Stuart Aken's Blog, page 225

Ruled by Intellect or Emotion? Tips on Word Choice #6

La maja desnuda (circa 1797–1800), known in English as The Naked (or Nude) Maja by Francisco de Goya (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Certain words/phrases can induce fairly specific responses in readers. As writers, we all know this, but do we use the power of emotion in our work?
For the next few weeks, I’ll be looking at something subjective: how to choose between emotional and intellectual words for effect.
In this series I’m looking at the difference between words that seem intellectual as opposed to those that invoke a more emotional response. How you use them is obviously up to you. The point is that the alternatives have the same, or very similar, meanings, but their effect upon the reader can be markedly different. I’ve made some suggestions here, but I’m sure you can think of others.
Intellectual: AnecdoteEmotional: Joke/Story
At the company’s annual dinner, Gordon was full of anecdotes that were intended to keep the audience laughing but which, unfortunately, sent many of the to sleep in their soup. (formal)
Frank had a joke or a story for every situation and kept everyone in stitches with his delivery. (informal)
Intellectual: DifficultEmotional: Tough
We are navigating difficult waters in these times of economic uncertainty and must remain alert for unseen hazards and barriers. (intellectual and formal)
It’s been a tough few weeks, but we’ve got through it and now we can start to improve again. (emotional, informal)
Intellectual: NudeEmotional: Naked
There’s a theory that maintains that ‘nude’ is a voluntary state, whereas ‘naked’ is an imposed one. That may be true under certain circumstances, but I don’t believe it to be universally the case. These are terms that can frequently be interchanged, in fact. However, I’ll try to give examples of the way they can be used differently.
Daphne worked as a life model and spent much of her time nude in front of groups of art students and evening class attendees. (intellectual, formal)
Daphne slowly removed each item of clothing until she was entirely naked, at which point, she stepped out of the trees, ran across the beach and plunged into the sea. (emotional, informal)

#BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. Day 13

Early 15th-century Latin Bible, handwritten in Belgium, on display at Malmesbury Abbey, Wiltshire, England (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Today's theme is 'Nostalgic reads! Changed meaning when I re-read it later in life.'  I wracked my brains for this one, as I couldn't actually think of any book that I've re-read and found a different meaning. In some I've discovered small things I didn't notice the first time and in a few I've returned to only to discover they weren't as good as I initially thought they were. One or two have shown me aspects I'd missed on first exposure but none that I could think of had undergone a fundamental change caused by the passage of time and my accumulated experiences.
And then I thought about the Bible. I read much of this as the child of parents who were Christians. I was exposed to some during classes for Confirmation and other parts during both Sunday School and regular schooling.
Later in life, when events had shown me that religion is largely a power base for those who wish to control others, I revisited the Bible. It was just before I read that other tome on religion, probably the most tedious volume I've ever read from cover to to cover, the Qur'an. This, of course, borrows quite a bit of its message from the Bible, repeating many of the stories.
As for the Bible, my second reading simply served to reinforce my impression about the reality of its content. Since much of it is clearly untrue, many parts no more than justification for one culture defeating and subjugating another, a great deal of it laughably stupid, and only parts of it actually uplifting and inspiring, I realised that the book is a means of keeping people in their place by promising an unlikely afterlife following death and threatening a vile existence in an invented hell should adherents fail to stick to the rather arbitrary rules. Fear is a great way to ensure converts toe the line. The Islamic faith has used fear almost since day one; threatening to kill those who dare question it or try to leave the club once joined.
So, sorry if I offend, but I see religion as a divisive, tribal and harmful device aimed at the control of the masses. The Bible is simply one of the weapons used by the hierarchy to fulfil that role.
Sometimes, the truth is more important than other considerations.
Something a little lighter for tomorrow.

Related articles October is #BookADayUK - Enjoy! #BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. News: Books Are My Bag 2014

#BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. Day 12

Today's a short one. The event for today is 'Favourite bookseller recommendation'. I've never been in the position where I've had to seek out new titles to read. Usually, I've had more books on the 'to read' list than I have time to get to. At present, the list is 151 titles long, and these are books that are either print volumes on my shelves at home, or in digital form on my iPad. So, I don't think I need any recommendations to grow that list, eh?
Related articles What Do Booksellers Read? Booksellers Raise Amazon Monopoly Concerns With European Commission Bookshops are best route to market

From ME to You, With Love, by Louise Harding, Reviewed.

