| ashu |
Posted
on 18-Feb-01 10:52 AM
Point one: By calling for simplicity in writing, I
did NOT mean writing at the nursery-level (i.e. "See
Ram play. Watch Sita sing. Let Hari run" type of
simplicity).
I meant simplicity (i.e. unpretentiousness) as
exemplified in some of the best and most vigorous
writings available for the GENERAL PUBLIC: E B White,
John McPhee, Mark Singer, Lewish Thomas, Stephen Jay
Gould, E.O. Wilson, Paul Krugman, and many, many
more.
I have learnt that the best way to write better
is to read, read and reread the works of better
writers. As for myself, I have no literary
pretensions: but I can write a pretty good memo,
and that skill will carry me fine through most
of what I want to do in life.
Point two: By making critical comments on other
people's "bad" writings (and I gave reasons why
those writings were/are bad!), I certainly was not
setting myself up a better writer.
Just as a theater critic can publish her opinions on
a play WITHOUT setting herself up as a BETTER actor/director/producer, any reasonable reader can
also find other people's writings to be bad (and
give reasons)without setting himself/herself up
as a better writer.
Point three: Writing is a craft like carpentry.
The more you practice, the better you get at
it. A competent, creative carpenter, for example,
uses minimum of good wood, nails and other such
stuff to create furniture of extraordinary
simplicity, elegance and style.
Likewise, I admire/worship and try to
imitate writers who say more with fewer words --
simply, clearly, logically and forcefully.
As a reader (who does have a comfortable vocabulary!), I have little patience with writers, (especially beginning
Nepali writers writing in English (again, such as
Dr. Tara Nath Sharma!), who use 'sagacious' where
'wise' will do, or who use 'inebriated' where
'drunk' will do.
Having read my share of bad writings, my estimate is
that 95 per cent of the time, the use of such big
words by beginning Nepali writers writing in English
is ONLY for showing-off purposes, and that distracts
the reader from the substance (assuming there is any!)
of what the writer is trying to say.
If I'm going to read difficult writings, I'd rather
wrestle with the works of Joyce or Faulkner or Hegel
or Kant and try to figure out why they have stood
up to the test of time, and NOT with the rantings of
some Ram Bilas Nepali (with perhaps three months of
"GRE/SAT-ratai" under his belt) who tries to make,
to extend the earlier analogy, rotating furniture
without first taking the trouble to learn how to
put together a simple, functional chair.
It is my conviction that with criticisms, feedbacks
and constant dialogue back and forth, more and more
Nepalis have the potential/talent to emerge as
better writers in English, regardless of what they
do (whether software programmming, urban planning
or investment banking).
Again, just my thoughts.
Please feel free to disagree.
oohi
ashu
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| Biswo |
Posted
on 18-Feb-01 05:27 PM
I agree with you ,Ashu, at least in a lot of points.
But I have one problem with your writings.
The tones of your criticism was obviously highsounding. It
reminds me those pretentious US Graduates who continuously, like
Bhairav Aryal's Mr Dyahal Bau of Jaya Bhudi,berate Nepal and
Nepalese (writers or whatever you say).I mean, little bit humility
couldn't harm any of us.Rather than writing 'most of Nepalese
writers are bad', you could have given name and a few examples
of such writings of a number of such 'so called good' writers.
We could understand what you were trying to convey.
May be a lot of people dont' claim themselves to be good writers.
Their writings appear in Nepalese papers because (probably) there
are no alternative writers, or may be editors are too enchanted
with them.I mean,hey, there are so many(!) Nepalese English
papers anyway.And who the hell are we to decide no Nepalese
writer who is writing in recherche words would not be next Faulkner?Or who are we to decide that 'the world doesn't need
any of those writers'?
The reality is very few people, who actually have good grasp of
direct meaning and connotation of words, have ever failed in
their professional life.Every profession and every innovation
is in need of new words.The knowledge of etymology is always
helpful,which ever field you say. Rather than discouraging
and using derogatory words about those people who use 'such'
words, I think it is always good to encourage 'those' people
to use 'those' words in better and suitable context.
After all, may be your use of diction has been helpful for you
in your life, you should not present yourself as an ideal person
whom other should emulate.I guess what you are trying to suggest
in the following sentence
>> As for myself, I have no literary pretensions: but I can write
a pretty good memo, and that skill will carry me fine through
most of what I want to do in life.
is something like 'since I have no problem in doing anything with
my limited vocabulary(I guess your vocabulary is really
good,though), no other person will have problem..'.It is kind
of unagreeable sentence,man.
Thanks for letting all of us know your views about writing and
writing style.I hope you will emerge as a good writer, who
can prove himself worthy of his claim.If you can become a writer
that 'the world really needs', you will make all of us proud.
With best wishes:
Biswo.
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