The Preciousness of the Precocious (amateur, and ill(non)-informed) Writer (Blogger).
June 9th 2007 22:14
There aren't many things writers agree on.
There are less things Bloggers agree on.
Yet Bloggers are "writers" because they "write" (or "type").
For the purpose of this Post, the term "Writer" refers to anyone who writes, regardless of what they write or whether or not they "write" or "type" in order to "write".
An old granny penning a letter is a "writer". She might be a shit speller or have no idea of grammar even though she is a "gramma" and even be writing about things that only she and her family are interested in, but she is nonetheless a "writer". (And often, a granny [or mother of a mother] is a superior writer to most Bloggers because she writes about the simple little things of ordinary daily life which interest her intended (market) audience [her own family or 'community' of real and true friends. Her loyal and faithful friends]. She is old enough and wise enough to realise converting the world to her own opinion is a silly thing to do. She sticks to writing about subjects she knows something about
A blogger typing a post is a "writer" for the purpose of this Post.
This is how technical "writing" contracts get. Okay? They're full of clauses, sub-clauses and multiple parentheses. They're designed to do your head in, just like certain Blog Posts are. It's the wow factor. It's like, 'I want the whole wide world (www) to know how intelligent I am.' While I expose my ignorance? For the whole wide world (www) to see?
Now for a bit of simplicity. (Not too much. Just a bit. Or I'll lose a lot of you. It will be too simple for you to understand. You'll ask yourself questions inside your own head like, 'Where is the flowery verbiage? Where is the complexity of thought?' You'll go round and round and round in your own heads if I make it too simple, and write another complex retaliatory Post full of loqacious, flowery, irrelevant, redundant and tautological verbosity).
The "novice" (a novice writer who is new to writing, and has never worked in the professional world of writing) is a precocious, overly-precious little thing with megalomaniacal tendencies and an ego to match. No-one can tell this person anything this person doesn't already know because in this person's mind? This person already knows everything about everything. It's tragic really. Laughable at times. It's a source of constant amusement to me, but I really shouldn't laugh. It's a matter for tears, not laughter. Oh well, I blame my Irish heritage for that.
The novice believes everything he/she writes is precious, unique and totally original. Even after extensive research into what others have written and multiple cut & pastes and downloads of what others have written. (And words from the Dictionary). It's the novice's spin or twist on what someone else has written that makes it precious, unique and totally original is it?
The novice erroneously believes no-one else in the whole wide world (the www) could possibly have the same sublime and divine thoughts as he/she does, or be anywhere near as original as he/she is, or have the intelligence or wisdom or ability or sheer talent to write like he/she does.
Yet in the same stroke of a pen? The Blogger will write a post about the collective consciousness of mankind or some other new-age, bullshit theory?
The novice often informs those whom have progressed beyond the novice stage of their own superior writing skills and knowledge of all things 'literary'. It's a classic case of the pupil/student teaching the master on the first day of writing school. I've seen it all before. Been there. Done that.
I've had thoughts like, 'What would you know?' Or 'Who do you think you are to instruct me?' It's all part of the pride of human nature. Progressing beyond such thoughts is all that really matters. Not only in the writer's journey but for the journey of life itself. (Oops, getting a bit philosophical here. I'll try my best to stick to writing, okay?).
The novice is someone who itches to teach others without having to learn the craft or trade first. Not just in the writing profession, either. In all professions, trades or crafts.
The novice is someone who is so proud of their own magnificence, they don't need to be taught a thing by anyone. They're going to teach (and tell) the world everything.
The novice is a deluded, delusional fool.
Should the novice choose to stay in this state? A state of denial and complete lack of self-knowledge, and lack of knowledge at to what life's journey is truly about? The novice will never progress beyond being a novice.
Other novices, who want to learn, not teach, will progress far beyond the incorrigible, belligerent, bellicose novice and onto a post-novitiate stage wherein they become proficient at their chosen profession/trade/craft, which in turn, only makes the stupid novice more envious, more jealous, more spiteful, more vindictive, and leads to regular venting.
The novice who wishes to remain a novice is an ignorant dolt.
The writer who is no longer a novice (for every writer is a novice at some point) is a person (male or female or hermaphrodite or tranny [pre or post op]) who did not set out to teach others what writing is all about.
