Wednesday, September 8, 2010

A couple of notes n thoughts.... clunk.



This going to be one of those experiments to see where I end up at. So here I am at the beginning.
Page One......
"It was a cold, dark and stormy night." This was the entry line for Snoopy's great all- american book.

Diligently Snoopy would sit atop his house pounding away at the keys, writing his book until writer's block would strike in mid sentence. Out of the carriage the page would be ripped and tossed to the four winds.

Day after day the famous hound would set on his, abode typewriter clicking away.

So many writers are like Snoopy, inspired, dedicated and sit at their writing desk placing words on to paper, or screens, That deadly moment strikes and blanks roll across the table to tumble onto the floor.

A book was published some years ago giving Snoopy some very sage advice. A group of published writers was approached to write advice stories for the frustrated writing beagle. There were about 50 essays from these writers that were put into the book. Each writer had a unique way of writing and each thought their style was the way for Snoopy to write.

They were Hollywood script writers, national magazine columnists, book authors and editors. Each person had their own way of presenting their words. One would do no rewriting at all another would revise so much a forest of trees would disappear in the rewrite. Each accomplished their goal though, their writing were published on a national level.

So Snoopy had his own advice book that others were making a few bucks from. I would guess Snoopy may still be talking with Lucy about the next book.

What i found interesting was all of the styles that were presented. Then I stopped and considered if there was only one editor for all these writers, what would happen to the unique writing style. Would writers become homogenized, all stories pretty generic and after a while bland.

The writer has a certain way of presenting their story and sometimes it does not appeal to the masses and an editor gets a hold of it and wants to appeal to the masses. what kind of changes roll out the editors blue pencil and rewrites. Verse and poetry is probably the touchiest for that is the writers soul coming out, most of the time but if it doesn't read well.... into the rejection envelope. Like poetry, prose has a beat, cadence that it takes on and the writer develops it as the style is refined. this cadence of the writer is what makes him/her unique.

So I guess my question to self...... is.... what drum am I marching to?

As Snoopy would say, "It was a cold, dark and stormy night."

Now I need to see if I can find that book.


8 comments:

Hope said...

you beat to your own drum.. and its has a wonderful Tone and Beat to it.

TenMile said...

Well done.

Unknown said...

You are a very unique man Mr John. Let those fingers type and the imagination go wild. Like a bird with no anchor.

Kathryn Magendie said...

You asked a question on my blog and I answered it there, but then thought I should maybe have answered it here? --:"John - I am a "seat of the pantster" as someone called it - no outlines - wish I could outline, but my brain shuts down at the thought - I just put fingers to keys and let the black hole provide! :-D "

As to the editors - I am so lucky to have an editor who appreciates and loves my voice and style for what it is - she doesn't mess with it - they may have "control" over the title and covers and my author photo (oh dear *laugh*) but, what counts for me, inside, they leave to me! I love that ... for I've heard horror stories.

At Rose & Thorn, we editors don't mess with a writer's voice either - very proud of that at our journal! :-)

Joe said...

I happen to like your beat John, in fact it's always been something I can snap my fingers to. Thank you.

Happy Flower said...

Oh, how I did love Shultz's philosophical rambling and my frustration and empathy for Snoopy's dead-ended aspirations to be a 'great' writer. I have never heard of the volume mentioned and now I must hunt through library as I want to read what saayists recommended. What a great writerly market idea! I think editors can be helpful and I speak as an editor who gives feedback and asks questions. I received great training from an editor, especially about cautions to not 'write what I thought was supposed to be written.' I would say 'Run from an editor who wants to do rewrites.' Tell'um to 'write their own book'. Thanks for visit to alternate site.

Still Happy Flower at
http://happyflowerwordzoo002.wordpress.com/

Big Smiles

Ramblingon said...

This was a thought provoking blog because like so many, I too have my little secret book on the hard drive. I know it starts "It was a dark and stormy night"....

Lady Penelope said...

we each march to our own drum beat, or so I think ..as I ponder your question..
and as you say, if everyone wrote the same way, 'twould be a heap of very banal books and poems out there, here's to diversity...and a celebration of all the different writing styles in the world.