A Magnificently Methodical Southern Woman
and The Most Brilliant Woman in the World
I had opportunity to have a conversation with the daughter back in February wherein I said to her, "I know you will not believe your mother is saying this but: I believe that all people are born with all knowledge of all things in their brain but not all the connections work the same for various reasons."
She simply stared at me and said, "Hmmmm...well...."
In other words, she did not know what to say. I've always confused both my mother and my daughter. However, my theory explains, say, idiot savants or, as they are now more accurately called, autistic savants. It also explains random flashes of brilliance in a person otherwise middle of the road or in one who is just plain stupid to the bone.
Now before you get your panties all in a twist and prove that you are a P-HWPCDLRSFC* and/or work for a member of the #CrunkNewsNetwork that spews FLOTSAM**, please rest assured that I can say all this because I am talking about myself.
I can say I am The Most Brilliant Woman In The World about absolutely everything. But never have you ever heard me say I am The Most Brilliant Woman In The World 24/7. See? Connections do not fire all the time, but when they do everybody, including me, are always amazed.
From my earliest memories to today as you read this, words I understand. Let me explain.
I can say I am The Most Brilliant Woman In The World about absolutely everything. But never have you ever heard me say I am The Most Brilliant Woman In The World 24/7. See? Connections do not fire all the time, but when they do everybody, including me, are always amazed.
But one brilliance connection that has fired in me consistently is words.
From my earliest memories to today as you read this, words I understand. Let me explain.
When I look at a boulder, all I see is a lot of future gravel I can make by knocking it apart and I can make a nice cover for a muddy, rut-filled, dirt driveway.
But when a sculptor looks at a boulder, he sees the parts that simply need knocking off to reveal the figure within and he makes art.
Same boulder. Two viewers. But one whose connections are firing all the time about shape and form and seeing art. Thus it is that not all editors accomplish the same thing with a manuscript.
A boulder never complains about how it is used. Gravel or art, it doesn't care. Neither does a manuscript. But some, nay: many, editors take a boulder of a manuscript and make the gravel equivalent of a book useful only as a doorstop.
Another editor, though, can see that same manuscript and see what is hidden in it, then knock off the parts that are hiding the loveliness of the words and make something readers will enjoy and keep on their shelves.
I am the latter. This is not me bragging. This is me telling you a fact...and we all know if it's fact it ain't bragging. So, this is me telling you what I do for other writers all the time. This is me telling you that, in my service to words, I will always serve the words first because by doing so the reader is served well always.
But to do that means I must hurt writers' feelings. There are quite a few who will tell you I've done that to them. Sure, they all pitch fits and get their egos out of joint, but the ones who care about readers — and thus their own reputations — always come back for more. And why?
But truthfully, I don't care about whether the writer looks good or not. Looking good can be accomplished all sorts of ways. That's called marketing. Though some consider it to be the show, marketing is merely the advance man.
What I care about is: Does the writer deliver the goods or will the reader be crying "Where's the beef?"
I bet that's why I've always been mistaken for either a school teacher or a dominatrix because, honestly, aren't they just about the same? Oh, sure, yeah. Both hurt you and you whine, but in the end, you know you like it like that, right?
Get in touch if you need a sculptor for your words: angeladurden@msn.com. Otherwise, buy one of my books and see some of my flashes of brilliance. You will not be sorry.
But when a sculptor looks at a boulder, he sees the parts that simply need knocking off to reveal the figure within and he makes art.
Same boulder. Two viewers. But one whose connections are firing all the time about shape and form and seeing art. Thus it is that not all editors accomplish the same thing with a manuscript.
A boulder never complains about how it is used. Gravel or art, it doesn't care. Neither does a manuscript. But some, nay: many, editors take a boulder of a manuscript and make the gravel equivalent of a book useful only as a doorstop.
Another editor, though, can see that same manuscript and see what is hidden in it, then knock off the parts that are hiding the loveliness of the words and make something readers will enjoy and keep on their shelves.
I am the latter. This is not me bragging. This is me telling you a fact...and we all know if it's fact it ain't bragging. So, this is me telling you what I do for other writers all the time. This is me telling you that, in my service to words, I will always serve the words first because by doing so the reader is served well always.
But to do that means I must hurt writers' feelings. There are quite a few who will tell you I've done that to them. Sure, they all pitch fits and get their egos out of joint, but the ones who care about readers — and thus their own reputations — always come back for more. And why?
Because, as one of my clients said, "Angela, you always make me look good."
But truthfully, I don't care about whether the writer looks good or not. Looking good can be accomplished all sorts of ways. That's called marketing. Though some consider it to be the show, marketing is merely the advance man.
What I care about is: Does the writer deliver the goods or will the reader be crying "Where's the beef?"
I bet that's why I've always been mistaken for either a school teacher or a dominatrix because, honestly, aren't they just about the same? Oh, sure, yeah. Both hurt you and you whine, but in the end, you know you like it like that, right?
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Get in touch if you need a sculptor for your words: angeladurden@msn.com. Otherwise, buy one of my books and see some of my flashes of brilliance. You will not be sorry.
* P-HWPCDLRSFC: Pussy-Hat Wearing Politically Correct Democrat Liberal RINO Socialist Fascist Commies
** FLOTSAM: For Liberal Opinion That is Serious and Actually Matters
When I look at a boulder, all I see is a lot of future gravel I can make by knocking it apart and making a nice cover for a driveway. But when a sculptor looks at a boulder, he sees the parts that simply need knocking off to reveal the figure within and he makes art.
Thus it not all editors accomplish the same thing. Some editors make gravel. Others make art. I am the latter.
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