The writer who is no longer a novice set out to learn what writing is all about, and knows for a certaintly that he/she will die before learning everything there is to know about writing but will, on occasion, instruct others (or pass on what he/she has learned about writing) for the benefit of those truly seeking to better themselves as writers.
As Norm would write:
Writers and Novices. Opposites.
There are less things Bloggers agree on.
Yet Bloggers are "writers" because they "write" (or "type").
For the purpose of this Post, the term "Writer" refers to anyone who writes, regardless of what they write or whether or not they "write" or "type" in order to "write".
An old granny penning a letter is a "writer". She might be a shit speller or have no idea of grammar even though she is a "gramma" and even be writing about things that only she and her family are interested in, but she is nonetheless a "writer". (And often, a granny [or mother of a mother] is a superior writer to most Bloggers because she writes about the simple little things of ordinary daily life which interest her intended (market) audience [her own family or 'community' of real and true friends. Her loyal and faithful friends]. She is old enough and wise enough to realise converting the world to her own opinion is a silly thing to do. She sticks to writing about subjects she knows something about
A blogger typing a post is a "writer" for the purpose of this Post.
This is how technical "writing" contracts get. Okay? They're full of clauses, sub-clauses and multiple parentheses. They're designed to do your head in, just like certain Blog Posts are. It's the wow factor. It's like, 'I want the whole wide world (www) to know how intelligent I am.' While I expose my ignorance? For the whole wide world (www) to see?
Now for a bit of simplicity. (Not too much. Just a bit. Or I'll lose a lot of you. It will be too simple for you to understand. You'll ask yourself questions inside your own head like, 'Where is the flowery verbiage? Where is the complexity of thought?' You'll go round and round and round in your own heads if I make it too simple, and write another complex retaliatory Post full of loqacious, flowery, irrelevant, redundant and tautological verbosity).
The "novice" (a novice writer who is new to writing, and has never worked in the professional world of writing) is a precocious, overly-precious little thing with megalomaniacal tendencies and an ego to match. No-one can tell this person anything this person doesn't already know because in this person's mind? This person already knows everything about everything. It's tragic really. Laughable at times. It's a source of constant amusement to me, but I really shouldn't laugh. It's a matter for tears, not laughter. Oh well, I blame my Irish heritage for that.
The novice believes everything he/she writes is precious, unique and totally original. Even after extensive research into what others have written and multiple cut & pastes and downloads of what others have written. (And words from the Dictionary). It's the novice's spin or twist on what someone else has written that makes it precious, unique and totally original is it?
The novice erroneously believes no-one else in the whole wide world (the www) could possibly have the same sublime and divine thoughts as he/she does, or be anywhere near as original as he/she is, or have the intelligence or wisdom or ability or sheer talent to write like he/she does.
Yet in the same stroke of a pen? The Blogger will write a post about the collective consciousness of mankind or some other new-age, bullshit theory?
The novice often informs those whom have progressed beyond the novice stage of their own superior writing skills and knowledge of all things 'literary'. It's a classic case of the pupil/student teaching the master on the first day of writing school. I've seen it all before. Been there. Done that.
I've had thoughts like, 'What would you know?' Or 'Who do you think you are to instruct me?' It's all part of the pride of human nature. Progressing beyond such thoughts is all that really matters. Not only in the writer's journey but for the journey of life itself. (Oops, getting a bit philosophical here. I'll try my best to stick to writing, okay?).
The novice is someone who itches to teach others without having to learn the craft or trade first. Not just in the writing profession, either. In all professions, trades or crafts.
The novice is someone who is so proud of their own magnificence, they don't need to be taught a thing by anyone. They're going to teach (and tell) the world everything.
The novice is a deluded, delusional fool.
Should the novice choose to stay in this state? A state of denial and complete lack of self-knowledge, and lack of knowledge at to what life's journey is truly about? The novice will never progress beyond being a novice.
Other novices, who want to learn, not teach, will progress far beyond the incorrigible, belligerent, bellicose novice and onto a post-novitiate stage wherein they become proficient at their chosen profession/trade/craft, which in turn, only makes the stupid novice more envious, more jealous, more spiteful, more vindictive, and leads to regular venting.
