DIALOGUE for CHARACTERS WHO ARE SPEAKING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

 

Ah, well. The challenge of telling stories set in other countries includes how to tell their tellings in English, and what to do with foreign words.

 

An article on this can be read here.

 

I faced it with my published novel, THE VOICE OF THUNDER. My solution was to use standard English and where a foreign (i.e., Hebrew) word was used, I followed it immediately with the English equivalent. Because I was writing for young readers, I felt there was no place to send them searching, to footnotes, or a glossary.  I have seen others use glossaries in similarly-set stories for children, and it didn't feel right. Young readers should experience the pleasure of a story. Footnotes and glossaries are for academics.

 

Above all, the flow of reading must not be bumpy and hence interrupted by the foreignness of the setting. It's challenging enough to meet and envisage another place or time. Let the characters speak plainly and clearly. Save the layering to their ideas and let the flow ride the twists of plot.

STANDING IN ONE’S OWN WAY

 

Maybe it was fortuitous, but I happened upon this blog post one day after reflecting on the conduct of an artist who I’m close to. The post is a reflection on the various ways some of us sabotage ourselves without having the slightest clue we are doing it.

 

I think this applies to all human endeavors. The crux of it is that because it sounds an illogical thing to do, we refuse to see it. Competing with insufficient or no preparation, spending time in useless activities that do not so much as bring us joy, spewing unkind words born of frustrations at the people who love us most and could help— all examples of self-sabotage. All lend themselves to easy explanations to self that disguise the drive behind them: I do not deserve success.

 

In one way, no one deserves anything. But striving to do something that adds value and having it recognized is a worthwhile way to go through life. Thus, if we just remove the notion of “deserving,” maybe we’ll also withdraw our third invisible foot that somehow, against reason, we have placed right where we step. Maybe this will prevent the next tripping up. Maybe.

THE WISTFULNESS OF FALL

 

Wistful: A sadness tinged with longing, often having a hint of sweetness.

 

Fall is an odd time because (like its name) it evokes decline/demise and closure of life’s affirmations, so redolent in spring and fully manifested in summer.

 

It’s also a romantic time, because light becomes less harsh and the unforgiving cracks and wrinkles brightness exposes are softened.

 

The natural world of which we are a part shifts to a lower, slower gear. Slow is comforting, but also sad.

 

Fall is an awesome mixture. The trek of life, always marching toward death and rebirth, sings its swansong.

 

Do go gently into winter.

©Photo Rachel Breen

APPROACHING PUBLISHED WRITERS FOR ADVICE/BLURB

 

There’s a right way and a wrong way to ask writers to help your writing journey. I learned the hard way, making most of the usual mistakes.

 

A good post on this is here.

 

But despite the above linked post, my experience is that the right way is to not ask anything of a writer who is barely an acquaintance. Even more so if the writer is a complete stranger. Published writers, especially successfully published writers, don’t have the time to wade through the writing of others as they get many (repeat: MANY) such requests.

 

The bottom line is that unless you are close personal friends, or the writer offers without solicitation (rare, but happens. It happened to me 😊) they can’t blurb (which would mean also reading your work) and any general advice they give can be found on the Internet.

 

If you are real friends in real life (Facebook doesn’t count. Not ever) or taking a course with a writer, which includes feedback to your writing, other writers farther along on the path are our inspiration for aspirations, not personal assistants.

 

Enjoy meeting authors without asking them to bear your burdens.