Monday 16 December 2013

More helpful hints

I am enjoying writing my Blog, but don't feel very confident and I get worried about being pathetic.
So I have been looking up helpful hints on writing by experts.
One piece of advice was to never use the word "suddenly". Well, it hadn't entered my head to use it, but of course now it is trying to creep in everywhere.
I was wearing my smart new boots with the high heel, when suddenly I slipped, causing my husband to swear.
My cuddly looking cat suddenly scratched me.
My lovely sponge cake, suddenly sank  in the middle.

What's wrong with suddenly? I am very confused.Anyway, I won't be using it .
The other piece of advice was to use exclamation marks sparingly. I already knew it was uncool to use exclamation marks in texts, but how else can you get across enthusiasm or surprise so quickly?

When I was at Primary school, we were told to use the word "nice" as little as possible. So, we used pleasant or friendly or  attractive.Often,however you really just want to say "nice". It says everything you want to.
I read once that Henry James said that "kindness" was the most wonderful word in the English language. I've also read that he thought "Summer afternoon" was the best expression. Actually, kindness on a Summer afternoon does sound lovely.
I am not very good at translating, my brain either sticks with English or Italian. Kindness in Italian is "gentilezza", it never sounds quite the same to me. Kindness seems to involve body, heart and soul, to get right to the core of a person's being, whereas gentilezza just feels like good manners.
It makes such a difference when the people working at Post Offices, banks, any public offices are kind in their dealings. It takes no longer to say something in a kind. pleasant way.
As Glen Campbell sings" The kindness that you show every day will help someone along their way".













1 comment:

  1. Suddenly, here we are!! He he he! Makes me laugh everytime! (Lots of exclamation martks there!!)

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