Is Good Writing Like the Emperor's New Clothes?
I've always considered myself to be a pretty good writer. I probably also act very unabashed about that belief, so that whenever I submit a piece of writing for something, I do it with some arrogance, and certainty that it will be praised to the skies. Perhaps I impose this will so strongly upon my readers that they too believe my writing is good - and if it's the case that it's gibberish, they might alllow that the problem lies in their ability to read, not in my ability to write.
I was looking over my APA abstract last night, for the first time in a couple months. I thought, "Is this even English??" It made so little sense, and was so full of academic talk, that I couldn't believe it was I who wrote it! I've had this experience before with academic papers. I was so confident (unjustifiably, truth be told) a few months ago that my paper would be accepted; now I'm utterly dumbfounded that it even made it past the door. I still stand by the quality of my ideas and research, but how could the abstract committee possilbly be expected to guess that on the basis of that gibberish I turned in?
Switching topics: this week is going to be a good week!
1. I took a practice test yesterday which I thought I bombed. I had trouble concentrating because I had never seen the test before (it's come to the point in my homework where I don't actually read anything anymore, I just remember all the other times I had read the passage before), plus I didn't have time to finish two of the sections. I was delighted to get back a score of 172!
2. BRITNEY SPEARS is opening the VMAs tonight at 9pm (6pm Pacific?). For the first time in, oh I don't know, 15 years, I will be tuning in.
3. Phil Spector's jury verdict will be coming out this week, possibly. I have such a soft spot for artists. I'm completely convinced of his lunacy and guilt, but somehow I don't want to see him go to prison.
Speaking of artists...
I read last week that one of the Wachowski brothers (V for Vendetta, Matrix) got a sex change. What will they call themselves now? Wachowski Brother-and-Sister doesn't roll off the tongue the same way.
I was looking over my APA abstract last night, for the first time in a couple months. I thought, "Is this even English??" It made so little sense, and was so full of academic talk, that I couldn't believe it was I who wrote it! I've had this experience before with academic papers. I was so confident (unjustifiably, truth be told) a few months ago that my paper would be accepted; now I'm utterly dumbfounded that it even made it past the door. I still stand by the quality of my ideas and research, but how could the abstract committee possilbly be expected to guess that on the basis of that gibberish I turned in?
Switching topics: this week is going to be a good week!
1. I took a practice test yesterday which I thought I bombed. I had trouble concentrating because I had never seen the test before (it's come to the point in my homework where I don't actually read anything anymore, I just remember all the other times I had read the passage before), plus I didn't have time to finish two of the sections. I was delighted to get back a score of 172!
2. BRITNEY SPEARS is opening the VMAs tonight at 9pm (6pm Pacific?). For the first time in, oh I don't know, 15 years, I will be tuning in.
3. Phil Spector's jury verdict will be coming out this week, possibly. I have such a soft spot for artists. I'm completely convinced of his lunacy and guilt, but somehow I don't want to see him go to prison.
Speaking of artists...
I read last week that one of the Wachowski brothers (V for Vendetta, Matrix) got a sex change. What will they call themselves now? Wachowski Brother-and-Sister doesn't roll off the tongue the same way.
posted by Rex at 2:39 PM
2 Comments:
Oh my goodness, that Britney thing was a MESS! Did you see that? Why did she even bother? And, even though in real life she's probably quite slim, she really should have gone on the 48hr Hollywood miracle juice diet if she was going to be wearing a sparkly bikini and knee boots. At least lose the water weight, girl. Daaayum. And way to go on the 172!
Yeah, I was thinking that Britney didn't look half as busted as I was expecting her to. Her makeup looked good, and her weave wasn't as offensive as it usually is these days. HOWEVER: WHY WEAR A BIKINI?? She might have even passed for cute if she covered up strategically.
Hair and makeup pulled a miracle, but I agree that the rest of it was a mess. I think a Hollywood ending of OD or suicide is coming up. Not that I want her to die, but there was something so tragic about her last night.
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