Go to I WRITE, THEREFORE I AM
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- Go to If you write it, will readers flock to your words like metal to a magnet?
faranya, I always enjoy your comments. You are very wise
and insightful. I like to write funny stuff sometimes, to balance the other...but humor is so subjective that what I think is hilarious might be viewed as so-so. I never let that stop me however.
posted by
Julia.
on June 14, 2004 at 7:18 PM
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I agree!
If the soul isn't in the work, then it won't linger with the reader. It's like a singer who's technically skilled but performs without passion. Give me that fire in the belly, every time!
Still, humor can also be used as a vehicle for social commentary, made more palatable because the serious intent is well-disguised. I enjoy that sort of writing. I'm just not big on fluff. Time is precious and I'd like to spend it learning something, or being moved and touched by the power of the writer's voice.
posted by
faranya
on June 14, 2004 at 7:12 PM
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lackadaisial, that's hard to believe. Maybe you are just
judging it harsher?
posted by
Julia.
on June 14, 2004 at 6:08 PM
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It's not that I don't want to write about those things,
but when I try to write emotionally it never turns out as well as when I'm writing about something that means nothing, you know?
posted by
lackadaisial
on June 14, 2004 at 4:11 PM
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Symphony, thank you for stopping in! Is my cuppa tea still brewing??
posted by
Julia.
on June 14, 2004 at 10:50 AM
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great post
posted by
_Symphony_
on June 14, 2004 at 10:01 AM
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Harveyg, thanks so much!!
posted by
Julia.
on June 14, 2004 at 8:42 AM
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Quirkyalone,
Geez! After all this glowing commentary and, of course after reading this post, all I can say is THEY'RE RIGHT!
Great thoughts and true! 
posted by
HarveyG
on June 14, 2004 at 2:53 AM
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groucho, thanks for your insightful comment.
I agree that humor writing can be extremely difficult--it's also the most subjective of genres, imo. And you are right, telling someone about emotions rather than showing does little to elicit them in your reader. Thanks for popping in tonight. QJ
posted by
Julia.
on June 13, 2004 at 7:50 PM
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quirky
"dying is easy, comedy is hard" the old axiom goes. It can be very difficult to write good humor. The art of all good writing, funny or not, is to make it look effortless. The fact that some bloggers prefer to write funny pieces may be a "defense mecahnism" and some of this stuff is light, but just because "weight" is not a good measure of writing quality. There's some "heavy" writing here that doesn't move me all that much. There are posts where it seems that souls are being bared yet we are told of emotions without being shown them with details. At least that's my thinking -- i come from the "no ideas but in things" school, which is only one way of doing it.
Good writing is also about perspective -- and having one (or several). That's what you've got going for you. That and the fact that you put spells on fellow bloggers, apparently. We know that success here comes from writing snappy headlines, posting naked pictures (not necessarily of yourself), and playing the part of as Bridget Jones says "wanton sex goddess" -- this explains my considerable popularity here. Keep up the fun work, quirk. tg
posted by
tbgroucho
on June 13, 2004 at 7:44 PM
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moondawg, so can I take that to mean that my female moth pheromones
pulled you to my post today...or were you just speaking metaphorically, hehe?
posted by
Julia.
on June 13, 2004 at 4:47 PM
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Did you know that
certain female moths put out pheromones that males and pick up and follow from miles away. That's what happens when I get on blogit here, there are certain writers that I am pulled to, not because of the pheromones, but because I sense good reading there.
posted by
Moondawg
on June 13, 2004 at 4:39 PM
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Scriber, good of you to pop in today, and thanks.
posted by
Julia.
on June 13, 2004 at 4:16 PM
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meriamne, all *great* writers have more than one voice,
that's what keeps it interesting!! Thank you for reading and for your lovely compliment.
posted by
Julia.
on June 13, 2004 at 4:11 PM
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quirky j, nice writing, love scriber.
posted by
scriber
on June 13, 2004 at 4:04 PM
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Hey Quirky,
You have such an elegant writing style. I think that is what draws me to read you. As for writing from the heart and soul, I find that I have many voices. Sometimes light and humorous, sometimes introspective.
Thanks for another lovely post 
posted by
myrrhage_
on June 13, 2004 at 4:01 PM
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Eccentric, I did not know that a newbie "cracked"
the opinion category, least of all that it was me!! Thanks for the info, and the great compliments.
posted by
Julia.
on June 13, 2004 at 3:51 PM
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Wiley, I know exactly what you mean about having to leave
something alone for a while before continuing. But that only means that you are really getting to the heart of the matter. What is that piece for?
posted by
Julia.
on June 13, 2004 at 3:50 PM
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wordsmythe, thanks, glad you enjoyed it.
posted by
Julia.
on June 13, 2004 at 3:48 PM
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Quirkster
Great post and congrats on having your blogs in top 10
i happened to note that the top 10 in opinion includes long-time bloggers, with the exception of YOU. Special - you are
posted by
EccentricShock
on June 13, 2004 at 3:27 PM
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Quirky
What a wonderful blog, so very useful and informative for me personally, thank you for the posting of it.
I feel less than the task I have been working on Quirky, Love and Sobriety, because it is about love yes, but the Sobriety part deals with anger, deceit, guilt,remorse, Catholicism, alcoholism, etc. and I write a page and then have to leave it alone.
You speak of "mastering the craft" of writing, but to tell the truth, don't think I'll ever be master of more than the mechanics I fed myself with.
posted by
WileyJohn
on June 13, 2004 at 2:28 PM
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Good post....
and so true....
posted by
word.smith
on June 13, 2004 at 1:59 PM
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Passionflower, what a nice thing to say...thanks!! But am I really
becoming a favorite around here? Why am I always the last to know everything? ;-)
posted by
Julia.
on June 13, 2004 at 12:36 PM
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Quirky:::This is such a great post. It's well written and makes you think. I can see why you're fast becoming a favorite around here.
posted by
Passionflower
on June 13, 2004 at 12:25 PM
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