You should always, always proofread. Do you know how many things I've seen that need fixing. On one of my posts, I noticed a typo under a photo caption AFTER I had sent it out and it had been 2 days. I don't know how I ever missed it.
I'm confused. You say, "We lived in a really quiet road." I didn't know you could live IN a road. Or is that something British?
Regarding murder your darlings, that was Arthur Quiller-Couch. From his 1916 book, On the Art of Writing: "Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it—whole-heartedly—and delete it before sending your manuscript to press. Murder your darlings.“
I have to pick you up on your suggestion that I am not uneducated, though. In all my years of education I had never even heard the word 'erudition', let alone used it. In looking it up just now it seems I have PROVED that I have indeed been insufficiently educated, because look:
erudition
/ˌɛrʊˈdɪʃ(ə)n/
noun: the quality of having or showing great knowledge or learning; scholarship.
Don't be daft! You DO show great knowledge. Also, apart from your scurrilous comment about my Mona Lisa, you also demonstrate great appreciation of iconic art. So there.
Great letter!
You should always, always proofread. Do you know how many things I've seen that need fixing. On one of my posts, I noticed a typo under a photo caption AFTER I had sent it out and it had been 2 days. I don't know how I ever missed it.
I'm confused. You say, "We lived in a really quiet road." I didn't know you could live IN a road. Or is that something British?
British 🤓
Regarding murder your darlings, that was Arthur Quiller-Couch. From his 1916 book, On the Art of Writing: "Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it—whole-heartedly—and delete it before sending your manuscript to press. Murder your darlings.“
Thanks, Joel. Even as I was writing that I thought, "I know I should check this...". I was racing against time. What an eejit.
LOL. I’ve just loved that line for years and had a friend who’s a big Q fan. I couldn’t escape its true source :)
Great letter, Terry - thank you!
I have to pick you up on your suggestion that I am not uneducated, though. In all my years of education I had never even heard the word 'erudition', let alone used it. In looking it up just now it seems I have PROVED that I have indeed been insufficiently educated, because look:
erudition
/ˌɛrʊˈdɪʃ(ə)n/
noun: the quality of having or showing great knowledge or learning; scholarship.
I'll get my coat... 🙄
I'm glad I am not the only one looking up that word.
🤣 I feel jolly silly now, Matt, given what it means!!! 🤣
Don't be daft! You DO show great knowledge. Also, apart from your scurrilous comment about my Mona Lisa, you also demonstrate great appreciation of iconic art. So there.
Thanks, Terry! 🤣
I'm sorry to bring it up, but is there a wee typo towards the end of the third sentence of your above comment? 😉