The novice who wishes to remain a novice is an ignorant dolt.
The writer who is no longer a novice (for every writer is a novice at some point) is a person (male or female or hermaphrodite or tranny [pre or post op]) who did not set out to teach others what writing is all about.
The writer who is no longer a novice set out to learn what writing is all about, and knows for a certaintly that he/she will die before learning everything there is to know about writing but will, on occasion, instruct others (or pass on what he/she has learned about writing) for the benefit of those truly seeking to better themselves as writers.
As Norm would write:
Writers and Novices. Opposites.
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Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Comment by David
Spot on.
What an amazing writers' forum Orble has.
I guess the majority of Bloggers are too busy teaching others how to write on other Bloggers' Blogs.
David ...
Comment by David
No-V(o)ices?
No intestinal fortitude?
NFI?
David ...
Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
No intestinal fortitude?
NFI?
=D
Comment by Carbon8or
Climate Red
randomthoughts
Phil's Wellness Tips
Only the smart people who get it want to learn.. I think they call it cath 22 or something like that
Comment by Julie Vaux
Books Well Read
Strange Situations
The Purple Challenge
Why shouldnt they pass on their knowledge?
Whether the subject is grammar, Plutarch's philosophy, the strange behaviour of the local corella flock, writing, Chinese poetry, metrical schemes, using color, archaeology, haiku, fashion, metaphysics and quantum physics, and whatever else they have knowledge of, the novice shouldnt be labelled arrogant.
The attraction of blogging is that, for better or worse everyone, novices, critics, would be pro writers, alleged experts, and actual qualified scholars, can have a go.
Somewhere out there some other isolated lonely scholar may be benefiting from my "scholia" or enjoying the poetry and pictures I post!
Lurking novices just keep writing!
And if you get the urge to teach or preach and actually know something about the subject then go ahead.
Even if no one responds at least you've got the idea or feeling off your chest and out of your head?
Comment by David
Ignorance might well be bliss to the ignorant. I just wish they'd keep their ignorant blissfulness to themselves, and stop visiting my Blog.
David ...
Comment by David
It all depends upon how they ACTUALLY pass it on, I guess. lower case or ALL CAPS (generally considered a form of TEXT SHOUTING IN ORDER TO BE HEARD ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE!!!). That's a NON-EXPERT OPINION btw.
I'm not a fan of what I style the Jehovah's Witness, in-your-face, shove-it-down-your-throat approach to teaching any subject myself, but you go for your life.
Thanks for supporting my case with your comment, btw.
I won't be taking your advice. Or should that be multiple advice?
I generally just skim-read your comments nowadays and write something I feel like writing with a vague reference to whatever it is you did write. I much prefer reading my own writing.
I apologise in advance for any punctuation or grammatical errors in my response. I sincerely hope they don't upset you too much.
David ...
Comment by Julie Vaux
Books Well Read
Strange Situations
The Purple Challenge
Quoting David ...
Why you still have any readers is beyond my understanding unless like you they think that remark is funny or ironic or whatever?
Why your ranking is slipping is also made obvious by that remark!
If there are any other "novices" lurking its your turn to tell DAVID how unimpressed you are by the way he's stereotyped (or is that insulted?) newbie bloggers!
And before I depart remember who the ultimate critics are: there are nine of them and they're ALL female!
Postscript : If I did an entire post in CAPS LOCK that might be considering "shouting" but one or two words? Thats emphasis!
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Writing blogs are always fighting the uphill battle, I know because I'm the big supporter of blogs revolving around short stories or poems. From this support I give them I've found that I'm not willing to support or giving two bits about poorly written or formatted blogs. Give it whatever excuse you would like, I don't care, artistic or experimental, no one else does. If you think you're better than the english language then you're dreaming. If you think you're a genius for doing something some way don't expect it to reach anyone beyond your little merry band of minions who do nothing but bask in your glory - quite superficial to say the least.
As such don't go around saying who can or can't write, don't criticize people on what their writing is like, just shuttup, because you're in the lowest possible category of bloggers - those who think they can write fireworks but can produce little more than sparklers.
