I have a terrible confession to make

[Dick Whitman]

You're all better writers than me, but I read way beyond my writing ability and well above what my hillbilly intelligence might suggest, so I'll chime in. It's simplistic to say great writing has to be simple and brief. The degree of difficulty is just so much greater that I'm not about to try it any other way. I do want the people who can pull it off to keep pulling it off, even if it's no longer fashionable or lucrative.

I don't think this is an accurate characterization of what we're saying.

It should be clear. That doesn't always mean "simple and brief."

 

[Hermes]

I don't think this is an accurate characterization of what we're saying.

It should be clear. That doesn't always mean "simple and brief."

Good writing is a three-legged stool:
Simplicity, clarity, brevity

This was the post I was addressing.

 

[Dick Whitman]

Good writing is a three-legged stool:
Simplicity, clarity, brevity

I would highly qualify that:

Simplest that it can be to convey what I'm attempting to convey.

Clearest that it can be to convey what I'm attempting to convey.

Briefest that it can be to convey what I'm attempting to convey.

Take David Lynch. David Lynch is trying to confuse you. But he's always in command of the story. "Mullholland Drive" is the most palatable mindfork you'll ever digest.

 

[Slacker]

Brevity is not always "simple and brief." Brevity also means not wasting words in the process.

 

[Hermes]

That makes sense.

 

[swingline]

Done!

Finished my 1,200-word story today, about 21 words over budget. I've revised it a couple of times, double-checked facts, and tomorrow I send it to the editor three days ahead of schedule. I don't know if that dog will hunt, but it will at least get out from under the back porch.

 

[typefitter]

I'm at the coffee shop, and two middle-aged people are having the loudest forking conversation about their new Web site designed to appeal to "Boomers who are millennials at heart. Like, with a hip hop flavour."

They are sitting right by the window. I might make the news today.

 

[doctorquant]

I'm at the coffee shop, and two middle-aged people are having the loudest forking conversation about their new Web site designed to appeal to "Boomers who are millennials at heart. Like, with a hip hop flavour."

They are sitting right by the window. I might make the news today.

Was thinking about you yesterday. My wife and I (with the famous DaughterQuant in tow) met our older kids at an out-of-the-way Mexican restaurant in Waco. At the table next to us -- we were sitting outside -- was a Mexican family with a handful of teenagers. One, a girl, had maybe the loudest laugh I've ever been around. It wasn't so bad when they were eating, but when she and the rest of younger set went into Look-at-this-YouTube mode ... whoo boy!

 

[Big Circus]

I'm at the coffee shop, and two middle-aged people are having the loudest forking conversation about their new Web site designed to appeal to "Boomers who are millennials at heart. Like, with a hip hop flavour."

They are sitting right by the window. I might make the news today.

I feel like they should rastafy it by 10 percent or so.

 

[typefitter]

I feel like they should rastafy it by 10 percent or so.

It's a man and woman, and whenever the man's phone rings, which is often and audibly, it plays like a 70s guitar lick. He's wearing "cool" jeans and a very expensive T-shirt. He has no idea how much he needs to thank me for not laying him out just on principle.

 

[typefitter]

Was thinking about you yesterday. My wife and I (with the famous DaughterQuant in tow) met our older kids at an out-of-the-way Mexican restaurant in Waco. At the table next to us -- we were sitting outside -- was a Mexican family with a handful of teenagers. One, a girl, had maybe the loudest laugh I've ever been around. It wasn't so bad when they were eating, but when she and the rest of younger set went into Look-at-this-YouTube mode ... whoo boy!

This will not shock you, but I now call people out who watch stuff on their phone out loud in restaurants. Like, what makes you think the rest of us want to hear this ship? In a loud place, whatever. But in a quiet restaurant?

I'm not sure I am meant for this world.

 

[typefitter]

Actual quote: "This is the dream, like, bloggy type posts with images and text. Connected to social media."

Do these people think they're revolutionary? Boomers who think like millennials if millennials were born in 1958. They're probably former newspaper executives. I should ask.