A great quote for writers

[BlackShanglan]

I came across this comment about writing and thought it was wonderful:

"Emotion doesn't create emotions. Style creates emotions."

What an excellent reminder. It's not enough to feel it; you've got to get the damned stuff on the page, and it's technique that lets you do it.

 

[cloudy]

I'm just stalking Shanglan, so that maybe the horsie will stay with us awhile this time.

I've missed you.

And, yup - love the quote.

 

[Stella_Omega]

Christ almighty, Shang, where've you BEEN!

I can't think of any way to express my joy at seeing you beyond the kind of overuse of heart, flower, and kiss smilies that will block my post; which shows that I am not yet master of my style.

 

[Nirvanadragones]

"Emotion doesn't create emotions. Style creates emotions."

What an excellent reminder. It's not enough to feel it; you've got to get the damned stuff on the page, and it's technique that lets you do it.

I've been pondering exactly this, lately. Together with " Don't tell me - show me."

 

[Belegon]

hmmmm...

The afternoon had been bleak and cold, with a mystery to whether the chill was more inner or outer. Time was dragging toward a shared meal that he dreaded...not because of the menu or the company, but because of the energy it was going to sap from him to appear as though he were of good cheer. His thoughts were far more than miles away.

The day's first smile crept upon him. A note from an old friend, one whose presence had been quietly missed. Perhaps it was the smile that drew the attention of the cat, who chose that moment to re-engage the laptop in the constant battle for his attention.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I've been pondering exactly this, lately. Together with " Don't tell me - show me."

I am so over that one.

The trick is to balance exposition and actions in the right proportion. I've read many a showing-not-telling work that could have dispensed with some of the showing and cut to the case!

 

[Belegon]

I am so over that one.

The trick is to balance exposition and actions in the right proportion. I've read many a showing-not-telling work that could have dispensed with some of the showing and cut to the case!

there are certainly times when it is much better to simply tell.

I get that in my writing...it's in life that I usually fuck it up

 

[BlackShanglan]

Christ almighty, Shang, where've you BEEN!

I can't think of any way to express my joy at seeing you beyond the kind of overuse of heart, flower, and kiss smilies that will block my post; which shows that I am not yet master of my style.

Stella. It's damned good to see you. I can forgive you anything, even icons. *nuzzles*

 

[Nirvanadragones]

I am so over that one.

I struggle with it, still. It's never too far from my mind when I write.

 

[Belegon]

I struggle with it, still. It's never too far from my mind when I write.

my biggest problem is head hopping...

oh, and I need to learn how to write a female orgasm without her thighs locking...

trust Shang to come back and get us to actually talk about writing. Without even saying anything about it.

We obviously miss you, BS.

 

[tolyk]

Hi horsie Where ya been?

Oh, and great quote

ETA: Nevermind, read the other thread. Life

 

[Stella_Omega]

Stella. It's damned good to see you. I can forgive you anything, even icons. *nuzzles*

uh- well, see, there was all this talk about, you know, soup, and well, Cloudy...

*shmooshes all over a velvet nose*

I'll switch back to a sexier one, if you want me to. For you.

 

[Stella_Omega]

my biggest problem is head hopping...

oh, and I need to learn how to write a female orgasm without her thighs locking...

trust Shang to come back and get us to actually talk about writing. Without even saying anything about it.

We obviously miss you, BS.

They do lock though, as often as not.

 

[TheEarl]

Shang! Bloody good to see you. I may not be as alert with correspondance as I used to be, but I have thoroughly missed seeing you around.

The Earl

 

[impressive]

Shang! Bloody good to see you. I may not be as alert with correspondance as I used to be, but I have thoroughly missed seeing you around.

The Earl

I've missed YOU, too, The!

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

Christ almighty, Shang, where've you BEEN!

I can't think of any way to express my joy at seeing you beyond the kind of overuse of heart, flower, and kiss smilies that will block my post; which shows that I am not yet master of my style.

Ditto.

