First, there's a blog entry (about 250 words) which will have you respond to a hopefully thought-provoking question.
Second, there's a reading. There’s no blog entry associated with this. Just read.
Third, there's a written response to the reading. Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the SATURDAY (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. This entry should be a long paragraph.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
WEEK ONE WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ
What do you think of these writing rules? Does one stand
out to you? Why?
After reading through both Orwell’s and Twain’s rules of writing, I was immediately hit with the differences in both the style and format of the two. I found Orwell’s rules to be something a writer could actually apply to his or her work, whereas Twain’s rules seem more like a list/rant that has an air of superiority about it. It’s clear that Twain was directly attacking the writings of James Fenimore Cooper, and scathing it was!
Orwell’s most valuable suggestion to me is: “Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.” How many times can you read the phrase, “ As deep as the ocean,” or, “ He ran like the wind,” and find that there really is no longer any substance due to over-use? I think finding metaphors, similes, etc that speak to the reader and conjure up new images is a far better way to draw someone in and really make the words you choose “come alive.”
As mentioned above, it’s clear that Twain’s rules are not really rules at all. They are a crudely disguised attack on the writings of another. However, I had to say that number 11 seemed quite ridiculous to me. Twain writes: “The characters in tale be so clearly defined that the reader can tell beforehand what each will do in a given emergency.”
I couldn’t possibly disagree with this “rule” any more! I think one of the most exciting parts of an author’s work are the characters they create. The more realistic, the better. Real people are hard to predict, constantly changing, struggling, not static robots that given one input will only produce on output. I prefer characters that keep me guessing. If a tale is written in such a way that I can “tell what each will do in a given emergency beforehand,” why would I bother reading?
These rules seem as commonsense, then when actually writing they are very important to remember. Feels like many times we write to express ourselves on a certain subject. Unfortunately, we don't always write as we think we do; therefore, more precautions are needed. The rules given are more like an exercise to apply everytime we write until they become permanent in our minds.
the one that stands out the most to me is to be assertive instead of passive. In one of my psychology courses I it was said that women are passive, the we allow things to happen and we don't take a stand. This made me really mad. Now that I know this rule I will try my best to be assertive and state what I mean.
That should make you mad. I have taught writing and history for about 20 years and have definitely seen a gendering of the written form...and yes, it does seem to be more difficult for women to write boldly. Maybe it's a lifetime of gendering to be passive that causes that. I applaud your effort to be assertive and to state what you mean!
Orwell's essay stresses a simplistic and cohesive writing style. I like that he stresses using everyday english terminology as opposed to scientific terms or other jargon. Because, by doing so knowledge becomes accessible and comprehensible to everyone not just people who have a scholarly background. Mark Twain's rules of writing are much more applicable for a creative writers than essayist. Mainly because, Twain's guidelines place a large emphasis on character development, motive, human emotion, setting, and idiom. His guidelines are starkly similar to the guidelines prescribed in my screenwriting course. Twain's guidelines are to entertain and inform; while Orwell's guidelines are solely useful for informative purposes.
To begin with, I agree with having some rules can help with writing a better paper. I do not agree with Orwell that a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech should not be used. I think that with being able to use one these can help grab the reader’s attention and maybe help the thesis. I agree with being able to use a short word versus a big word it may help the paragraph flow smoother. In addition, I thought that Twain’s rules were somewhat understanding but I did not think that most of what he said was relevant to writing rules. It seemed as if he wanted to entertain first. I thought it was a bit confusing at first but, after I read the ending that’s when the rules of writing were much easier to understand. I think that Twains was much more on the philosophical and Orwell’s was straight forward. Even by reading through all these rules was overwhelming because, I make most of those mistakes. I am not such a great writer so these rules help but, I don’t always follow them. But I always write and then revise my writing just in case what I wrote doesn’t make sense. At the end of the day there will always be rules that apply just about anything to avoid any type of disaster.
After reading both Twains rules of writing as well as Orwell’s rules many different things stand out to me. One being that Orwell’s seems much more simple and applicable to ones writing. The one that stands out most to me with Orwell’s is rule number 5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. There are times when I read and I have to look words or phrases up because authors use these long extravagant words when there was a much simpler one to explain it. I feel as though many writers make their work sound wordy to try and make their paper sound smart. This uncomplicated rule would benefit many writers in keeping works simple and understandable.
One of the rules that stood out most to me while reading Twains was number 18. Employ a simple, straightforward style. This is similar to Orwell’s in that it’s best to write in a simple manner so that the reader can fully understand what you are trying to communicate. I also noticed that while reading Twains rules they were much more specific when it comes to details of telling a tale. Such as explaining why the characters are there, defining the characters within the story, and even a description of how they should speak. Rule number 1. A tale shall accomplish something and arrive somewhere, is another rule I’m fond of in that I really dislike reading works that make absolutely no sense and have no purpose.
Overall I found that many of these rules would apply to various types of writers. Some are a little more complex but most are straightforward and reasonable. Orwell’s rules I feel are the most universal in that they are short and simple and can be functional in many forms of writing.
