DISQUS

L.L. Barkat · 2 years ago

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

To "be", or not to "be". Depends on your J Austenian aspirations.

Marcus · 2 years ago

Yes, but see, I would argue that Austen's indirect prose intentionally glosses over what people are thinking. That's her brilliance. Her style itself embodies the dissonance between the superficial manners of the early 19th century and the incredible conflicts and oppression facing women in particular.

Why must a single man want a wife? Because it was his duty, his noblesse oblige to take care of others. Certainly, a respectable woman could not take care of yourself.

Also, Austen really is a master. What she is doing is incredibly hard to pull off. Just look at the dreck that fills the romance genre her work inspired.

L.L. Barkat · 2 years ago

Sorry. I surely didn't mean to say your advice was ill-offered. Strong verbs. I love strong verbs. Verbs with chutzpah. Spirit!

Okay, that's it. You know I always love your advice, and you know I always have to look at the other side. It's me. (Oops, sorry again. There's that weak little "to be" sentence popping up.)

Marcus · 2 years ago

L.L., I didn't mean to come on too strong there. My undergraduate thesis was on Austen, so she just gets me excited.

Craver-VII · 2 years ago

That's why I have not been published. Because there is not yet a category for the peculiar and enigmatic.

LL, I can't wait for Spring to come so I can read Stone Crossings.

L.L. Barkat · 2 years ago

I'm so impressed. It took me years to be able to read an Austen book without coercion. But, later, I did a graduate paper about "Austen and power". She really was a master at observing power in relationships. And, Craver, how nice of you to be waiting for Spring.

Marcus · 2 years ago

Craver, why wait for Spring? Tell her to email you a manuscript. Show some chutzpah, dude!

Craver-VII · 2 years ago

Chey wait a minute now. Didn't Barbara Kingsolver have a chapter about people who read books before they're ripe?

Cha, cha, cha. (That's me laughing in Yiddish.)

Okay now, in my best Orson Wells voice: I will read no book before its time.

L.L. Barkat · 2 years ago

Ah, yes, waiting for asparagus! Cha, cha, cha... isn't that laughing in espanol?

A Musing Mom · 2 years ago

Ja, ja, ja...that's laughing in espanol.

Depending on the emphasis, your sentences could have been written "Normal conversations, relationships, and friendships, those little things in my work life, they had the greatest impact". Or something like that.

I'm giving a shot a revising because I know I am a terrible perpetrator of "to be" verbs usage. I appreciate this advice. If only I had a work in progress to revise, I'd be happily upon those pesky "to be's" right now.

Marcus · 2 years ago

AMM, I like the way you revised the sentence a lot!

schizo · 2 years ago

am i the only one here who didn't really get the post?
Sucks to be a doctor if you want to do anything else in life than treat peopel. like enjoy literature.
:)

schizo

Marcus · 2 years ago

Schizo, thanks for dropping by! Yeah, this post was a little technical. I had a friend challenge me a few weeks ago to try to teach other people to edit their own work.

This is my admittedly lame and confusing attempt. But that's the joy of blogging right? I can post something new later.

Reading through your blog, I can see that you've internalized the rules of good writing pretty much already. Your prose has good rhythm already. So forget about the hard core editing tips.

In fact, I'm wondering if the truth about teaching people to edit and write well isn't just the same as it has always been.

Read good stuff. All the time. Then you write all the time. And some of it will be good.

schizo · 2 years ago

Marcus,
that is the most uplifting comment i have heard about my writing in alomg long time :) you made my week. Thanks. I do feel that i should dust my grammar textbooks and do those exercises again. someday.:)

ciao
schizo