tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755502616289652010.post7754832526498866058..comments2024-03-29T06:57:01.951-05:00Comments on The Storyteller's Inkpot: Grammar and MeaningUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755502616289652010.post-67222804084421159322012-08-03T14:06:39.169-05:002012-08-03T14:06:39.169-05:00Welcome, Jane, well known to us all. And thank yo...Welcome, Jane, well known to us all. And thank you for your wise words.Liza Ketchumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04926743479295373837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755502616289652010.post-38492699169219766282012-07-28T10:40:26.342-05:002012-07-28T10:40:26.342-05:00Happy to see you here, Jane! As writers, the only ...Happy to see you here, Jane! As writers, the only way we can break the "rules" is if we know the "rules." Emily Jenkins had discussed this in her lecture on using punctuation, etc. as artifice, a way to create startling effects in our writing. But the only way to achieve these effects is to first know the rules, to study them, sleep on them, etc. so that they seep into our bones and emerge from our fingertips in new ways. Otherwise, as Cheryl claims, and I agree, meaning is unclear and confusing for the reader. Imagine a gymnast who does not nail the basic skills--the "rules" of her art. If she does not know the basics, pointing her toes, strengthening her core to prevent those bobbles that lead to deductions--then her routine would be sloppy, unclear and likely not yield anything new, or surprising even. Hours, days, months and years in the gym and at our desks, honing our craft--our art-- will produce clearer, interesting, even risky prose. And the world needs risky.<br /><br />Love this post, Jane!Mellisa Dempseyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14350597062105039404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755502616289652010.post-78466668216890751352012-07-28T10:02:58.709-05:002012-07-28T10:02:58.709-05:00Welcome, Jane! We all look forward to your wise wo...Welcome, Jane! We all look forward to your wise words!Eleanora E. Tatehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15737679071318158009noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755502616289652010.post-8491840363275479552012-07-27T21:39:48.148-05:002012-07-27T21:39:48.148-05:00Dear Jane,
You are far from unknown, and so much ...Dear Jane,<br /><br />You are far from unknown, and so much more memorable than most! So glad to see you on here--I just returned from a workshop in New York and I quoted you to my class--they were duly invigorated, impressed, and charmed, as is anyone lucky enough to hear your words! Keep posting, from wherever you may be!<br /><br />Yours,<br /><br />PortiaPortia Penningtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12768671385624440122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755502616289652010.post-70927105815334397462012-07-27T20:37:26.554-05:002012-07-27T20:37:26.554-05:00P.S. I am happy to see you here!P.S. I am happy to see you here!Melinda R. Cordellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02924404257237523106noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1755502616289652010.post-81276409516554481832012-07-27T03:36:07.114-05:002012-07-27T03:36:07.114-05:00Hey Jane, here is Sherryl's comment, which you...Hey Jane, here is Sherryl's comment, which you were looking for:<br /><br />"I'm all for clarity, and I find my students who are bad at grammar actually don't realise how hard it is to read their stories when the grammar is poor. It's not even about being pedantic with apostrophes (I can do that anytime!), it's that their meaning is unclear, their style is all over the place and their voice is "foggy". Sentence mastery is no bad thing."Melinda R. Cordellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02924404257237523106noreply@blogger.com