Between the two readings of Orwell and Twain, I find some helpful that before reading I had not been aware of. One being the use of simple words. I have always been the type of person who enjoys using fancy words in my writing, and it wasn't until reading these rules that I found it is better to use simple grammar instead of fluffy words. In that I also found that it is important to use the right word, the word used can make a difference in message being sent. With that, it is also important to understand what you are trying to say before you write it. I catch myself doing this often, I will write a long drawn out sentence and when I go back and read it, I realize that I don't even know what I was trying to say. These rules for writing are helpful because they provoke you to think before you ramble, which is never a good component in writing.
Both readings have good rules to guide me when writing. Orwell's tips are easily explained and give me a clear idea of what should I think and consider before, during, and after writing. I found that using active voice instead of passive is better; however, this is a little complicated for me to understand as I find my self using passive voice most of the time. It is clear that I need to be careful with what I write and the words I use because I never know who is going to read it. I like to use fancy words and when my supervisor reviews my reports he points at those words and suggests to change them because they are not common. The first reading advises of being careful not to write something barbarous which reminded me that I used to make up my own words, since I did not have an ample vacabulary if it sounded good to me then it was a valid word. My professors would place question marks on my papers when running into those words which has been helping me to gradually improve my skills.
I think both of Orwell's and Twain's rules are incredible. Both authors clearly express their believes in different ways, yet both of them make an attempt to reach the same point. Orwell's rules are clear, simple, and easier to follow than Twain's, while Twain explains his rules in great detail and length. Out of the two, I prefer Twain's rules perhaps for that very reason. To me it seems that Twain took great time and effort to write out his rules. He not only made a list, but within each rule there are smaller rules, greater guidelines that help lead and keep the writer in check. Twain also goes to great lengths to ensure that the reader understands the importance of creating a personages that are "real". The way they talk, their appearance, behavior, interactions, their actions, everything is explained in Twain's rules and that appeals to me much more than the simplicity of Orwell's.
Out of Twain's rules, the one that stood out the most to me was number 5. In this rule Twain explains the importance of not only creating believable characters, but of the dangers of straying from the plot. Often at times, I've read books where the author seems to have forgotten the purpose of their story and the speech of the characters and their actions seems unnecessary, as if to only fill space on the page. I myself am guilty of that sometimes. According to Twain, every action, every word written must have a purpose, must lead somewhere, and most be important. Sounds like something very hard to do but it sounds like more of a challenge and thus more interesting.
Orwell was a fantastic essayist, but his novels have tended to overshadow his essays. The rules themselves are rather good examples of what quality writing should look like, if I may be so bold as to offer a meta analysis. Many of his rules are obvious, yet often ignored. Cliches are the bread and butter of too many writers toolboxes; these writers aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer, or the brightest bulb in the pack.
One must also be aware that many great writers break his rules. Nabokov's memorable character Humbert Humbert would not be able to exist without his foreign phrases, extravagant word choice, and obfuscations ( a clear volilation of #5, "Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent."). These are general rules intended for young writes, but sometimes they have to be broken. The trick is understanding them inside and out first, knowing the reasons for the rules, and knowing why you need to break them.
The list supplied by Mr. Clemens is far more light-hearted. There is a jest or witticism in each one, but Twain's skill, like Pope's in his poetic critique of poetic criticism, is the ability to impart knowledge and opinion in the middle of a joke.
First and foremost, when it comes to writing, I believe that having a set ground of rules can help better a paper. It does not matter who is writing the paper or what kind of paper is being written. After reading Twain's and Orwell's rules for writing, I found that both authors convey very useful tips. Both authors express their own set of rules (and beliefs) in a different style, format, and approach. However, even though both authors are unique in their own way, I found that I relate more towards Orwell's writing, especially number 1, "What am I trying to say." This is definitely the soul purpose when it comes to writing, because like myself, I have the tendency to get off topic. This is something that is easily done and can confuse the reader immediately, while losing the reader's attention rather quickly. I know this from personal experience. Therefore, when I am writing I try to stay on track and grasp the readers attention by ask myself periodically, "what am I trying to convey my audience." Orwell's Number 3 also stands out, "If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out." I believe this is one of my weaknesses when writing, because I have the tendency to add unnecessary words that clearly do not belong. I fix this by proof reading my paper a day later; a technique that helps me eliminate useless words or even sentences to better my paper. I must admit that Orwell's simple use of writing appeals to me more than Twain's. Even though Twain's use of writing is very useful, I find that his style is very challenging and unique. A style that not everyone can pull off.
After reading both excerpts I have developed an interesting theory. It largely depends on the developmental writer one would like to become to distinguish the validity of Orwell or Twain's set of literary rules. Personally, I like a conjunction of both; Orwell's stress on simplistic accents and Twain's emphasis on giving inanimate objects dialogue and personality really threw me fir a spin. I really like Twain's idea of giving objects liveliness as if they entail true conversation. Orwell places a major emphasis on shortening excerpts, so long as the writers are able to convey their point, while Twain believes that a character should embody his or her personality and has no objection to wordiness if it gives the character a more descriptive outlook. Not only do I believe the best set of rules is a combination of both, it should also entail the writers own personal style.
“Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses” is very critical, but Mark Twain thought it was necessary. There is always competition and conflict, even in literature. Twain wrote this piece because he believed the reviews to be falsified and wanted to prove it. Mark Twain had an agenda and he can exaggerate, but his rules should be aware of. The background of these rules are not necessarily important because, although interesting, can stand alone and are sensible to many. Mark Twain’s point is that there are writers, like Cooper, who create work that are a shame to the English language.
