brip blap - Latest Comments in how to write gooder

Re: how to write gooder

Steve — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 22:38:06 -0000

@WC: By the way, I just finished reading A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again. Almost all of the essays were brilliant, but the two on tennis and the one about the cruise were above and beyond. The only stinker was the one on television - it got a bit tedious. Good suggestion!

@Nez: Glad you stopped by! Yep, feeling comfortable and relaxed with the guidelines and rules of grammar are essential to enjoying writing - and even reading. If you want to form thoughts and phrases using the written word that mirror natural spoken language you do need to understand grammar and punctuation to approximate its pacing and delivery. I'll put Lederer's book on my (long and still growing) wishlist!

Re: how to write gooder

Nez — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 19:06:42 -0000

Hi Steve,

I just found your site via (I think) Barbara's, and from there, Hunter's -- it's kinda interesting the online degrees of separation out there.

Anyway, I cannot remember the specific title, but waaay back in high school, when writing certainly was more of a chore than a pleasure, I happened to decide to check out a grammar book from the school library.

Over the next few days, I devoured it from beginning to end, and for whatever other reason -- perhaps I was simply ready -- I was able to come away from it with a newfound appreciation for phrases, clauses, commas and semicolons.

From then on, I had a better comprehension of books, and appreciated things like Richard Lederer's The Miracle of Language.

Like I said, it's been a long time, but that's a book I'd recommend checking out -- not sure if it would help one develop a writing style, but it certainly gives one a new appreciation of language.

Re: how to write gooder

Steve — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 20:20:14 -0000

@WC: OK, not to make me appear any more impulsive than I need to but after I read this quote from the book: "I have seen sucrose beaches and water a very bright blue. I have seen an all-red leisure suit with flared lapels. I have smelled what suntan lotion smells like spread over 21,000 pounds of hot flesh . . " you had me at hello. I love it, I'm buying it.

Re: how to write gooder

Writer's Coin — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 19:26:55 -0000

This one's easy: David Foster Wallace. Read A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never do Again—he makes mundane topics interesting and funny. Plus he's brilliant.

Re: how to write gooder

Steve — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 22:26:52 -0000

@feministfinance: I haven't heard of that one, I will have to check it out.
@t h rive: Interesting choice. I'm not a big fan of Irving, but then again I haven't given him much of a chance.
@ERE: Orwell is tremendous. I can't think of a single thing he wrote that I've read that I haven't enjoyed. He's more well known for his vision I think - due to 1984 and Animal Farm - but really I appreciate him more for his mastery of the art of writing than for his creativity (which was impressive, too).
@Hunter: I know. I just didn't want to show off my smartiness.

Re: how to write gooder

Early Retirement Extreme — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 18:14:31 -0000

Even though English is my second language, I also made the list so I guess I talk English good too ;-)
I would credit Orwell as my greatest stylistic influence. This article really lays it out: http://www.mtholyoke.edu/ac...

Re: how to write gooder

Money Blue Book — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 14:24:00 -0000

I is try to rite gooder as well. Have gooD dae

Re: how to write gooder

t h rive — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 13:46:33 -0000

Not that I post my short stories (yet)...but I think that John Irving has a style I like to emulate. Not in the formal writing sense; but the matter-of-factness of some of my half-rants. Oh, and use of hyphens and semi-colons.

Re: how to write gooder

feministfinance — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 11:25:36 -0000

No question about it: Garner's Modern American Usage by Bryan A. Garner has saved me from making an ass of myself more times than I care to reveal.

Re: how to write gooder

Hunter Nuttall — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 10:53:11 -0000

Although it wasn't a "quality of content" test, I'm sure you'd do well in one! But I don't know if you'll be winning any grammar awards--I believe the correct phrase is "how to write more goodly."