Comments on: The Cryptic Critic

By: It is not easy… | Shail's Nest

It is not easy… | Shail's Nest — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 17:16:20 +0000

[...] dare speak of. Oh yeah, there are more woes to being a blogger, believe me you. One of them is the Cryptic Critic who hurls, what else but cryptic criticism via the comment space, which drives you insane because [...]

By: Shail

Shail — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 13:50:50 +0000

Swathi, nice saying! So true! But cannot pass up the opportunity for a blog provided so helpfully by the barkers!!

By: swathi

swathi — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 09:14:51 +0000

“pattikal kurakkum…saardhavaahaka sangham munnootu pokum”

very loose translation:
let the dogs bark,but the processsion will go forward?
***dont know the exact english transaltion of the mallu version***

By: Bob Hoff

Bob Hoff — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 06:28:15 +0000

Yes, I must work on “saying more” with “less words.” In general, I guess I believe that with understatement lurks more chance for beiing misunderstood, so I “explain too much.” I need happy balance, my Friend.

By: Shail

Shail — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 12:12:35 +0000

Bob, wow what a long comment! Thank you, your points are well noted. You know Bob, I am the last one to worry about whether something I wrote impressed someone or not. But when such a comment as the one above is made, it is excellent blog-fodder. I just cannot pass it off now, Can I?? By now you know Bob how I like to write tongue-in-cheek posts!! Hehe… Satire is not something that ALL can understand or enjoy. I have had to face the consequences quite a few times from friends and extended family. The humor seems to go right above their heads and I have many of them seriously advising me that I shouldn’t be talking thus. I tell you, it has me non-plussed and at other times really puts me off!!
Right now I have been witnessing a royal row in another blogging site where a retired gentleman wrote a post with humorous undertones (his brand) which unfortunately was not understood by the young girl mentioned in it. Now the man is having nasty comments flung at him publicly at her site. Very sad.

By: Shail

Shail — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:55:58 +0000

Roopa, right on! The hero on a mo-bike transcends time and cultures. How well put. It is not his existence in the story, but the rest of the trappings that should do the ‘impressing’!
Nice to have you back!!

By: Shail

Shail — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:52:47 +0000

Bubbly, Bullock carts are probably old story. A friend of mine at sulekha site had commented that I could write about a collision in outer space. Sigh!! Since she already mentioned it now I will have to look for some other form of accident!!
Oh yes, watching serials on TV will surely make you a serial killer!! Haha!!

By: Shail

Shail — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:47:49 +0000

Balaji, as long as there are bikes running on the road, boy and girl and love between them, they cannot help but recur in cocktail or any other form in stories, movies, real life et al. So one would expect the boy-in-his-late-twenties to wake up to facts!! I suppose when he sees a real life accident he would deny it totally saying, “Oh no no no!! I am not impressed. So many people have already had accidents before this! How can you have one now??”
Don’t worry. I am not your TV soap addict. I have better things to do with my time. But then to impress people like him, I will have to watch each and reject that story line!!

By: Bob Hoff

Bob Hoff — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:57:48 +0000

please subtract extra “is” in first line. Thanks

By: Bob Hoff

Bob Hoff — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 07:56:35 +0000

What I wonder about the “cryptic critic” is: does he write and share his thoughts and feelings and points of view about life’s many situations with others in a way that is always completely unique and impressive? With everyone who reads him? Always?

I doubt it. Even the masters, the professionals, the people who write day in and day out, the bloggers who share the contents of their hearts and minds and their dreams and goals cannot impress everyone always. It just can’t be done I believe.

That you want to improve your writing is laudable and understandable. You also know that the only way to improve from day to day, week to week, month to month, and longer, the only way possible, is by frequent practicing and being open to criticism.

But the criticism must be specific so that (a) you can decide how to do it, (b) decide if you need to do it, and (c) measure whether it ties into your writing goals and plans.

Asking unique questions about life, thinking about as many angles on a topic as possible, being open-minded to new ideas, and valuing authenticity in your own personality–all these help to continue your journey as a unique and thinking and people person.

You can ask someone about why something you wrote didn’t impress them, but you don’t have to worry about their opinion. As a thinking writers, you have no obligation to live your life by other people’s opinions.

I know that you know all this. I guess that I am writing it down to remind myself. If someone isn’t impressed by anything I do, I know two things: (1) I wasn’t trying to impress them (probably), and, (2) that is their right to have their own opinion and I hope to not lose sleep (or hair) over it.

Great writing–exxageration and satire are two of my favorites.