I can go off and just isolate myself from Orbles community, call everyone an inferior pathetic writer for whatever reason I want, but I won't do that becuase I'm not like a certain someone else, and my blog isn't like that same persons blog. First of all, my blog is content driven, what I put I put because i find them genuinely interesting and feel that I need to share them. If I were to start a writing blog I would endeavour to write entertaining stories. At the end I'm a content provider, not a writer. However this other persons blog, well it's driven by a mutual appreciation society, you say you love me, and I'll say I love you, you dare say anything even remotely engative about me and I'll cast you out. This kind of blog is purely community driven, it relys on the generosity that someone else, the same person will come and speak of their neverending love for you and your writing.
If this person isolates himself from Orble, no one will read what he writes, and I mean no one. Because he is not a content provider, he thinks blogging is about showing off what a genius he is. This is what is known as being lost in your own illusions of grandiuer. It's a sad state of affairs and I owuld like to remind him of what happened the first time he went out on the offensive and basically insulted everyone who didn't fully 100% agree with him.
To quote him 'no one will read my blog anymore' (sic).
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
No kidding kid.
Simple. In your own words.
Your attitude is rather amusing.
You warble about the very thing you want.
Perhaps you should focus on being content instead of providing it on a blog.
Comment by Damo
I have never been very good at subtext ever since I drank salt water whilst reading The Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner.
I do emjoy a lot of reads on Bloggs:
Some from younger writers, other from older writers.
Some do lift the intellectual bar higher and others lift the social bar.
Most of my experience with creative people has been in music and if you think writers or Bloggers can be precious then you don't know music. The organization of musical composers that I belong to has one rule: "No Dickheads" (actually it is no FW's but I try to be polite) A nobel rule to prevent the pretenders and groupies trying to drag down those who are genuine.
Occassionally we get the odd DH but they soon fall off when things get tough or the reality of the 90% persperation hits their heads like a wakeup call.
My mind is that the pretenders will always leave after some time and the genuine will remain for longer.
It is kind of like natural selection.
Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
HA! Very funny Damo...
Comment by D. Armenta
The Florida Keys and Everglades
The Black Sheep Chronicles
What constitutes bad manners?
The male mystique
Debate Fan
L.A.M.P.
I can only speak from my own experience, but the point being made here is true; you can't learn anything if you think you're an expert already.
Writers (and drummers, hee hee) I've looked upon as Gods in their fields continued to study/take lessons in their chosen professions all of their lives.
You can always learn something new.
In my opinion.
Good post.
Comment by David
The reason my 'ranking' is slipping is because I periodically delete all of my posts and start again.
Why? Popularity rankings on Orble means jack shit to me. Not like certain people I non-know.
Something being beyond your understanding? That doesn't surprise me.
Is that EMPHATIC! enough for you?
Seriously? You bloggers? You take everything I write far too seriously and yet tell me you don't take anything I write seriously?
Oh dear. What am I going to do?
Well, one thing I'm not going to do is waste any more time on this reply.
Comment by David
I'm not sure what you wrote on this post. I didn't read it. I'm too absorbed in my own writing. I can only hope someone besides yourself gets something out of it.
David
Comment by David
So you actually read Ahmed's comment?
I didn't even read it. I assumed it would be the usual whatever.
Out of common courtesy, I posted a response.
David ...
Comment by David
One of the problems with the virtual world?
The DHs and FWs (those full of angst) are never confronted with the reality of mixing with real people in the real world. Or, more to the point, they shy or cower away from reality so their precious little egos don't get damaged?
But they're big tough men and women behind their PCs? Even those who are still kiddies?
Laughable.
David ...
Comment by David
Um, their egos have gotten to them?
What I love most about instant and disposable 5 minute posts like this?
The egotists expose themselves.
I don't have to do a thing other than write the piddly little post.
David
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
Comment by Ahmed
Video Gamer Kids
Little Green Foosballs
PolyKicks
First of all, spelling. I had the simple intention of showing how people take spelling way too personally, of course it had to be relevent to some context that interests said people. Which is why I used that banner. I don't understand where I am commiting an offense in 'taking' the banner without asking. Perhaps you folks come fromt he generetion before me aer less accustomed to how things work on the cyber world, but I can tell you for sure that theres a general rule of thought that if 'I don't benefit from it, you don't lose from it, it isn't wrong'.
