The Conservative Cave
Current Events => The DUmpster => Topic started by: franksolich on May 13, 2009, 08:04:00 PM
-
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=216x5623
Oh my.
NashVegas (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-23-09 12:56 PM
Original message
Where Did You Learn To Write Well?
A few years ago, one of our interns at work stumped me with that one. I'd always been a natural writer, it was something I just *did,* starting with my first short story at age nine, and countless journals and poems in the years after.
Is it possible to teach someone with no natural aptitude for writing, to write well?
No, it's not.
Writing is like sex.
One either has it, or doesn't have it.
It's pretty boring, this bonfire, so only a few comments.
The Zbigniew primitive:
nadinbrzezinski (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-23-09 06:24 PM
Response to Original message
3. I haven't, that's why I edit, and edit, and edit
but then again, writing is rewriting
In fact, if you read some of the greats and their comments on writing... they don't write well... they edit well
Actually, the Zbigniew primitive is right.
If franksolich edited well--he alas doesn't edit at all, everything always being a first draft, after which he moves on to something else--like, 10,000 words down to 1,500 words, franksolich could become a good writer.
As Woodrow Wilson said, any idiot can write a half-hour speech, but only a true genius can write a ten-minute speech.
It's a medium-sized bonfire, but it's all primitive yibber-yabbering nonsense.
-
Frank, Frank, Frank...you know we all find your writing to be quite good. Your "first draft" is good enough to be Nadine's 5000th...and she'd still never manage to be as interesting. :-)
-
Frank, Frank, Frank...you know we all find your writing to be quite good. Your "first draft" is good enough to be Nadine's 5000th...and she'd still never manage to be as interesting. :-)
:agree:
-
Eye two try two right well.
-
I admire writing talent (frank) and have always lamented not being so blessed. I do have other talents, of which I am grateful.
No one who posts on DU is remarkable. Most of the time it is very childish and unreadable.
-
When I saw the title of this post, I knew it couldn't possibly be about Pitt.
And Frank, I am completely in accordance with you on the first draft approach, I generally only vary from it here if I'm trying to explain something rather complex of a military or historical nature so those without a lot of context will understand it.
-
Hell, I just try to make sense! Personally I could give a rat's ass about writing "well", as long as I can be understood I'm happy.
-
Hell, I just try to make sense! Personally I could give a rat's ass about writing "well", as long as I can be understood I'm happy.
I'm sorry. What are you saying?
-
I firmly believe that the best way to learn to write well is to read plenty of good writing, and to read enough bad writing to know what to avoid :tongue: