language
Why I Write (And Why I Don’t Care that Nobody Cares)
Why do I write?
It’s a question no-one wants answered – no-one but me, that is.
And that’s the point.
I write for myself. Partly because I love piecing words together and solving puzzles; partly because I love the way words look in print, and how they sometimes shine with insight.
I do it, too, because I love learning.
In other words, I’m an amateur – and a proud one to boot.
See what I mean? For me, those two weird little words make this piece worthwhile.
To boot.
Is that me, the writer, putting my foot down – or getting it stuck in my mouth?
One in a thousand wannabes make a living from writing; even fewer win fame and fortune. Writing for money is a gamble.
I can buy me a lottery ticket but I can’t buy me love. Love must be made.
By writing.
Sound Remains (Communing With the Dead)
Last night, in a tiny community hall in Hobart, a séance was held.
I was there, along with a few dozen others.
As we sat in a semi-circle, candles were lit. The lights were extinguished and, swathed in black, the medium swept in.
She took her place in silence. Eyes closed, she raised her arms and – voila! – contact was made.
For the next forty minutes I sat spellbound as the spirit of a man long-dead spoke to me from the past.
That man was Johann Sebastian Bach, musician and much-loved composer.
The medium, too, was musical. A fine violinist, she played Bach’s Second Partita from memory. It was an eerie, expressive performance.
In his day, Bach knew several languages, none of them mine. Last night, he spoke using the universal tongue: music. He bared his soul in sound and, wondrously, we heard every word.
Colourful Language (The Right Hue for You)
Colour has the power to excite our emotions and yet few of us apply it to our writing.
What hues, then, should you use to maximise your mood while you work?
Red
Denotes passion, desire and love. Give it a go when you’re writing sex scenes and romance.
Green
Evokes harmony and peace. Not for conflict between characters or westerns and war stories. Also best avoided when writing reviews.
Yellow
Suggests joy and happiness. Perfect for comedy, wisecracks and witty dialogue.
Purple
The colour of luxury, power and ambition. Best for historical sagas about kings and queens.
Pink
Stands for vulnerability and youth. Use it for that YA novel you’ve been meaning to write.
Black
Denotes death, evil and mystery. Great for crime-writing, tragedy and horror.
White
Symbolises perfection. Not recommended.
Blue
My colour of choice. Calm, logical and intelligent – just like this blog.
timm in type 