Writers Blox.

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Yes! The title is stolen, so bite me.

Earlier today I grazed online and discovered that most writer-gurus are ignorant of what mood and emotion (affect) are. Let me explain.

Mood isnt emotion. If youre on youre way to the gallows, and the warden reveals that you just won a million bux from Publishers Clearing House, the news isnt likely to change your depressed mood. That is, your mood is UNAFFECTED. Likewise, if you won the Publishers Clearing House money and get splashed by a passing car on your way to collect the check, the splash may not change your euphoric mood either, tho the event pisses you off.

Mood is the sum total of your existing mental state. Feeling are transitory and brief.

Moods are few in number: Depressed, euphoric, euthymic (normal), and labile (rapidly changing).

 

[sr71plt]

In one morning, you covered all of the writer-gurus. Amazing. Why do you keep posting here about what you don't do, James? Is it that lonely in your trailer?

I don't see where what you have posted has much of anything to do with actually sitting down and writing a storyline.

 

[TxRad]

In one morning, you covered all of the writer-gurus. Amazing. Why do you keep posting here about what you don't do, James? Is it that lonely in your trailer?

I don't see where what you have posted has much of anything to do with actually sitting down and writing a storyline.

And from the spelling and word usage it sounds and looks like something he lifted whole from somewhere again.

 

[damppanties]

<snipped>...discovered that most writer-gurus are ignorant of what mood and emotion (affect) are. Let me explain.

<explanation>

So did you want to just point out the distinction or did you want to talk about how it is/can be played out in writing?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

And from the spelling and word usage it sounds and looks like something he lifted whole from somewhere again.

Liar, liar pants on fire. I took a sad lil poem and brought it to life! Mozart did it all the time. Most of the masters do it. I mean, why waste the material!

Naaah. I know of what I spoke.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

So did you want to just point out the distinction or did you want to talk about how it is/can be played out in writing?

Where the thread goes depends on the participants druthers. I do think writers oughta consider how to depict mood and affect (feelings) in action from the beginning.

 

[sr71plt]

And why is it that you think writers ought to do that, James? To avoid writing? To just pretend at writing? I think that stuff is pretty much internalized and might be brought into consideration and played with once the writer had a draft and it became something that was an issue in what was written.

But I think the writer basically needs to sit down and write. The more they write, the more their subconscious will take that sort of stuff into account and put what is appropriate to that work in order. I quite understand that you don't get that. That you just want to talk about it as if you knew what writing was all about.

 

[SweetMaj]

Yes! The title is stolen, so bite me.

Earlier today I grazed online and discovered that most writer-gurus are ignorant of what mood and emotion (affect) are. Let me explain.

Mood isnt emotion. If youre on youre way to the gallows, and the warden reveals that you just won a million bux from Publishers Clearing House, the news isnt likely to change your depressed mood. That is, your mood is UNAFFECTED. Likewise, if you won the Publishers Clearing House money and get splashed by a passing car on your way to collect the check, the splash may not change your euphoric mood either, tho the event pisses you off.

Mood is the sum total of your existing mental state. Feeling are transitory and brief.

Moods are few in number: Depressed, euphoric, euthymic (normal), and labile (rapidly changing).

You should buy yourself a dictionary, JBJ.

I have a great one: "Poltikens English for beginners".

I assume you're able to read.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

You should buy yourself a dictionary, JBJ.

I have a great one: "Poltikens English for beginners".

I assume you're able to read.

I have stacks of them. In fact, my kinsman Samuel Johnson compiled the first English dictionary.

 

[SweetMaj]

I have stacks of them. In fact, my kinsman Samuel Johnson compiled the first English dictionary.

Why don't you use them? (And change your AV!)


Your posts would look a lot different if you considered that.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Why don't you use them? (And change your AV!)


Your posts would look a lot different if you considered that.

Youre not high on my list of people to please.

 

[SweetMaj]

Youre not high on my list of people to please.