George Orwell did choose various passages to criticize, and would agree with the points that Twain was trying to make. George Orwell wrote: “[The English language] becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts” (“Politics and the English Language” 1946). Orwell refers to political writing when he wrote these rules but, whether political or not, is still part of English. Many books written by Orwell have to do with political, economic, and social issues based around cultural and historical events, so it does not surprise me that he chose to address how poorly political pieces are written. They both seem to make the point that our language and writing has become untidy and full of bad habits, we should be aware they exist, and should be aware that we can fix these unwanted habits.
Rules are usually made for a reason. Rules help reinforce common sense or general knowledge and most of us would agree that these set of rules seem like common sense. Rules are made to be followed, but individual beliefs help us choose whether or not to follow or agree with the rules. I do not deliberately break the writing rules, but it does not always register, in my mind, that I am breaking a rule.
10. They require that the author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and in their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones. -Mark Twain
I do believe that all writers follow this rule. There is always conflict, writers create conflict, and readers react to conflict. The author will shape characters how he/she feels about them, but the reader decides who they love and who they hate. Every person has individual differences and those differences will decide which character they want to relate to. Some authors give background about all main characters and those kinds of details can also influence the decision on who to love and hate. Readers will push aside their own reality and put themselves into a character's role to experience a new “reality”. This can allow them to decide what they would do if they were in the character’s situation. Sometimes I want to relate to “good” characters and, other times, I am a rebel and want to relate to the “bad” characters. I feel that the author should be able to keep the reader interested, but the reader should also give the literature a chance to be interesting. Your mood can have an affect on how you react to what you are reading.
(Kafka is the only author whose work (‘The Trial’/’The Metamorphosis’) makes me feel unsure about my feelings. Everyone should read this book. You should also read about Kafka, pay attention to the geography, what was happening, and what was about to happen after he wrote these.)
After reading Orwell's and Twains Rules of Writing I found that both do a good job in expressing good beliefs about techniques needed when writing. Both Authors show us that it is important to write good and in order to do so rules must be set prior. I found that before writing, Orwell's rules relate very much to mine. I have to ask myself certain questions before beginning or many times I will find myself writing unclear sentences. The first rule he stated which is, "What am i trying to say", is a question I ask myself every single time before beginning to write. I find this rule very important because this is a question everyone must answer in a way that readers will understand. It is important to have a clear answer and like stated in his forth rule, "what image or idiom will make it clearer"? Although I relate very much to Orwell's rules I also have similar rules as Twains when writing as well. The first rule that brought my attention was rule number 12 when he stated "say what he is proposing to say, not merely come near it". This rule brought my attention for many of my professors stress this rules when assigning a paper. We must understand that when writing we must sum up to what we want to say by breaking it down and reaching our main point; we cannot state things that do not relate or make sense to what we wrote prior. This is why rule number 12 is very important to understand. Along with this, rule number 15 is important as well for we cannot omit necessary detail or information needed in our writing or else our main point will not be clearly understood. Both authors have very good techniques for writing and although they express themselves in different ways they both reached the same point. I found both readings very helpful for they convey useful tips that are necessary when writing and are good to practice before and throughout as well.
There are many different ways that make writing interesting for example: making the characters either evil that you’re going to hate them or good that you’re going to love them. I do believe it is very essential to have rules when writing something. Our authors Orwell and Twain both have different styles of writing. From the rules that the authors state I see that their way of writing are both completely different from one another. The rule that stands out the most for me from Orwell’s list is “Could I put it more shortly?” I was very impress by this rule because I didn’t imagine that the author would set limits to his writing. However, I do believe it is very helpful to have a guideline when writing. It is always interesting to read stories short and precise. From Twains rules of writing the rule that stood out was number ten. The rule states: “The author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones.” I strongly agree with this rule. I enjoy reading stories that have characters that play their role in a strong way by being either the evil or good of the story. The story’s that have rules give a better structure to the story and make it that much better to read.
I have found quite often in my college writing career that I tend to "fluff" papers up with extra adjectives in order to lengthen them or make them sound smarter. I usually do this when I have run out of things to say and/or there is a page minimum that has been given by the professor. So, when reading through Orwell and Twain's writing rules, I immediately picked up on the part about cutting out unnecessary words and avoiding a surplus of words. I took this to mean that I should just get straight to the point and be more direct in my approach. After all, I don't want to lose the readers attention.
Orwell's and Twains Rules of Writing are pretty simple and make sense to me. There were two rules that stood out to me from Orwell’s list. The first was number 5 in which he says that one should never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word when a simple and common word will do. I completely agree with this, because it so frustrating when I am reading something and cannot understand it because the author used a foreign phrase or scientific word. The other rule that stood out to me was number 2, which says that one should not use a long word where a short one will do. This one stood out to me because I am guilty of it. I like to use the thesaurus on my computer while I’m typing to find words that will make my paper sound more intelligent. I try not to get to crazy with it, and it has not backfired on me so far. When I go back and reread my paper it sounds a lot better with the longer words. Using longer words also helps in meeting the page requirement for the paper. So in my experience using long words instead of short words doesn’t always hurt you. They can actually help your paper sound more better.
