I know, I know... I LIED
I created this sucker about a day ago on the claims that I wouldn't write that often.
And here, a day later, I am typing away at the mundane white box that is LiveJournal to stain the page of what I considered a lost cause. Don't get used to it though, because the only reason I'm writing here is the allure of having less than 100 people read these words (my average daily intake at my other site).
Something happened in the past year or so: my writing has changed significantly. I use the same words and phrases almost constantly now. When I read what I wrote the summer of my junior year, I find it so much more interesting that what concerns me nowadays.
I've regressed. And it sucks.
How do you get better at writing? I'm reading a book called "Atonement" (thanks, Heff) and there is a 13 year-old girl character who (thanks to being the narrative creation of a 40-something man) thinks in words more eloquent than I could ever wish to spew forth. And it's annoying.
I don't know why society puts so much emphasis on literature that makes it a habit of not just saying something straight out. Sure, figurative and flowery language has its place. For example, I would not be totally against telling you that Emily smells like a rotting dog carcass in the heat of July, because that would be a) truer than just saying she smells and b) funnier, as well.
But when you have to read a sentence and go back and find the verbs to match with the overly complicated, overly described noun, I begin to think a "great" work of literature is stupid and pretentious. Maybe that's a flaw of my own, maybe I'm just stupid and impatient-- but dammit, books shouldn't always be so damn difficult.
And that is my complaint about society and its common acceptances for today.
(Is that even what I started out wanting to write??? Shit... I need to do some pre-writing before I embark on a free-for-all complaining spree...)
And here, a day later, I am typing away at the mundane white box that is LiveJournal to stain the page of what I considered a lost cause. Don't get used to it though, because the only reason I'm writing here is the allure of having less than 100 people read these words (my average daily intake at my other site).
Something happened in the past year or so: my writing has changed significantly. I use the same words and phrases almost constantly now. When I read what I wrote the summer of my junior year, I find it so much more interesting that what concerns me nowadays.
I've regressed. And it sucks.
How do you get better at writing? I'm reading a book called "Atonement" (thanks, Heff) and there is a 13 year-old girl character who (thanks to being the narrative creation of a 40-something man) thinks in words more eloquent than I could ever wish to spew forth. And it's annoying.
I don't know why society puts so much emphasis on literature that makes it a habit of not just saying something straight out. Sure, figurative and flowery language has its place. For example, I would not be totally against telling you that Emily smells like a rotting dog carcass in the heat of July, because that would be a) truer than just saying she smells and b) funnier, as well.
But when you have to read a sentence and go back and find the verbs to match with the overly complicated, overly described noun, I begin to think a "great" work of literature is stupid and pretentious. Maybe that's a flaw of my own, maybe I'm just stupid and impatient-- but dammit, books shouldn't always be so damn difficult.
And that is my complaint about society and its common acceptances for today.
(Is that even what I started out wanting to write??? Shit... I need to do some pre-writing before I embark on a free-for-all complaining spree...)