I've been reading about the subjective construction of reality:
Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann. 1966. The Social Construction of Reality: A Treatise on the Sociology of Knowledge.

It's not philosophy (or I would have thrown the book against the wall) but sociology and a dose of psychology. Part one is about how social institutions are constructed, and how we reify them (equate them with real things like chairs and people.) Part two is about how what we learn about social matters (or anything) in our primary socialization has the feeling of objective reality.

Anyway, "Emotion doesn't create emotions. Style creates emotions," made me think of this. "Style" is a social construct, and many if not most of the things we feel emotions about are too (think of Japanese "shame" vs. western "whatever" reactions to violating certain norms of group, for example.)

 

[slyc_willie]

I came across this comment about writing and thought it was wonderful:

"Emotion doesn't create emotions. Style creates emotions."

What an excellent reminder. It's not enough to feel it; you've got to get the damned stuff on the page, and it's technique that lets you do it.

And I counter, with all due respect (it's a great quote, BTW):

Style creates emotions. Passion inspires feeling.

 

[English Lady]

I came across this comment about writing and thought it was wonderful:

"Emotion doesn't create emotions. Style creates emotions."

What an excellent reminder. It's not enough to feel it; you've got to get the damned stuff on the page, and it's technique that lets you do it.

*hugs*

I've recently got couple of reviews for an upcoming work of fiction, and I got this comment in one of them:

"The author describes Terri and John's insecurities and lack of confidence so clearly that it was very easy to relate to both characters."


And my heart (and head) swells to read that. I love it when people get my characters, it's what I work extra hard to acheive.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I know I have trouble conveying emotions. I feel like my writing is mechanical in a sense. I'm better at describing what is going on than I am why, and what people are feeling. Sometimes I find myself evoking the emotions that the passage is supposed to be evoking. I'm better with emotions in real life where I can make a face or wave my hands around like a madman than I am on the page with words.

 

[fieryjen]

Horsie! *pets*

Damn, now I have to say something on topic, don't I?

Uh... I do agree with the quote, and one of the main goals I have when I write any story is to generate emotion. When I re-read the story, I pay very careful attention to how certain words and sentences make me feel, and I hope they make the reader feel the same. I dislike any story that doesn't make me feel stuff. It's essential.

And even though I may feel a certain way when I write something, I need to feel the same way when I read it and it doesn't always happen.

 

[CharleyH]

I came across this comment about writing and thought it was wonderful:

"Emotion doesn't create emotions. Style creates emotions."

What an excellent reminder. It's not enough to feel it; you've got to get the damned stuff on the page, and it's technique that lets you do it.

Hi my fire horse. I agree, yet one also must be able to articulate emotion in order to make technique "REALLY" work? No?

 

[shereads]

SHANGLAN'S BACK!

ADD MORE CARROT STICKS TO THE BUFFET. AND OATS!

 

[shereads]

I came across this comment about writing and thought it was wonderful:

"Emotion doesn't create emotions. Style creates emotions."

What an excellent reminder. It's not enough to feel it; you've got to get the damned stuff on the page, and it's technique that lets you do it.

Ditto humor.

A popular writer of mass market "thrillers" turned me off for good on my first reading of one of her books, because she kept insisting that one of her characters had a droll sense of humor.

Lady, if you have to tell us that your characters are witty or erudite or fascinating, they aren't.

 

[fieryjen]

SHANGLAN'S BACK!

ADD MORE CARROT STICKS TO THE BUFFET. AND OATS!

We have a buffet? Why doesn't anyone ever tell me anything?

 

[angelicminx]

I came across this comment about writing and thought it was wonderful:

"Emotion doesn't create emotions. Style creates emotions."

What an excellent reminder. It's not enough to feel it; you've got to get the damned stuff on the page, and it's technique that lets you do it.

Shang! Damned glad to see you.

I agree. I'm still working on that technique, but emotion remains of utmost importance to me. If I can't make a reader feel something I have failed.