Please me???

I couldn't care less!

 

[sr71plt]

I thought you were at least pretending you were setting up a discussion on writing, James.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Please me???

I couldn't care less!

Pish posh. You wouldnt waste time on me if I didnt feed your need.

 

[SweetMaj]

Pish posh. You wouldnt waste time on me if I didnt feed your need.

See what I mean...


Time is always wasted on you.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

See what I mean...


Time is always wasted on you.

Stop stalking me!

 

[Stella_Omega]

Why don't you use them? (And change your AV!)


Your posts would look a lot different if you considered that.

I highly recommend ad block plus plugin for browsers.

You can block individual images, like jimmy maggoty avs, and r.Richards gun barrel avs.

One less little wince per day.

On the subject of moods versus emotions, "mood" is commonly understood to be a "long-lasting emotional state." Here's Wikipedia's take on it; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mood_(psychology)

And then there are "temperaments," which are personality aspects which often influence one's moods and emotions.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I highly recommend ad block plus plugin for browsers.

You can block individual images, like jimmy maggoty avs, and r.Richards gun barrel avs.

One less little wince per day.

On the subject of moods versus emotions, "mood" is commonly understood to be a "long-lasting emotional state." Here's Wikipedia's take on it; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mood_(psychology)

And then there are "temperaments," which are personality aspects which often influence one's moods and emotions.

Whomever posted that crap doesnt grasp mood at all. There is no such state of positive or negative mood, mood is mood! You can, for example, have euthymic mood and cry your heart out. But if you intend to depict mood in your writing you need to acquire the skills to do it. And to do that you must master what mood is and how its recognized by ordinary people.

 

[SweetMaj]

Whomever posted that crap doesnt grasp mood at all. There is no such state of positive or negative mood, mood is mood! You can, for example, have euthymic mood and cry your heart out. But if you intend to depict mood in your writing you need to acquire the skills to do it. And to do that you must master what mood is and how its recognized by ordinary people.

Just wondering...

What will you call the mood you're in right now?



(Like I care.)

 

[Stella_Omega]

Jimmy, are you trying to have a conversation?

 

[damppanties]

Whomever posted that crap doesnt grasp mood at all. There is no such state of positive or negative mood, mood is mood! You can, for example, have euthymic mood and cry your heart out. But if you intend to depict mood in your writing you need to acquire the skills to do it. And to do that you must master what mood is and how its recognized by ordinary people.

Alright, explain some more? I don't get it. How is this:

A mood is a relatively long lasting emotional state. Moods differ from emotions in that they are less specific, less intense, and less likely to be triggered by a particular stimulus or event.

different than, this?

Mood isnt emotion. If youre on youre way to the gallows, and the warden reveals that you just won a million bux from Publishers Clearing House, the news isnt likely to change your depressed mood. That is, your mood is UNAFFECTED. Likewise, if you won the Publishers Clearing House money and get splashed by a passing car on your way to collect the check, the splash may not change your euphoric mood either, tho the event pisses you off.

Mood is the sum total of your existing mental state. Feeling are transitory and brief.

 

[TE999]

Speaking of, don't get me started on the misuse of 'affect' and 'effect' in writing. Spell checkers don't know the difference and neither do a lot of writers; especially in the media.

 

[jomar]

Are you sober, JBJ?

Mood is climate, emotions are weather.

 

[ishtat]

I Amazing. Why do you keep posting here about what you don't do, James?

"Authors Hangout - A place for writers and readers to socialize and discuss the craft of writing."

It seems to me that this is precisely what JBJ is doing and whilst I consider many of his contentions absurd, maybe we would do better to argue with his point of view rather than attack his legitimacy to make a comment?

Alternatively one could ignore him.

My own view is that many of JBJ's views are nonsense, but anyone who likes Truman Capote cannot be completely bad.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Just wondering...

What will you call the mood you're in right now?



(Like I care.)

My mood? Euthymic.