The first thing I noticed was the writing style of both authors. Orwell follows his own rule by making his message short yet straight to the point. Twain tends to be a bit more wordier. Twain is telling future authors to be sure to accurately and effectively portray the characters in a story. Twain explains that a given character she be very real to the reader and the author. I feel this is important when writing because the audience can relate to the character and the reading is engaging. Orwell's rules are very simple however they give writers a great set of guidelines to follow for a successful piece. The best question Orwell presented was "What am I trying to say?". Knowing what one is trying to say makes the author's work flow easier. Not only does it flow for the author, it is more understandable and relatable for reader. In my writings, I am constantly struggling with whether or not I'm being too wordy and unclear. A lot of the times, I ask myself the same questions Orwell asks his readers. I believe Twains writings could be useful whenever I'm writing a novel while Orwell's questions are great for everyday writing. One great tip Twain states is to not delete important details. This helps the reader to get a full understanding of what is happening in the story. Key details are important to any writing.
The writing rules from these two authors were very interesting, because they had a few similarities as well as some differences. Though the rules that I personally liked were that of Orwell’s, because his rules were short and simple and to the point and that is how he presented them as well. That was an important difference between the two because Twain s rules were a bit more complex than that of Orwell’s. Twain is more of a literary writer and is advising other writers that if they want to tell a story that they should follow his rules, while on the other hand Orwell’s rules were for more essay type of works and not necessarily novels. I really did enjoy all of Orwell’s rules because I feel like that they can be applied writing in general. For example, his first rule is simple yet crucial for anyone trying to write, because whether we know it or not we do start our writing by asking ourselves on what is it that we are going to say and how are we going to execute those ideas. Twain also gives good examples, like his last rule of employing a simple straightforward style, and I think that by doing so shows your main themes, without them getting lost somewhere in the writing.
I find it very difficult to argue against the ideas of two very influential and great writers. Yet, I find myself disagreeing with both to some extent. I have always thought the way a paper is written is determined by the target audience. If a simple letter or story to the everyday common person, than I would agree with Orwell and say that simplicity is best, even when it comes to words. However, if I am drafting a letter to an attorney or judge or someone of rank. I would find the most appropriate word to be used, even if it is uncommon. As for Twain's piece, I noticed many were saying he comes off as if he's speaking on a soapbox and just giving way to something that irked him the wrong way. Nevertheless, I will definitely keep both views of rules in mind when doing my next writing assignment.
I found Orwell's essay more interesting than Twain's essay. Normally, I use the Orwell's structure while I write my essay. I try to be complex in my writing; however, I try to use the simple words. Twain's was hard to understand. For me, it is hard to sit down and write. I must first write down ideas and rewrite. Twain's essay seem more complicated. Hopefully, with this class I can improve my writing.
I found both, Mark Twain's and Orwell's, rules quite entertaining and very much applicable in the real world. Although, I thought Mark Twain's rules were more entertaining than Orwell's rules. I especially liked Mark Twain's number five and how it states to have a dialogue in your writing like how human's would talk to each other. This is very true, I think so many authors at so many times have had dialogues that I was never able to follow because it sounded very slangy or wordy for a realistic dialogue. So, I think that's a great rule to follow. Secondly, I liked Orwell's rule: "Never use a long word where a short one will do". This too has been overlooked by so many author's were they try to jumble up so many complicated words in which the only way to read a sentence is to bring out your dictionary and decode it yourself.
I think these rules can be very helpful for writers. Well the ones from the first reading but some of the rules from the second reading I didn’t quite understand them. Most of them seem really good for a successful writing experience. Many pose interesting points that a writer has to make so they can write something good that the reader can enjoy. From the first reading I think the first question made more of an impact on me because a writer always needs to know what they’re trying to say before they put it in writing. I usually try to write down any and all ideas that I have about a paper I’m trying to write because you never know what may be usable or not until you start writing. I have found that if I don’t write it down I tend to forget the idea s. I think knowing where you plan to take your writing can clarify your ideas so that your audience can follow the story more easily. I also believe that if you know what you’re writing your ideas become clearer and can follow a more cohesive pattern so the reader doesn’t get lost. From the second reading I like number 10. An author that can make you feel anything for one or more of the characters is really gifted. I know from personal experiences that some authors can in fact make you cry, feel joy for a character, or hate the character. I’m currently reading The House of Night novel by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. I’ve already read ten books and impatiently waiting for the eleventh. On the last book I cried several characters have died within the book and the way they write about it just sadness me. On some parts I couldn’t even finish the chapter because I was bawling like a baby. I’m still rooting for the good characters to defeat the evil ones.
In an interesting way Twain's rules gave me a great deal of comfort. Writing can very easily intimidate me, so when I read these rules and noticed a repeating theme of "keep it simple", it almost assured me that there isn't anything supernatural about being a good writer and that this is absolutely something I am capable of being. I believe part of this intimidation comes from great literature that I've read in the past from Shakespeare and Scott Fitzgerald and how I sometimes compare my writing to authors such as these. In particular, Twain's rule number eighteen breaks everything down into something relative and reassuring for me. This rule affirms the fact that I don't have to do anything fancy or special that isn't me. I can be a proficient writer while writing in a "simple, straightforward style."
After reading through both Orwell’s and Twain’s rules of writing, I was immediately hit with the differences in both the style and format of the two. I found Orwell’s rules to be something a writer could actually apply to his or her work, whereas Twain’s rules seem more like a list/rant that has an air of superiority about it. It’s clear that Twain was directly attacking the writings of James Fenimore Cooper, and scathing it was!
ReplyDeleteOrwell’s most valuable suggestion to me is: “Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.” How many times can you read the phrase, “ As deep as the ocean,” or, “ He ran like the wind,” and find that there really is no longer any substance due to over-use? I think finding metaphors, similes, etc that speak to the reader and conjure up new images is a far better way to draw someone in and really make the words you choose “come alive.”
As mentioned above, it’s clear that Twain’s rules are not really rules at all. They are a crudely disguised attack on the writings of another. However, I had to say that number 11 seemed quite ridiculous to me. Twain writes:
“The characters in tale be so clearly defined that the reader can tell beforehand what each will do in a given emergency.”
I couldn’t possibly disagree with this “rule” any more! I think one of the most exciting parts of an author’s work are the characters they create. The more realistic, the better. Real people are hard to predict, constantly changing, struggling, not static robots that given one input will only produce on output. I prefer characters that keep me guessing. If a tale is written in such a way that I can “tell what each will do in a given emergency beforehand,” why would I bother reading?
These rules seem as commonsense, then when actually writing they are very important to remember. Feels like many times we write to express ourselves on a certain subject. Unfortunately, we don't always write as we think we do; therefore, more precautions are needed. The rules given are more like an exercise to apply everytime we write until they become permanent in our minds.
ReplyDeletethe one that stands out the most to me is to be assertive instead of passive. In one of my psychology courses I it was said that women are passive, the we allow things to happen and we don't take a stand. This made me really mad. Now that I know this rule I will try my best to be assertive and state what I mean.
ReplyDeleteThat should make you mad. I have taught writing and history for about 20 years and have definitely seen a gendering of the written form...and yes, it does seem to be more difficult for women to write boldly. Maybe it's a lifetime of gendering to be passive that causes that. I applaud your effort to be assertive and to state what you mean!
DeleteOrwell's essay stresses a simplistic and cohesive writing style. I like that he stresses using everyday english terminology as opposed to scientific terms or other jargon. Because, by doing so knowledge becomes accessible and comprehensible to everyone not just people who have a scholarly background.
ReplyDeleteMark Twain's rules of writing are much more applicable for a creative writers than essayist. Mainly because, Twain's guidelines place a large emphasis on character development, motive, human emotion, setting, and idiom. His guidelines are starkly similar to the guidelines prescribed in my screenwriting course.
Twain's guidelines are to entertain and inform; while Orwell's guidelines are solely useful for informative purposes.
To begin with, I agree with having some rules can help with writing a better paper. I do not agree with Orwell that a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech should not be used. I think that with being able to use one these can help grab the reader’s attention and maybe help the thesis. I agree with being able to use a short word versus a big word it may help the paragraph flow smoother.
ReplyDeleteIn addition, I thought that Twain’s rules were somewhat understanding but I did not think that most of what he said was relevant to writing rules. It seemed as if he wanted to entertain first. I thought it was a bit confusing at first but, after I read the ending that’s when the rules of writing were much easier to understand. I think that Twains was much more on the philosophical and Orwell’s was straight forward.
Even by reading through all these rules was overwhelming because, I make most of those mistakes. I am not such a great writer so these rules help but, I don’t always follow them. But I always write and then revise my writing just in case what I wrote doesn’t make sense. At the end of the day there will always be rules that apply just about anything to avoid any type of disaster.
After reading both Twains rules of writing as well as Orwell’s rules many different things stand out to me. One being that Orwell’s seems much more simple and applicable to ones writing. The one that stands out most to me with Orwell’s is rule number 5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. There are times when I read and I have to look words or phrases up because authors use these long extravagant words when there was a much simpler one to explain it. I feel as though many writers make their work sound wordy to try and make their paper sound smart. This uncomplicated rule would benefit many writers in keeping works simple and understandable.
ReplyDeleteOne of the rules that stood out most to me while reading Twains was number 18. Employ a simple, straightforward style. This is similar to Orwell’s in that it’s best to write in a simple manner so that the reader can fully understand what you are trying to communicate. I also noticed that while reading Twains rules they were much more specific when it comes to details of telling a tale. Such as explaining why the characters are there, defining the characters within the story, and even a description of how they should speak. Rule number 1. A tale shall accomplish something and arrive somewhere, is another rule I’m fond of in that I really dislike reading works that make absolutely no sense and have no purpose.
Overall I found that many of these rules would apply to various types of writers. Some are a little more complex but most are straightforward and reasonable. Orwell’s rules I feel are the most universal in that they are short and simple and can be functional in many forms of writing.
I completely agree with you. They are many times when I am reading an essay, and say to myself "I wish this author would get to the point already!"
DeleteBetween the two readings of Orwell and Twain, I find some helpful that before reading I had not been aware of. One being the use of simple words. I have always been the type of person who enjoys using fancy words in my writing, and it wasn't until reading these rules that I found it is better to use simple grammar instead of fluffy words. In that I also found that it is important to use the right word, the word used can make a difference in message being sent. With that, it is also important to understand what you are trying to say before you write it. I catch myself doing this often, I will write a long drawn out sentence and when I go back and read it, I realize that I don't even know what I was trying to say. These rules for writing are helpful because they provoke you to think before you ramble, which is never a good component in writing.