I already apologised for any misconceptions that may have come of it already, I don't see what else you would like besides total control of the internet (if you still so insist that using a banner is 'stealing').
Second point - Micro communities. No, I have nothing against them, I don't care, I don't care what they stand for and under what force or power they run. However I don't like seeing elitism which is an invariable by-product of having micro-communities centered around massive egos.
Which brings me to my final point, David. Yes, that david who thinks he's so grand.
I recall sometime ago he lambasted someone else for her writing in an excessively rude manner, his blog was deleted and he pretty much shouldhave been kicked out, but he wasn't, he had another blog under another name and Jon being the nice fella he is let him stay under probation.
May I draw your attention to this? Who the hell do you think you are, David? Criticizing one of the best members on Orble for bullshit, claims that she plagarised o whatever else, thats pathetic and low. Thats the single biggest thing I have against you, is the fact you can't keep your pathetic opinions to yourself or at least can't even express them in a passive non-offensive way. You can't take it either, you sure can dish it out.
When you were originally with Wordophilia I liked some of your posts but stopped liking most of the others, I did passively mention how I disliked them, not in a gruff or hateful manner, it aws just my opinion and I didn't mean it to be anything more. However you took it to heart and since then pretty much you've hated my guts, it was only increased after you went on and insulted other writers here on Orble.
You're not precious, let me tell you that, just because you have 'signed off' some work to a random producer or have a college degree, it means jack shit.
Why? Well the movie industry is incredibly shallow. Some time ago a notable writer (I've forgotten his name) re-wrote Casablanca (I think he titled it 'Coming Home to Ritchies' and sent it off to 75 different studios, about three recognized it was a re-write of one of the greatest love stories in the history of hollywood and a couple, something like 7 thought it was worth making into a movie, thought it was, basically it had the potentiol to 'sign off'. Another person wrote a script, had it signed off, was paid for it, the movie is on the shleves somewhere, for the past five years, hasn't gone anywhere.
As for university? Please, the worlds richest (and arguablly the most successful) man dropped out of university, that says something about your 'credibility' in anything just because you have a bachelors in some random crap.
I wouldn't be doing any of this, I don't like to, so if you could keep your ego within your micro-community and not let it slip out and attack someof the better members on Orble (Katyzzz probably is the most realistic depiction of a blogger on Orble) or even worse, just anyone. You're not better than anyone else, you can pretend it to yourself, and people can visit your blog and say what a great writer you are, but you have no right to claim other people can't write or are plagarising or whatever else.
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Comment by yoda76
The Tube Blog
Maybe - but randomly attacking someone as you did kinda sucks, and I would put that in the "they lose from it" category.
It surprises me that you wonder why people stick to themselves when you lay into them like that. Of course they are going to get their back up...
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
I agree with Ahmed.
Katyzzz probably is the most realistic depiction of a blogger on Orble.
And the Logie goes to:
Norm...
(loved the read, incidentally)
Comment by Trina
Hiphop
Confessions of a Serial Dancer
Competitions
Clubbing
*hugs David*
Maybe I'm just here to provide free hugs rather than engage in these discussions. But I hope you like my hugs just as much
Comment by DuskDevi
Rugby World Cup 2007
Comment by David
Did Ahmed write another comment? I saw the word 'kid' in your comment. (I am a great blind scroller). Not a scrum roller. I am not Sud EfriKan.
David
Oh, while I'm here. How's things? How's DDH and Stephen? I'd much rather discuss real issues and real men than little boys and their toys. Issues like Rugby. A man's sport.
I'll get back to you on this one on your
LarkhamRugby Blog. Writing about Rugby on the Writers' Forum is as inappropriate as precocious little pre-tech kiddies trying to impress adults.Comment by David
It appears that Ahmed 'has' commented on this Post. You're the second person who has mentioned him.
David ...
Comment by David
You're the third person who has mentioned Ahmed. He 'has' been here, hasn't he?
David ...
Comment by David
You're an active woman. I wouldn't expect anything less of you than to offer an active remedy.
I'll willingly accept the free virtual hugs.
I hope you don't charge for real ones. (Na, I'm not into real hugs. Too much breast action. I'll only end up writing another hundred poems.
David ...