Style

Style. Writing style. Very few authors have a real writing style. You'll know when an author has a writing style when the words, expressions and ideas naturally flow in the text. He/she might be able to jump from one subject to another faster than a bunny about to have sex, and still keep the ideas flowing naturally. Regardless of the subject at hand, you feel like you can't get your nose unglued from those words... those new words, funny expressions - you'll find new uses for words, extremely appropriate expressions which you've never heard of before, and above all else, you would really feel affected by the words, sentences, chapters or stories.

You've got style when you write:
"What would my heart not give to be able to tell you those three words."

Instead of
"i luv u :)"

Yes, it's beautiful. What would my heart not give; Not give to what? To tell you those three words... and then you're saying "I love you" without even writing it. Where are the good authors? Yes, I admit it. Harry Potter is nice, and so is The Da Vinci Code. But those books focus much more on the plot, and not the language used to detail the story.

The perfect book for reading would be one with a good story and twist, and written in a sensible, good, and beautiful English. Or other language.

I realised that there IS something else apart from the story in a book just today. For the third time, I'm reading "Composition Francaise" by Jean Cau. He's a french author, and fairly well known. The thing is, there is no head or tail in that book; it's a "diary" where he writes all sorts of nonesense. Apart from what he's writing, there's something sublime in the way he details things and events. Or his use of words and expression. And even his damn sarcasm.

I wonder what he'd have said about blogs if he were still alive today. Style, he wrote, exists when a music rises slowly from the text, a coordinated melody in between words and sentences. YES, he had style. Even if he was writing bullshit about art (which he did actually) it's still interesting. He explores all kinds of topics, with a funny point of view and style, and it just keeps your nose glued to the book.

I wish I had a writing style. Although I almost always write in English now, I just can't detect the slightest trace of a writing style in here. Maybe I should try french.

Oh well...
Jean Cau died in July 1994.