Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Writer-Speak: Gibberish??

A friend just showed me this hilarious video (here's the link) of toddler twins "talking." Sure, it's absolute gibberish to the viewer -- but I could swear, watching their faces, their body language, their hand motions (and hearing their voice inflections!), that they understand EXACTLY what the other is saying.

And it got me thinking -- is that the way the world sees us writers? Would they watch two writers talking animatedly about things like character development, query-writing, brainstorming, or dialogue -- and think it was all just a bunch of gibberish? Probably. But the cool thing is, the two writers themselves understand every word of "gibberish" going on between them.

Writers are unique creatures, I think. We're observant, creative, sensitive -- and we're also easily excited by things that other people yawn or roll their eyes at (Am I the only one that LOVES the look and feel of a brand-new book in my hands? Am I the only one who opens it up to a middle page and breathes in that heady, new-book smell and smiles with glee? Heh. Didn't think so).

So today, I celebrate the creative gibberish that goes on between writers - on messageboards, by email, at conferences, and in classrooms. It's a language we all understand very well, one that most of the world just doesn't "get." And I'm okay with that.

Adsj fwaer'a irgt gdjfga'faek adsifojasdofj. (<--am I right, or am I right?) ;-)

7 comments:

  1. I'd like to respond to this, but I didn't understand a word you said. :P

    I don't think new books smell as good as they did when I was younger. I wish I had a way of comparing that.
    Better than new book smell... old book smell!

    http://strangepegs.blogspot.com/

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  2. Oooh, good point about old book smell. Yes, that definitely rivals new book smell. Years ago, I worked in a used bookstore and did love that "used" smell whenever I shelved books. And, even more, I loved the idea that those words on those pages had been read many, many times already...

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  3. I couldn't have said it better myself. ;-)
    ~ Westie

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  4. Oh, so true! That's why a writer's conference is very exciting and encouraging - they speak the same language!

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  5. Ewrtujvd oijfa[f! :D

    To non-writer folks: "Great post! Well Said." ;-)

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