ReplyDeleteBoth readings have good rules to guide me when writing. Orwell's tips are easily explained and give me a clear idea of what should I think and consider before, during, and after writing. I found that using active voice instead of passive is better; however, this is a little complicated for me to understand as I find my self using passive voice most of the time. It is clear that I need to be careful with what I write and the words I use because I never know who is going to read it. I like to use fancy words and when my supervisor reviews my reports he points at those words and suggests to change them because they are not common.
ReplyDeleteThe first reading advises of being careful not to write something barbarous which reminded me that I used to make up my own words, since I did not have an ample vacabulary if it sounded good to me then it was a valid word. My professors would place question marks on my papers when running into those words which has been helping me to gradually improve my skills.
I think both of Orwell's and Twain's rules are incredible. Both authors clearly express their believes in different ways, yet both of them make an attempt to reach the same point. Orwell's rules are clear, simple, and easier to follow than Twain's, while Twain explains his rules in great detail and length. Out of the two, I prefer Twain's rules perhaps for that very reason. To me it seems that Twain took great time and effort to write out his rules. He not only made a list, but within each rule there are smaller rules, greater guidelines that help lead and keep the writer in check. Twain also goes to great lengths to ensure that the reader understands the importance of creating a personages that are "real". The way they talk, their appearance, behavior, interactions, their actions, everything is explained in Twain's rules and that appeals to me much more than the simplicity of Orwell's.
ReplyDeleteOut of Twain's rules, the one that stood out the most to me was number 5. In this rule Twain explains the importance of not only creating believable characters, but of the dangers of straying from the plot. Often at times, I've read books where the author seems to have forgotten the purpose of their story and the speech of the characters and their actions seems unnecessary, as if to only fill space on the page. I myself am guilty of that sometimes. According to Twain, every action, every word written must have a purpose, must lead somewhere, and most be important. Sounds like something very hard to do but it sounds like more of a challenge and thus more interesting.
Orwell was a fantastic essayist, but his novels have tended to overshadow his essays. The rules themselves are rather good examples of what quality writing should look like, if I may be so bold as to offer a meta analysis. Many of his rules are obvious, yet often ignored. Cliches are the bread and butter of too many writers toolboxes; these writers aren't the sharpest knives in the drawer, or the brightest bulb in the pack.
ReplyDeleteOne must also be aware that many great writers break his rules. Nabokov's memorable character Humbert Humbert would not be able to exist without his foreign phrases, extravagant word choice, and obfuscations ( a clear volilation of #5, "Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent."). These are general rules intended for young writes, but sometimes they have to be broken. The trick is understanding them inside and out first, knowing the reasons for the rules, and knowing why you need to break them.
The list supplied by Mr. Clemens is far more light-hearted. There is a jest or witticism in each one, but Twain's skill, like Pope's in his poetic critique of poetic criticism, is the ability to impart knowledge and opinion in the middle of a joke.
First and foremost, when it comes to writing, I believe that having a set ground of rules can help better a paper. It does not matter who is writing the paper or what kind of paper is being written. After reading Twain's and Orwell's rules for writing, I found that both authors convey very useful tips. Both authors express their own set of rules (and beliefs) in a different style, format, and approach. However, even though both authors are unique in their own way, I found that I relate more towards Orwell's writing, especially number 1, "What am I trying to say." This is definitely the soul purpose when it comes to writing, because like myself, I have the tendency to get off topic. This is something that is easily done and can confuse the reader immediately, while losing the reader's attention rather quickly. I know this from personal experience. Therefore, when I am writing I try to stay on track and grasp the readers attention by ask myself periodically, "what am I trying to convey my audience." Orwell's Number 3 also stands out, "If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out." I believe this is one of my weaknesses when writing, because I have the tendency to add unnecessary words that clearly do not belong. I fix this by proof reading my paper a day later; a technique that helps me eliminate useless words or even sentences to better my paper. I must admit that Orwell's simple use of writing appeals to me more than Twain's. Even though Twain's use of writing is very useful, I find that his style is very challenging and unique. A style that not everyone can pull off.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading both excerpts I have developed an interesting theory. It largely depends on the developmental writer one would like to become to distinguish the validity of Orwell or Twain's set of literary rules. Personally, I like a conjunction of both; Orwell's stress on simplistic accents and Twain's emphasis on giving inanimate objects dialogue and personality really threw me fir a spin. I really like Twain's idea of giving objects liveliness as if they entail true conversation. Orwell places a major emphasis on shortening excerpts, so long as the writers are able to convey their point, while Twain believes that a character should embody his or her personality and has no objection to wordiness if it gives the character a more descriptive outlook. Not only do I believe the best set of rules is a combination of both, it should also entail the writers own personal style.
ReplyDelete“Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offenses” is very critical, but Mark Twain thought it was necessary. There is always competition and conflict, even in literature. Twain wrote this piece because he believed the reviews to be falsified and wanted to prove it. Mark Twain had an agenda and he can exaggerate, but his rules should be aware of. The background of these rules are not necessarily important because, although interesting, can stand alone and are sensible to many. Mark Twain’s point is that there are writers, like Cooper, who create work that are a shame to the English language.
