28 Feb
Writing by numbers
I'd like to thank the Guardian for being inspired by Elmore Leonard's yet to be published 10 Rules of Writing and inviting 30 published authors to submit their own.
These are mine chosen from theirs.
1. When still a child, make sure you read a lot of books. Spend more time doing this than anything else.
2. Don't just plan to write – write. It is only by writing, not dreaming about it, that we develop our own style. Nobody is making you do this: you chose it, so don't whine.
3. Writing should be done only in private, like any other lavatorial activity.
4. Try to be accurate about stuff.
5. Do it every day. Make a habit of putting your observations into words and gradually this will become instinct. This is the most important rule of all and, naturally, I don't follow it.
6. It is the gestation time which counts.
7. Always carry a notebook. The short-term memory only retains information for three minutes; unless it is committed to paper you can lose an idea for ever.
8. The main rule of writing is that if you do it with enough assurance and confidence, you're allowed to do whatever you like. Write it honestly, and tell it as best you can.
9. Remember you love writing. It wouldn't be worth it if you didn't.
10. Editing is everything. Cut until you can cut no more. What is left often springs into life.
(I hope so, because cutting this down to size was one of the hardest editing jobs I've ever done.)
I love writing too, I try to do it every day, usually in the form of a letter or email home or more often in comments in blogs or discussion forums such as this one.
However having received my second written warning about dragging posts off topic I realise I will have to be more circumspect in my writing. In my defence I will say that I was responding on both occasions to points that were actually raised in the main thread and in both cases you did find the subject of my comments worthy of reply.
But I have taken the rebuke aboard in good spirit and will endeavour in the future to limit any comments I may have to the absolute specifics of the main point of your thread, no matter how roundabout a route you may take to get to it.
Much love, Miko
Cheers, Miko.
Occasionally your perspective inspires me – but as I hint above, not always.
J
PS. Obviously I'm also pleased that I inspire you.
When still a child, make sure you read a lot of books. Spend more time doing this than anything else.
I think this hint is highly under-rated. I notice, rather surprisingly, that those who read a lot in their second language are better at speaking it. Though they may not pronounce so well.
I'll endorse it wholeheartedly! Reading is the "mother" of education…but of course, with appropriate literature.
I've always thought that children find their own 'level' and if they ignore words they don't know, most of what they read is "appropriate".
Including Grimm's Fairy Tales and their like.
From today’s UK Independent : boys read as much as girls, but neither “to the limit of their ability”.
J: Nursery rhymes like Jack and Jill or rock-a-bye- baby can be quite akward. For instance " down comes baby, with cradle and all." What do think would be in the infant' s mind? Somehow, it's been more than 5 decades, and I still remember reciting these rhymes in school, without actually knowing what it's all about then. I am wondering whether they're still teaching them in school.
You see, the kids of today will "ask". My time……keep your mouth shut and just listen and learn, unless you want the ruler land on your knuckles.
Is it a mere coincidence that the Jakarta Post should have a whole page in their Features section entitled Favourite Books From Childhood a day after I post Rule No.1?
Or do great minds think alike?
Good readers make great writers. I am in total agreement with your first point. All the rest follows. Nice post.
To pick up Valkyrie's point about nursery rhymes, the main thing about them is that they have strong, repetitive rhythms and they scan. The one you quote actually goes "Down will come baby, cradle and all". Nursery rhymes were used to help very young children learn to count, and develop physical coordination by play-acting the movements they mention.
The words of nursery rhymes were sometimes political and satirical in meaning, such as "Jack and Jill Went Up the Hill" and "The Grand Old Duke of York" – or horribly topical, such as "Ring a Ring of Roses" which referred to the symptoms of plague.
Oh, the luxury of 3-minutes of short term, um..
and some said…………fools don't differ.