If they give you ruled paper, write the other way
Juan Ramon Jimenez, quoted at the start of Ray Bradbury’s “Fahrenheit 451″
A contribution to the theme of writing with freedom.
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Great quote to begin the series, Joanna.
I hope you don’t mind a bit of freeflow thinking in my comment below- hopefully, keeping in tune with your theme!
To me, it sums up not being bound by others rigid expectations of our work.
The quote also, somehow, made me think of Arabic writing in which the text flows right to left. If learning how to do this, it must be very disconcerting if you’re used to writing Western style (perhaps even limiting in this respect?)
Can I offer another quote, perhaps a very well known one:
“Writing is a form of personal freedom. It frees us from the mass identity we see in the making all around us. In the end, writers will write not to be outlaw heroes of some underculture but mainly to save themselves, to survive as individuals.” (Don Delillo)
Scott, I’m delighted that my short post prompted a long comment!
Interesting thought about the writing flow, including the physical limitations we get used to. I was at a workshop over the weekend and we were prompted to think about what our non-writing hand would say, would write, if we gave it the chance… I don’t know what it would be, but it would be different, for sure
Thanks for the Delillo quote, it’s a great one. I’m going to share a quote a week till the end of August, and I think this will have to go on the list!
Joanna
Joanna, I’m going to take the definition of ‘freedom’ very broadly here and share several favourites with you. Many have a political bent, or at least political origins, but take on new depths and shades when applied to something other, such as writing.
“Anyone who trades liberty for security deserves neither liberty nor security.”
–Benjamin Franklin
“Foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.”
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Re-examine all you have been told at school or church, or in any books, and dismiss whatever insults your soul.”
–Walt Whitman
“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”
–Oscar Wilde
“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
‘”There is no use trying,” said Alice; “one can’t believe impossible things.” ” I dare say you haven’t had much practice,” said the Queen. “When I was your age, I always did it for half an hour a day. Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”‘
–Lewis Carroll
“With a fierce disposition like the beat of a drum,
you get hurt more than others — but you have more fun.”
–Stephen Kellogg
Hi Joanna – that is a great quote. I was one of those kids who did write the wrong way round. The teacher had to move the paper round a little bit each day until I actually wrote in the direction I was supposed to. I never could understand why she didn’t just turn the paper sideways when she was marking my work.
Emily, thanks for sharing such a great set of quotes. My mind has already started playing with ways these could apply to writing – it’s not hard really when you think how closely our words and our writing is tied to our sense of who we are, and what matters.
Thanks
Joanna
Cath, I wonder what she would say if she could see you writing away now!
Mind you there is something about your work that is refreshingly challenging, as if (still) written from a different perspective or angle
Joanna
This has been one of my favorite quotes for a long time. What a great start to freedom.
A suitable favourite for a poet, I’d say
Writers are often bogged down by grammer and its rules that they are not allowed to color outside the lines. This quote offers us a sense of freedom to write as we wish. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Alina. It’s one of the reasons I think so many of us enjoy blogging – it gives us just enough of an invitation to go and colour outside the lines
Joanna