On Writing

So, I have a friend out west and about a week ago he passed along his manuscript asking me to check it out. I felt so honored and of course, I readily accepted reading it. It's always cool to read other's works and to help out a friend if I can. He's a great guy I've known for quite some time and I've always respected his writing, his witty sense of humor, his unique way of combining words to create a vivid sense of imagery.
I have to admit, while reading it, there have been several times where I've paused. Not because of him or his writing but, because I find myself musing over everyone's different approach to the craft.
It's funny. When I was polishing my book with my editor, there were numerous times when he would want to strike a passage, a sentence, a word and I would object. So, we had a rather amusing discussion one day. He thought that perhaps I was a little too wordy or gushy or in my own terms (which I readily admitted), flowery. We both got a chuckle out of all this especially when he told me, "Well, you're not a Hemingway kind of writer, that's for sure." What he meant was that Hemingway seems to be much more concise, much less "flowery." I suppose some might even accuse him of being dry. In the end, my editor and I agreed to meet in the middle, laughing all the way.
What all this means to me is that everyone is different, everyone approaches writing differently, everyone views the world differently, through their own personal filters and lenses and that translates into how they express themselves, no matter if it's written. And that should be respected and enjoyed. I think that's the key, enjoy it. It's that diversity that makes works of writing so much joy for me.
For that reason, I will always enjoy reading my friend's manuscript. Something he put his heart and soul into and offered a glimpse into how he sees the world around him.
Have a great night world.