Form before content puts it succinctly. Maybe, in this space, you will reprint Novels and Dreams, which I printed out ages ago (it seems). I underlined this sentence. " To have read enough to feel the oceanic movement of events and ideas in history; to have experienced enough to escape the confines of a personal provincialism; to have distanced yourself enough from your hang-ups and pettiness to create words reflecting the emotional complexity of minds beyond your own......" We try.
Thank you, Mary. I like those moments (words) when the ideas take flight and I say something better than I've ever said it before. You reminded me. "Novels and Dreams" is in my essay collection Attack of the Copula Spiders, which is still happily in print and out there living a life of its own. A couple of the essays in that book are already online (because that was where they were published first). I wouldn't want to completely undercut my publisher's efforts.
I love this. And I have always appreciated your ability to give articulation to the more intuitive aspects of writing. A writer might stumble on this development while writing narrative, feeling expansive in the moment but not realizing that the inspiration can become codified technique. A tool. Always helpful, your words, Douglas. Thank you.
Form before content puts it succinctly. Maybe, in this space, you will reprint Novels and Dreams, which I printed out ages ago (it seems). I underlined this sentence. " To have read enough to feel the oceanic movement of events and ideas in history; to have experienced enough to escape the confines of a personal provincialism; to have distanced yourself enough from your hang-ups and pettiness to create words reflecting the emotional complexity of minds beyond your own......" We try.
Thank you, Mary. I like those moments (words) when the ideas take flight and I say something better than I've ever said it before. You reminded me. "Novels and Dreams" is in my essay collection Attack of the Copula Spiders, which is still happily in print and out there living a life of its own. A couple of the essays in that book are already online (because that was where they were published first). I wouldn't want to completely undercut my publisher's efforts.
Much appreciated, Doug. So clearly expressed and so helpful. Your writing on writing is the finest out there.
Thanks, Gerry. Really nice to see you popping up here. Ah, we did some nice work together on the magazine.
I love this. And I have always appreciated your ability to give articulation to the more intuitive aspects of writing. A writer might stumble on this development while writing narrative, feeling expansive in the moment but not realizing that the inspiration can become codified technique. A tool. Always helpful, your words, Douglas. Thank you.
Thank you. Robin. I'm still correcting the typos!
I didn’t see any. They are invisible typos. As are they all. Until you publish. Nefarious creatures.