why is it that when you transfer something from your mind to paper, word for word, stroke for stroke, it never turns out how you want it to? it's never as good as what's in your head. why do the words that fit together so perfectly it's almost magic in your thoughts, seem clunky and mismatched when arranged in the real world? they're the exact same words... they should sound exactly the same! what is it about making something concrete that sucks the life from it?
it doesnt always turn out bad, no, but it is never ever exactly how it was in your mind. and sometimes, i just want what's in my mind. i want something to turn out exactly how i thought it up to be. grr. very, very frustrating.
*Little Lion Man - Mumford and Sons
totally understand... this always happens to me. what also happens a lot, to me anyways, is that something in my head sounds totally normal and then I say it out loud and completely embarrass and humiliate myself. makes for a lot of awkward moments.. :D
ReplyDeleteThis rings so true with me, and I wish I (selfishly) had an answer for you (me). I immediately thought of this quote as I read this. I think I already posted it on my blog, but repetition never hurt anyone:
ReplyDelete"The most important things are the hardest things to say. They are the things you get ashamed of, because words diminish them - words shrink things that seemed limitless when they were in your head to no more than living size when they're brought out. But it's more than that, isn't it? The most important things lie too close to wherever your secret heart is buried, like landmarks to a treasure your enemies would love to steal away. And you may make revelations that cost you dearly only to have people look at you in a funny way, not understanding what you've said at all, or why you thought it was so important that you almost cried while you were saying it. That's the worst, I think. When the secret stays locked within not for want of a teller but for want of an understanding ear." -Stephen King
Anonymous... i'm pretty sure that's happened to me before, too, but i can't think of any moments off the top pf my head. i'm sure you could, though.
ReplyDeletetooly... i remember becoming obsessed with that quote when you posted it on your blog, and rereading it right now just made me more obsessed. truer words were never spoken.
It's because you wrote them.
ReplyDeleteIn your mind you can have the most perfect idea and so you write it down as you think it. This makes it perfect. But no matter how many times you read it, because you wrote it, it will never be good enough. Other people can read it and know exactly what you were thinking and how you envisioned it, but as the writer, you can't.
I get it with my books a lot. Garth Nix gets it with his. All authors that I know of and have spoken to, do at some point or another.
hmm i never thought of it that way. that's actually a very good point, though. but if other people get it the way it was in my head, then i think i can live with it not being perfect to me, because i know it never will be.
ReplyDeleteI completely understand! Between blogging and creative writing - this issues drives me to the brink.
ReplyDeleteNow if only I could figure out why my 22 month old is exhausted but has decided he's "too good for naps". lol =)