What do you think of James Joyce’s advice to write as if each word costs you a shilling?
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janbb (
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August 16th, 2019
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24 Answers
“Brevity is the soul of clarity”
“When in doubt, take/leave it out”
“Assume your audience doesn’t have the patience to do your editing for you”
All of those from friends of mine who are successful authors. By “successful”, I mean all had books bought and published in paper, by reputable houses, before self-publishing became a thing.
Excellent advice for all forms of written expression.
I agree, brevity is so much better than droning on and on with “on the one hand, and on the other hand, but I actually don’t know the answer or how I really feel.”
I approve.
@janbb, the check is in the mail.
Joyce must’ve been in quite a lot of debt following Ulysses and Finnegans Wake.
That is why she has not written anything for decades.
Haha…I find it funny that the jelly that is often mistaken for a “he” is calling Joyce a “she”.
No wonder he was always broke.
On the contrary, each word can earn you a shilling especially if you are J K Rowling.
@raum I don’t believe gender has been confirmed there.
Joyce should have spent a few more shillings to make his work easier to understand.
@janbb What do you think of James Joyce’s advice to write as if each word costs you a shilling?
Where?
“A friend came to visit James Joyce one day and found the great man sprawled across his writing desk in a posture of utter despair.
James, what’s wrong?’ the friend asked. ‘Is it the work?’
Joyce indicated assent without even raising his head to look at his friend. Of course it was the work; isn’t it always?
How many words did you get today?’ the friend pursued.
Joyce (still in despair, still sprawled facedown on his desk): ‘Seven.’
Seven? But James… that’s good, at least for you.’
Yes,’ Joyce said, finally looking up. ‘I suppose it is… but I don’t know what order they go in!”
I’m working on being wordier to fit into academia. Brevity suits me.
As a published writer whose main influences include Dunsany, Le Fanu, and Lovecraft, I make no apologies for purple prose. If people don’t appreciate the desperate, cyclopean majesty of my Brobdignagian descriptive prowess, they may feel free to shut closed the dusty tome ensorcelled by my linguistic mastery.
What, no Machen or C A Smith?
More like Mervyn Peake and James Branch Cabell.
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