A recovering ME/CFS sufferer, I read this book as research for a book I intend to write myself. It proved very illuminating in so many ways. There are differing degrees of this pernicious and horribly life-limiting condition and most of them are represented within the pages of this book.
Consisting of letters written by sufferers, carers, friends, family members, medical professionals and recoverers, it spans the wide panorama of experiences well. There is bitterness, hope, wonder, anguish, love, misery, pain, humour, anger, frustration and joy within these pages. There are examples of frustration with the ignorance of both the medical profession and the general public expressed effectively by both sufferers and carers.
Some of these accounts will make you cry, others will have you smiling, yet others will make you feel like shouting out loud, swearing with the frustration of it all. It’s an emotional roller-coaster, and I make no apology for that cliché, as this condition is one of difficult slow climbs followed by devastating drops.
If you’re s sufferer, carer, friend or family of someone with the condition, but, most of all, if you’re a medical professional, you should read this. It will educate, and hopefully squash those damaging and ignorant prejudices that blight the lives of so many who battle daily with this condition.
Well written and thoughtfully compiled, it contains the words of people who know what it’s like, who have lived with or are living with this devastating complaint and its multiple consequences. And, if you’re just an interested member of the public, wishing to expand your awareness, this is definitely for you. You’ll see that I’ve used the word ‘frustration’ repeatedly in this review: it’s a word that sums up one of the most commonly experienced emotions of sufferers and their carers. Consider: this is a condition that is generally experienced by those who are most active in society. Imagine, for a moment, the consequences of having such activity suddenly removed, and you might start to appreciate why frustration is such a universal experience.

I’d like to see everyone read this book. I know that won’t happen, but I hope that many will make the effort. You’ll find it worth your while.Related articles A Survival Guide for Caregivers

Writing and Running for ME/CFS #3

Today's route, run twice.Just back from my training session this morning. Toughest, so far. Had to do 3 mins running followed by 1 min walking with 6 repeats. Managed 2 miles, in  just over 22 minutes, so not too bad. Sweating now, though.

Must do my stretches before I shower, and let myself cool down a little, of course.

Still on track.

This week's programme consisted of Tuesday - 6 minute easy run, followed by 2 minute easy walk done twice. Friday, 25 minute brisk walk, in which I did the walk Valerie and I normally take 31 minutes to compete. And then, today, as above.

#BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. Day 11

Today is the day at the heart of this promotional exercise. It's the day when those of us supporting the idea are supposed to blog about the book we bought at a Books Are My Bag Bookshop Party. Alas, I'm unable to fulfil this one. Why?

My local bookshop no longer sells books! The large floor area that was once given over to books by this shop that sells cards, magazines, stationery and a few ornaments, has been given over to the sale of toys. That may seem very sad, and, in many ways, it is. But this change occurred because WH Smiths came into town and opened a shop right next door to the local bookshop. Sensitive move, wasn't it? For the kids, of course it's a plus, since there isn't really another toy shop here.

So, I can't display the book I might otherwise have bought at a BAMB bookshop party, because there isn't one here. Instead, I give you a picture of some of the books produced by my writing group. I could have travelled 12 miles up the road to the next town, but I'm sensitive to the environment and avoid unnecessary journeys. I could've bought a book from WH Smiths, of course, but the promotion is aimed at independent bookshops and such a purchase would hardly be in the spirit of the thing.

Sad that the book shop has gone. The secondhand bookshop has also closed, due to lack of trade. This is a market town with a population of around 11,000, serving a very wide rural community. Seems a shame that we now have only WH Smiths as a source for our book buying. That, or the internet, of course.

