Tuesday, January 25, 2011

"Writing a book is a horrible, exhausting struggle, like a long bout of some painful illness. One would never undertake such a thing if one were not driven on by some demon whom one can neither resist nor understand. For all one knows that demon is simply the same instinct that makes a baby squall for attention. And yet it is also true that one can write nothing readable unless one constantly struggles to efface one's own personality. Good prose is like a window pane" -- George Orwell, Why I Write

Hmmm, do we agree with this? Not the first bit but the "one can write nothing readable unless one constantly struggles to efface one's own personality" bit. Really not sure about that George. Certainly, if enforced, this edict would eliminate 90 percent of Great Rock Writing from consideration as even "readable". As for "good prose is like a window pane", the relationship between style and lucidity is something I discussed here.

No comments: