I’ve always been fascinated by language. I love vocabulary and the way that correctly-used words scintillate when you’re reading. I love it when justified text aligns properly in neat blocks. I love paragraphs filled with words that roll off of the tongue and give the sense that the writer has such an in-depth image of something, and they can describe it with words that you somehow never manage to get into your own writing.
What really gets to me is recently I’ve realised that my writing ability isn’t anywhere near as good as I thought it was, or it used to be. My spelling has gotten a lot worse, and I constantly find myself making spelling errors (not just typos). I think my use of punctuation in the right places is to standards, although I often get confused with apostrophes. However, I simply just don’t have that ability that some people have where they can just fill a page with text which causes the reader to become consumed in fascination. I’m wondering if that’s a talent, or just something you learn.
Recently I’ve been reading through some of Meeka’s school work, because she has a lot of exams coming up that she needs to revise, and some of the things she has written are truly amazing (almost as amazing as she is). I just read through an essay she wrote which analysed the novel “How Many Miles to Babylon”, and some of the sentence syntax is awesome. I’m actually quite jealous.
“Set in the First World War, this tragedy has consistently melancholic and reflective tones, and concludes with an appropriate pessimistic, morose ending.”
“The story is particularly engaging, as it is written in the first person. We are allowed an insight into the central protagonist Alec’s thoughts, which more often than not are quite distant and unfeeling…”
Those two sentences just radiate that sort of linguistical orgasm feeling you get when you read a sentence that comprises of words that flow perfectly.
The only thing I’ve written recently that I can read over and be impressed with was in a review. Annoyingly the majority of people who have read it just find it confusing, but I like it.
“A lot of games now boast 8x anisotropic filtering, along with various other effects with complicated names; however, how many games can handle those graphical superfluities which constitute the pleasing aesthetics that shimmer across the screen in vast quantities?”
Oh teach me wise leaders of the eloquent art.
Awh! I’m actually really flattered. But it’s not that great really :3
Thank you
Well, you impressed me. ♥
Dan, you are an amazing writer. But when you predominantly focus on reviews and relaying information on your blog, we get to see less of your creative side, which really is awesome. Some of your earlier D&D stories are so rich in orgasmic, linguistic deliciousness.
Why don’t you branch out a bit? You don’t have to write stories, but perhaps write about things on your blog which relate to emotions you have felt during different happy/sad/funny times. You may find yourself changing your style slightly.
Listening to you talking to Dad on the phone the other day made me smile. I’ve missed hearing the two of you together….
Dad and I need a dictophone turned on whenever we’re together. It’s the same with my friend Ben and I. We just come out with the most insane things.
I guess in a way you are right, though. Although I’m not entirely sure which D&D stories you are refering to. I’m just not sure how many people would take an interest in reading that sort of thing, as such.
I guess writing stories, or something, is a good idea. However, I still find that no matter what I write, I don’t output that delicious string of complex vocabulary which just makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside.
I suppose that being in a position where I spend the majority of my time writing in languages that don’t even make grammatical sense (yay for PHP), my English doesn’t really have a lot of time to improve. I asked Cliff yesterday if he found that his writing ability and vocabulary drastically improved due to being in a writing career, and obviously he said yes.
Ah well, guess we can do nothing but see what happens.
Start learning the dictionary off by heart :D
I was thinking of doing that, actually.
Grandad P used to read the dictionary like a book…..
Dude, your writing is awesome and you really don’t need to beat yourself up about it. Writing about experiences in journal-form might seem limiting, but adding your own unique perspective on things adds a little extra personal touch that makes it snap and pop (and maybe even crackle).
When I think about some of the writing I observed at university, I honestly wonder how they ever gained admittance with the grasp of English like a bottle nose dolphin picking up a bar of soap…
Thanks, man.
You know, I could continue a discussion with you about that, but frankly all I can do is chuckle at the picture of a dolphin that has suddenly appeared in my mind. Awesome simile use there.
I guess time = practice = improvement.