On the plus side, one of the teachers at the local secondary school has started a club there, aimed at getting the kids to read for pleasure. A great move in the right direction.
Related articles News: Books Are My Bag 2014 Weird and wonderful bookshops worldwide in pictures Walker: 'bookshops are best route to market' #BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. Day 7

#BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. Day 10

So, what's the theme for today's Books Are My Bag event? Simply, 'One with an orange cover'. I'm
sure there's some deep-seated esoteric reason for this theme, but I can't work out what it might be.
No matter. I have books on my shelves that have orange covers. Sadly, a lot of them have faded with the passage of time and influence of sunlight on their spines.
I chose my boxed set of Graham Greene novels for this one. A great writer who managed to combine action and adventure with good writing. Just one of a multitude of authors who had a formative effect on my own writing. You'll see from the picture that some of the spines have faded rather more than others. I know not the reason and can only speculate that there is some difference in the quality of ink used by the publisher. But who really knows?
Anyway, it's the content of the books rather than the appearance of their covers that matters. Some really great stories here. If you've never read Graham Greene, you've missed a treat. But I'm sure most of these are still available. Have a go; treat yourself.

And, should you decide to tweet about this, please use the #tag #bookadayUK, won't you?
Related articles #BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. Day 4 October is #BookADayUK - Enjoy!

#BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. Day 9

The theme for today is, 'Favourite book about a bookshop'. No contest for me. Helene Hanff's 84 Charring Cross Road is the obvious answer. A brilliant evocation of the bookshop and its characters, spanning the Pond and bringing life to its era. A lovely, feel-good book, which I enjoyed immensely. If you haven't read it, go get a copy, borrow one, but read it. Gentle humour, emotional engagement, and a social message well expressed.
Related articles My Favourite Bookshop VIDEO: US independent bookshops fight back Walker: 'bookshops are best route to market'

#BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. Day 8

The theme for day 8 is, 'Best bookshop find'. Difficult for a true reader. I mean, where do you start?

I've bought hundreds, possibly thousands, of books during my life so far. How to select the best ever from a bookshop? That means leaving out dozens and dozens of really good books, potentially giving the impression they weren't up to scratch, simply by their exclusion. But a choice must be made.

Mine would therefore be Dorothea Brande's excellent work, Becoming a Writer.

Why this book out of all those I've bought and read?

Whenever I'm asked to give advice to would-be writers, I always suggest that they read this book BEFORE they put pen to paper. And I do this because so many wannabes really shouldn't be trying to write. Too many have poor English skills and many more simply see it, erroneously, as a way to make a quick fortune. It isn't: The average income from writing for an author in the UK is less than £1000 per year. Yes, you read that correctly. Less than £1000 per year. And that average includes such best-selling authors as J.K. Rowling. Imagine how that skews the figures and means that most writers actually earn significantly less than the wonderful £1000.

Dorothea Brande's book sets exercises designed to let the reader see whether the life of the writer is actually the right life. She uses a great deal of common sense and the accumulated knowledge from teaching would-be writers to explain what being a writer really means.

For those who do her exercises and discover they can develop the discipline and application required, her book is a constant encouragement to do well. I first picked this up in a bookshop in the mid 1980s, when the book had been reprinted after a number of years of unavailability. I pounced on it the moment I saw it, as I had read a borrowed version some years earlier.
So, that's my choice for today. Do you have one?
Related articles #BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. October is #BookADayUK - Enjoy! JK Rowling bankrolls Aberfeldy town hall project Becoming A Writer Reread #5 My Favourite Bookshop Bookshops are best route to market

#BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. Day 7

Today, the theme is 'Last book I bought in a bookshop'. Oops! I have to admit that it's a while since I bought a book in a bookshop. There are a number of reasons for this. I've tended to avoid buying books recently, as I have a reading list around 150 titles long, and those books are on my shelves! I agreed with my long-suffering wife that I would read most of these before I bought any more. But, of course, I'm a writer and therefore a reader, so I've been either buying ebooks to go on my iPad, or reading free classics on the same device. Bit of a cheat, I know, but all readers will understand that.

Anyway, to the theme. The last book I bought at a book shop was at a writer's book-signing. It was Penny Grubb's excellent crime thriller, 'Like False Money'.

Now I've exposed my shame, I suppose I'd better go and buy a book on the day this promotion is supporting. What will it be, I wonder...?

Don't forget to stay involved by visiting the site, Books Are My Bag.com via this link. And, when you tweet, use the #tag #bookadayUK.
Related articles October is #BookADayUK - Enjoy! #BookADayUK; A Reader Event For October. My Favourite BookshopBookshops Hope 'Super Thursday' Will Help Start A New Chapter For Publishing