Reading Anne Lamott’s “Shitty First Drafts” was the opposite of having a tooth pulled. I appreciate any author who is willing to portray their ideas through humor. If the idea of writing a first draft had been reiterated as often in a different style, then I probably would have stopped reading. How did she know?
After reading Orwell’s article and re-visiting Lamont’s I realized how effectively she uses metaphors. Her work seems the opposite of the “modern English” that Orwell criticizes. I think emulating her style of writing could help build my own.
I believe reading Orwell’s “Politics and the English Language” has brought me one lotus petal closer to enlightenment. I’ve always known I’m a terrible writer, but now I realize why. My purpose has never been to put across a concrete opinion and message. The concern has always been to finish an assignment.
His partly blaming politics for the “decline of the English language” has led me to wonder what would happen if political speeches and pamphlets were written to inform of a candidates ideas? What would happen to society if we wrote with the purpose to state our thoughts coherently and simply? Lastly, what would it do to my writing?
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1 comment:
I like the one lotus petal line. Nice metaphor. Also, way to notice the sharp metaphors of Lamott's - we'll talk more about that on Wednesday.
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