ReplyDeleteGeorge Orwell did choose various passages to criticize, and would agree with the points that Twain was trying to make. George Orwell wrote: “[The English language] becomes ugly and inaccurate because our thoughts are foolish, but the slovenliness of our language makes it easier for us to have foolish thoughts” (“Politics and the English Language” 1946). Orwell refers to political writing when he wrote these rules but, whether political or not, is still part of English. Many books written by Orwell have to do with political, economic, and social issues based around cultural and historical events, so it does not surprise me that he chose to address how poorly political pieces are written. They both seem to make the point that our language and writing has become untidy and full of bad habits, we should be aware they exist, and should be aware that we can fix these unwanted habits.
Rules are usually made for a reason. Rules help reinforce common sense or general knowledge and most of us would agree that these set of rules seem like common sense. Rules are made to be followed, but individual beliefs help us choose whether or not to follow or agree with the rules. I do not deliberately break the writing rules, but it does not always register, in my mind, that I am breaking a rule.
10. They require that the author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and in their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones. -Mark Twain
I do believe that all writers follow this rule. There is always conflict, writers create conflict, and readers react to conflict. The author will shape characters how he/she feels about them, but the reader decides who they love and who they hate. Every person has individual differences and those differences will decide which character they want to relate to. Some authors give background about all main characters and those kinds of details can also influence the decision on who to love and hate. Readers will push aside their own reality and put themselves into a character's role to experience a new “reality”. This can allow them to decide what they would do if they were in the character’s situation. Sometimes I want to relate to “good” characters and, other times, I am a rebel and want to relate to the “bad” characters. I feel that the author should be able to keep the reader interested, but the reader should also give the literature a chance to be interesting. Your mood can have an affect on how you react to what you are reading.
(Kafka is the only author whose work (‘The Trial’/’The Metamorphosis’) makes me feel unsure about my feelings. Everyone should read this book. You should also read about Kafka, pay attention to the geography, what was happening, and what was about to happen after he wrote these.)
-I apologize if this is too long for a response.
DeleteAfter reading Orwell's and Twains Rules of Writing I found that both do a good job in expressing good beliefs about techniques needed when writing. Both Authors show us that it is important to write good and in order to do so rules must be set prior. I found that before writing, Orwell's rules relate very much to mine. I have to ask myself certain questions before beginning or many times I will find myself writing unclear sentences. The first rule he stated which is, "What am i trying to say", is a question I ask myself every single time before beginning to write. I find this rule very important because this is a question everyone must answer in a way that readers will understand. It is important to have a clear answer and like stated in his forth rule, "what image or idiom will make it clearer"?
ReplyDeleteAlthough I relate very much to Orwell's rules I also have similar rules as Twains when writing as well. The first rule that brought my attention was rule number 12 when he stated "say what he is proposing to say, not merely come near it". This rule brought my attention for many of my professors stress this rules when assigning a paper. We must understand that when writing we must sum up to what we want to say by breaking it down and reaching our main point; we cannot state things that do not relate or make sense to what we wrote prior. This is why rule number 12 is very important to understand. Along with this, rule number 15 is important as well for we cannot omit necessary detail or information needed in our writing or else our main point will not be clearly understood.
Both authors have very good techniques for writing and although they express themselves in different ways they both reached the same point. I found both readings very helpful for they convey useful tips that are necessary when writing and are good to practice before and throughout as well.
There are many different ways that make writing interesting for example: making the characters either evil that you’re going to hate them or good that you’re going to love them. I do believe it is very essential to have rules when writing something. Our authors Orwell and Twain both have different styles of writing. From the rules that the authors state I see that their way of writing are both completely different from one another. The rule that stands out the most for me from Orwell’s list is “Could I put it more shortly?” I was very impress by this rule because I didn’t imagine that the author would set limits to his writing. However, I do believe it is very helpful to have a guideline when writing. It is always interesting to read stories short and precise. From Twains rules of writing the rule that stood out was number ten. The rule states: “The author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones.” I strongly agree with this rule. I enjoy reading stories that have characters that play their role in a strong way by being either the evil or good of the story. The story’s that have rules give a better structure to the story and make it that much better to read.
ReplyDeleteI have found quite often in my college writing career that I tend to "fluff" papers up with extra adjectives in order to lengthen them or make them sound smarter. I usually do this when I have run out of things to say and/or there is a page minimum that has been given by the professor. So, when reading through Orwell and Twain's writing rules, I immediately picked up on the part about cutting out unnecessary words and avoiding a surplus of words. I took this to mean that I should just get straight to the point and be more direct in my approach. After all, I don't want to lose the readers attention.
ReplyDeleteOrwell's and Twains Rules of Writing are pretty simple and make sense to me.
ReplyDeleteThere were two rules that stood out to me from Orwell’s list. The first was number 5 in which he says that one should never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word when a simple and common word will do. I completely agree with this, because it so frustrating when I am reading something and cannot understand it because the author used a foreign phrase or scientific word. The other rule that stood out to me was number 2, which says that one should not use a long word where a short one will do. This one stood out to me because I am guilty of it. I like to use the thesaurus on my computer while I’m typing to find words that will make my paper sound more intelligent. I try not to get to crazy with it, and it has not backfired on me so far. When I go back and reread my paper it sounds a lot better with the longer words. Using longer words also helps in meeting the page requirement for the paper. So in my experience using long words instead of short words doesn’t always hurt you. They can actually help your paper sound more better.
