Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Free to Pontificate

Useful talk today in the writing workshop I'm leading this week at Meredith College--useful for me, as it happens. We were talking about writing dialogue, and the vocabulary and sentence construction that makes a person sound authoritative or timid.

I said I use "I think..." too much before making my pronouncements while giving feedback on people's work. What I'm trying to do is not be bossy, which my younger brothers have observed I'm capable of. But I overdo the soft-pedaling. One of the writers in the group said she doesn't need all that I-think kind of preamble.

What a relief to hear someone say that. Now I feel free to be as bossy and commanding/assertive as I want to, since others do know without my telling them that they are free write any way they want.



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5 comments:

Brenda Bartella Peterson said...

Dear friends gave me a pillow that says, "I'm not bossy, I just have better ideas." You are welcome to borrow it anytime you need the confirmation that you are entitled to express your ideas freely.

kenju said...

Brenda: I have a Christmas ornament of a woman holding a sign saying that very thing!! It hangs above my kitchen sink all year long. I guess I should photograph it and put it on the blog....LOL

Peggy: my husband says I am the classic Know-it-all woman. I know that when I say "I think" it is not timidity on my part, it is a declaration!! But it's a shade nicer that "I know..."

kenju said...

Sorry...."Than" I know.

Peggy Payne said...

A pillow AND a Christmas ornament. Interesting places to put this sentiment.

Women are the ones accused of being bossy. Did you ever hear a man called bossy?

Peggy Payne said...

A pillow AND a Christmas ornament. Interesting places to put this sentiment.

Women are the ones accused of being bossy. Did you ever hear a man called bossy?