her is quite a big deal, and not something she would usually do.
I'm ever so glad that we nowadays have word processing facilities to assist us when we write; In the bad old days, there was basically not much one could do to correct anything wrong once written down.
So JtB, remember to compose your pieces in word or wordpad format first - don't take the chance (like what I'm doing mself right now! Dumb! ) DON"T write it directly onto the thread!
SEAJ
Edit Ps - Crap that budget speech - that  guy just raised Car First Registration taxes by 15% - just when I need to trade in my wrecked car! And the NERVE - he's raised the tax on cigarettes by 50 cts a stick! That's 10 bucks a pack!
Pursuant to the Public Revenue Protection (Motor Vehicles First Registration) Order 2011, the following tax rates for motor vehicles took effect from 11am today (February 23) :
Class of Motor Vehicle Rate of Tax
Private Car Taxable Value:
(a) on the first $150,000 40%
(b) on the next $150,000 75%
(c) on the next $200,000 100%
(d) on the remainder 115%
[ Last edited by SEAJ at 23-2-2011 22:40 ] |
) DON"T write it directly onto the thread!
guy