The first thing I noticed was the writing style of both authors. Orwell follows his own rule by making his message short yet straight to the point. Twain tends to be a bit more wordier. Twain is telling future authors to be sure to accurately and effectively portray the characters in a story. Twain explains that a given character she be very real to the reader and the author. I feel this is important when writing because the audience can relate to the character and the reading is engaging.
ReplyDeleteOrwell's rules are very simple however they give writers a great set of guidelines to follow for a successful piece. The best question Orwell presented was "What am I trying to say?". Knowing what one is trying to say makes the author's work flow easier. Not only does it flow for the author, it is more understandable and relatable for reader.
In my writings, I am constantly struggling with whether or not I'm being too wordy and unclear. A lot of the times, I ask myself the same questions Orwell asks his readers. I believe Twains writings could be useful whenever I'm writing a novel while Orwell's questions are great for everyday writing. One great tip Twain states is to not delete important details. This helps the reader to get a full understanding of what is happening in the story. Key details are important to any writing.
The writing rules from these two authors were very interesting, because they had a few similarities as well as some differences. Though the rules that I personally liked were that of Orwell’s, because his rules were short and simple and to the point and that is how he presented them as well. That was an important difference between the two because Twain s rules were a bit more complex than that of Orwell’s. Twain is more of a literary writer and is advising other writers that if they want to tell a story that they should follow his rules, while on the other hand Orwell’s rules were for more essay type of works and not necessarily novels.
ReplyDeleteI really did enjoy all of Orwell’s rules because I feel like that they can be applied writing in general. For example, his first rule is simple yet crucial for anyone trying to write, because whether we know it or not we do start our writing by asking ourselves on what is it that we are going to say and how are we going to execute those ideas. Twain also gives good examples, like his last rule of employing a simple straightforward style, and I think that by doing so shows your main themes, without them getting lost somewhere in the writing.
I find it very difficult to argue against the ideas of two very influential and great writers. Yet, I find myself disagreeing with both to some extent. I have always thought the way a paper is written is determined by the target audience. If a simple letter or story to the everyday common person, than I would agree with Orwell and say that simplicity is best, even when it comes to words. However, if I am drafting a letter to an attorney or judge or someone of rank. I would find the most appropriate word to be used, even if it is uncommon. As for Twain's piece, I noticed many were saying he comes off as if he's speaking on a soapbox and just giving way to something that irked him the wrong way. Nevertheless, I will definitely keep both views of rules in mind when doing my next writing assignment.
ReplyDeleteI found Orwell's essay more interesting than Twain's essay. Normally, I use the Orwell's structure while I write my essay. I try to be complex in my writing; however, I try to use the simple words. Twain's was hard to understand. For me, it is hard to sit down and write. I must first write down ideas and rewrite. Twain's essay seem more complicated. Hopefully, with this class I can improve my writing.
ReplyDeleteI found both, Mark Twain's and Orwell's, rules quite entertaining and very much applicable in the real world. Although, I thought Mark Twain's rules were more entertaining than Orwell's rules. I especially liked Mark Twain's number five and how it states to have a dialogue in your writing like how human's would talk to each other. This is very true, I think so many authors at so many times have had dialogues that I was never able to follow because it sounded very slangy or wordy for a realistic dialogue. So, I think that's a great rule to follow. Secondly, I liked Orwell's rule: "Never use a long word where a short one will do". This too has been overlooked by so many author's were they try to jumble up so many complicated words in which the only way to read a sentence is to bring out your dictionary and decode it yourself.
ReplyDeleteI think these rules can be very helpful for writers. Well the ones from the first reading but some of the rules from the second reading I didn’t quite understand them. Most of them seem really good for a successful writing experience. Many pose interesting points that a writer has to make so they can write something good that the reader can enjoy.
ReplyDeleteFrom the first reading I think the first question made more of an impact on me because a writer always needs to know what they’re trying to say before they put it in writing. I usually try to write down any and all ideas that I have about a paper I’m trying to write because you never know what may be usable or not until you start writing. I have found that if I don’t write it down I tend to forget the idea s. I think knowing where you plan to take your writing can clarify your ideas so that your audience can follow the story more easily. I also believe that if you know what you’re writing your ideas become clearer and can follow a more cohesive pattern so the reader doesn’t get lost.
From the second reading I like number 10. An author that can make you feel anything for one or more of the characters is really gifted. I know from personal experiences that some authors can in fact make you cry, feel joy for a character, or hate the character. I’m currently reading The House of Night novel by P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast. I’ve already read ten books and impatiently waiting for the eleventh. On the last book I cried several characters have died within the book and the way they write about it just sadness me. On some parts I couldn’t even finish the chapter because I was bawling like a baby. I’m still rooting for the good characters to defeat the evil ones.
In an interesting way Twain's rules gave me a great deal of comfort. Writing can very easily intimidate me, so when I read these rules and noticed a repeating theme of "keep it simple", it almost assured me that there isn't anything supernatural about being a good writer and that this is absolutely something I am capable of being. I believe part of this intimidation comes from great literature that I've read in the past from Shakespeare and Scott Fitzgerald and how I sometimes compare my writing to authors such as these. In particular, Twain's rule number eighteen breaks everything down into something relative and reassuring for me. This rule affirms the fact that I don't have to do anything fancy or special that isn't me. I can be a proficient writer while writing in a "simple, straightforward style."
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