Monday 2 April 2012

A to Z Challenge - ORWELL'S THIRD LAW - B is for Beauty

BEAUTY IS ONLY SKIN DEEP
But, which skin and how deep?
Like half the blogging writers on the planet, this April I'm Blogging from A to Z   ;)

In accordance with Orwell's Third Law of sentence construction. ;) I am posting idioms, proverbs and examples of figurative language.

George Orwell says: 

WHEN WRITING A SENTENCE YOU SHOULD ALWAYS ASK YOURSELF:

1. What am I trying to say?

2. What words will express it?

3. What image or idiom will make it clearer?


As the weather here has been changing from summer warm to winter chill over the last week, I have been drawn back to re-reading Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver and Linger


In these novels anyone infected by the werewolf virus remains in wolf-form through the winter, and in their human form in the summer. Spring and autumn are dangerous times if a new werewolf cannot predict when the change might overtake them.


Sam was very young when he was infected and he changed for the first time.


From Maggie Stievater's LINGER


I remember one spring, when I was nine and still relatively uncertain in my wolf skin, the warm day had stripped my pelt from me and left me naked and embarrassed, curled on the forest floor like a pale new shoot.


ORWELL'S FOURTH LAW MUST APPLY TO ANY IMAGERY TOO:


4. Is this image fresh enough to have an effect?


Spring tempted green buds to peer from their protective soil only to snap at them with sudden frosts.


In cruel spring, the shy shoots emerge from the deep out into intense glares and frosty treatment.


Strong verbs beat at the heart of great imagery.


WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE A SPRING VERB? 


Spring kindles...    Spring hikes...

25 comments:

  1. George Orwell was a genius (He's my O post). This was a really cool post...it certainly makes me want to rethink some of the things I've written.

    Great blog and happy A-Z blogging!

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    1. Hi SL
      Thank you. Have a great A to Z. I hope I can get around to see your post on Orwell. His advice helps writers build their work one sentence at a time. I love that.

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  2. popping in to say hi and happy blogging through A-Z - looks like this will be an interesting theme - so will try and find time to come back later - there are so many blogs!!:)

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    1. Hi Alberta
      Thanks. I decided to link the posts. Last year I posted 26 on Characterisation: working my way alphabetically through that hardest thing I've ever done.
      Thanks for popping in. I'm glad you made it. :) The list of Bloggers for the A to Z Challenge is daunting.

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  3. Never heard of Orwells laws but I sure am glad you shared them.!great A-Z post!
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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    1. Hi nutschell Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I think George Orwell's rules for writing stronger sentences are simple and effective. Have a great A to Z.

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  4. Great stuff, very interesting.
    Teresa

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    1. Hi Teresa
      Thank you :) I hope you have a great A to Z.

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  5. That is some very beautiful imagery. Very apt and startling.

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  6. I am one of the few writers NOT participating in the A-Z challenge but then again, that has given me time to enjoy what others are writing. Like you

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    1. Hi Donna
      The A to Z Challenge is great. I love making time to meet new writers and their work. I'm up an hour early though ;) *Enough said.

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  7. Hi Taryn
    Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I hope your A to z is going well. Thanks for your kind words. As Orwell's Fourth Law says ;) The imagery needs to be fresh enough to have an effect.

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  8. Hello! Just randomly visiting A-Z sites (instead of writing, of course). Enjoyed your post. Spring surges... LindaK

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    1. Hi Linda
      I love that verb... Spring surges I'm thinking tidal inevitability ;)

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  9. Lovely use of words! A spring verb? Oh, so much thinking for this early in the morning. There's a reason why I post nothing but nonsense. (hint: it's because I'm lazy. Ha!)

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    1. Hi Stephanie
      Lazy? Nah! Spring lazes beneath frosty covers :D

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  10. Hi,
    Lots of blogs to visit and to keep up with writing as well. I write very early in the morning and then spend a couple of hours visiting others. I think a good spring verb would be burgeoning.
    I love words. Thanks for the interesting and thought provoking read.
    Ruby

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    1. Hi Ruby
      Thanks you :)
      This is a tricky verb.
      Spring burgeons and the sturdy shoots head-butt the soil out of the way.

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  11. Oh good theme and good choice of books to talk about. I loved Shiver, Linger and Forever.

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    1. Hi Carrie
      Thank you. The theme just seemed to play to a strength ;) I loved the characters in Shiver and Linger like family - even the black sheep... wolf. ;)

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  12. Spring is springing from the earth! I'm hoping to visit all the blogs on the A-Z Challenge in April.

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    1. Hi Sharkbytes
      Good luck with the notion of getting around everyone during April. I'm aiming for 20 a day and I'm working to a mathematical grid to keep it fair. That and visiting anyone who drops by will keep me busy long enough to offend the more face-to-face sociable types here ;)
      I love the notion of spring springing - all bouncing lambs and dancing flowers.

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  13. oh my gosh! as an english teacher i love, love, love this!

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    1. Hi Stephanie
      *huge grin Thank you. I'm glad I've impressed an English teacher.

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  14. Hi Karen
    Thank you. The theme should be less exhausting than doing four hours of research for last year's Characterisation posts ;)

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