Slightly Saddened.

[Curious]

I am seventy two years old and for nineteen years suffered from a low self esteem and a being high strung temperament. Now that I feel better I decided to rethink my hobby of writing. For ten years I wrote e-mail type writing without editing, now I am fanatical about editing, which includes spelling and structured sentencing. But I have found out that today's writing is totally different than the nineteen forties fifties and older. The writing forums are alike, they all think the same way. The piece must have a subject and predicate in every sentence.

Because of my handicap of writing e-mail for twenty years, has destroyed learning today's English writing. In today's writing there must be a subject and a predicate in every sentence. I see only a subject and the story. My subject is Slightly Saddened, then I explain why I am slightly saddened. For one thing I cannot see is any flow of words after the first sentence. The forums and (there are five of them) all repeat the same idea without question, one subject one predicate in every sentence. My way is One subject and one predicate in one sentence.

Why can't I communicate with them and tell them I love general creative writing, I've tired and failed miserably? I would bet humans have gone to the bathroom the same way since the invention of the toilet, but not with the English writing. What should I do, stay saddened or? I was once high strung/Paul

 

[MHealthJo]

I think you might be worrying about rules and conventions too much Paul. All that really matters is just try to make yourself understood. How you go about that is completely up to you. You are pretty much doing fine so far.

I think formal rules and regulations and conventions about very specific things only matter if you are writing a very important business-related document. Like a legal document, a job application, a contract... things like that.

There were lots of formal rules and conventions taught in school in the old days. But they are not really that important for most current uses of writing.

What types of writing are you doing these days? Creative writing like fiction stories? Or more like, just communicating your experiences and ideas with other people on the internet?

 

[Curious]

MhealthJo,
Your last paragraph, "Creative writing like fiction stories? Or more like, just communicating your experiences and ideas with other people on the internet"? Thank,s for the advice. Paul

 

[David Baxter PhD]

When one is first learning a language, or how to write, or really how to do almost anything, one first learns the "rules".

Then, once you have learned the rules, you learn when it's okay not to follow them slavishly. In writing, that's called "personal style".

Write the way you feel and the way you prefer to express yourself. Don't worry about the classic rules of style. Be yourself.

 

[Curious]

Dear David,
I just learned that and I am overjoyed. Paul

 

[Daniel E.]

I still sometimes make the mistake of correcting my spouse's grammar

I have finally started to give up since he finds my edits irritating unless it is a formal document (in which case he appreciates it).

But he still likes his run-on sentences and severe lack of punctuation As Dr. Baxter says, people can recognize his writing style that way.

 

[Curious]

I destroyed my writing ability when I was a writer with e-mail and no editing. I now love general creative writing and editing. I had to do it my way. high strung

 

[PrincessX]

Highstrung, since you raised the same issue in your new thread (about your writing ability), I suggest, you read David's reply, which I believe would be particularly helpful to you. I do not think, I can say it better

When one is first learning a language, or how to write, or really how to do almost anything, one first learns the "rules".

Then, once you have learned the rules, you learn when it's okay not to follow them slavishly. In writing, that's called "personal style".

Write the way you feel and the way you prefer to express yourself. Don't worry about the classic rules of style. Be yourself.

 

[Curious]

MhealthJoe,
Creative writing like e-mail stuff. Could not understand grammar and such. high strung

---------- Post Merged at 01:13 PM ---------- Previous Post was at 12:56 PM ----------

David,
There way was the first sentence had a subject and a predicate, but so did every sentence after that. After the first sentence I started to babble because I could not understand every sentence having a subject and a predicate. There was no flow to the writing. As I said I write from the mind heart and experience and there was a subject and predicate in every sentence. Then they said to write a story and they did not like that. I wrote e-mail for ten years and that ruined me. I understand words but never put them in the right sentence, only the words that came from my mind and memory. high strung

 

[MHealthJo]

In that case you are in luck, Highstrung! All those rules and exact ways of doing things, they really don't matter much for the types of writing you want to do...

For creative writing if you want to be professionally published for financial payment for yourself, like entering a story to win a writing competition that has a cash prize or something, you would probably just need to have your writing edited by someone who can provide a proofreading service.

But for email with friends and acquaintances, or just communicating thoughts and ideas in a group like what you are doing here.... Well for those types of things, it's really just the ideas and thoughts that count.

 

[Curious]

MHealthjoe,
Thank you you've made my day.