‘How to Write a Blog’ –
There are millions of advice givers online today. Each is giving advice as to the best way to write a blog. As we left Australia my brother (a builder, not a writer by profession) proffered this excellent and succinct advice:
“I would rather hear about the one legged drunk you pulled from under a railway carriage than the beautiful snow tipped rocky peaks exploding into the blood red sky as the teal blue river thrusts through the narrow pass and plunges into … not quite sure can’t see over the edge from here.”
Damm even sarcasm can be well written. Tongue in cheek, this is sarcasm with a ring of truth! And probably if expanded could earn him a guru following.
This advice was closely followed by reading a little of Emily Carr’s writing about her travel adventures in ‘Klee Wyck’:
“A fierce sun burned down as if it wanted to expose every ugliness and forlornness. It drew the noxious smell out of the skunk cabbages, growing in the rich black ooze of the stream, scummed the water-barrels with green slime, and branded the desolation in my very soul.”
But then you start writing and you roll out “and then” and then” “and then”…………
So as I read more of the gutsy adventures of Emily Carr I realise her words paint a picture. I want to do that.
Her adventure was so long ago and unique – I wonder can this still be done in the plethora of words today. I read a description from Emily that she would “peel” her sentences until they were right.
I would like to say “Yes read on”. Instead cautiously I will quietly continue to find ways to stop the “and then” and then” “and then”!
We will adventure on – or at least use up some of the many collected blank notebooks we have long collected!!
A quote that hit home even with all the memes and quotes around today. Now don’t ask me where it was from cos I love it but have not searched it out –
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone” by Neale Donald Walsch
(I don’t like to post without verifying quotes. When I went looking – this appears to be the source of the original quote).