Comments on: The Art of Miscommunication and the Under-Bed Manuscripts https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/ Mon, 26 May 2014 11:59:27 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.3 By: Barbara https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/#comment-431 Sat, 30 Jul 2011 10:14:28 +0000 http://booksbywomenorg.netfirms.com/?p=1358#comment-431 In reply to roz morris.

Thanks Roz! I spend my life stumbling around, glad it made you laugh 😉

]]> By: roz morris https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/#comment-412 Mon, 25 Jul 2011 06:31:24 +0000 http://booksbywomenorg.netfirms.com/?p=1358#comment-412 This is such a good analogy to learning to write. We spend so long stumbling around without any idea what we’re saying, or how what we’re doing is working, and it’s such a triumph of perseverence when we finally get somewhere! Your malapropisms made me laugh. I’d be much worse. I walked past someone in Mexico one morning and instead of wishing her a hearty good day I hollered ‘good God!’. I’m keeping my mouth shut and my head down over the keyboard from now on.

]]> By: Roxy https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/#comment-402 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 18:00:51 +0000 http://booksbywomenorg.netfirms.com/?p=1358#comment-402 Excellent blog post Barbara, very funny! Language learning creates all kinds of dilemmas, but you’re so right, the only way to really get to grips with a foreign language is to jump right in and make a massive fool of ourselves in the process. Keep up the good work! X

]]> By: Megan Noelle https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/#comment-400 Fri, 22 Jul 2011 07:11:48 +0000 http://booksbywomenorg.netfirms.com/?p=1358#comment-400 As a former foreign language studier and world traveler myself, I definitely understand what it means to have to be fully immersed and have wonderful, blessedly patient teachers to really “get” the language. I am a white American and while I was studying Japanese in Japan my best friend was Chinese. We were on the same level of Japanese, which was intermediate, so our communication was sometimes limited, and we often didn’t understand natives, especially in our country village. Your article reminded me of when she asked a question to a Japanese saleslady and I had to translate the answer for her and the saleslady about passed out she was so confused, having assumed my Asian friend was Japanese, too! 🙂

So, yes, I absolutely agree that what makes sense to some does not necessarily make sense to all. I think most writers go through a phase of those types of stories, and even the most practiced of us can have a real doozy, every once in awhile–much like a band can have that one weird album that just doesn’t go with anything else they ever did. I hope that your next effort does come out more like bread rolls than kisses, and know that the more you keep practicing, the clearer your voice will be in any language! Good luck!

]]> By: Joanna Cannon https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/#comment-346 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 22:04:05 +0000 http://booksbywomenorg.netfirms.com/?p=1358#comment-346 What a great post, Barbara. I love the horses bit.

It’s a very tricky thing, deciding to share your writing. I don’t think anyone feels completely comfortable the first time they make their work public, but I do believe there’s a little voice somewhere in your head which tells you when you’re ready. I still argue with mine, but it always wins me over in the end x

]]> By: Alison Wells https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/#comment-342 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 09:49:05 +0000 http://booksbywomenorg.netfirms.com/?p=1358#comment-342 Thanks for sharing this with me Barbara. Great and amusing examples of being misunderstood. Your other point about the manuscripts is one I struggle with. I wrote a story recently that meant a lot to me, showed it to my husband and he said ‘I just don’t get it.’ I’ve also had experiences of showing work to one person who hated it and others who loved the same piece of work. There are so many books out there with different languages in terms of the background and psychological perspective of the person writing. How do we know if our experiences are something that others will share and say ‘Yes! I recognise this!’ to, or should we always strive to be a little more distanced and present stories that have a more universal appeal. There is no definitive answer. I think it just depends on the quality of the writing and whether or not a coherent story is portrayed.

]]> By: Women Writers, Women's Books https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/#comment-339 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 03:30:17 +0000 http://booksbywomenorg.netfirms.com/?p=1358#comment-339 Very funny stories Marisa and Claire. Thanks for sharing them.

]]> By: Women Writers, Women's Books https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/#comment-338 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 03:27:45 +0000 http://booksbywomenorg.netfirms.com/?p=1358#comment-338 In reply to NettieWriter.

Nettie, how about we encourage Barbara to share a chapter!

]]> By: Women Writers, Women's Books https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/#comment-337 Sun, 10 Jul 2011 03:26:31 +0000 http://booksbywomenorg.netfirms.com/?p=1358#comment-337 In reply to Derek Flynn.

Derek, great question. Has anyone ever read them?

That’s at least as intriguing as Barbara’s transient lifestyle and ongoing willingness to learn new languages!

Barbara, it’s time to share a first chapter with some kind, understanding, and writer supportive peers!

]]> By: Derek Flynn https://booksbywomen.org/the-art-of-miscommunication-and-the-under-bed-manuscripts/#comment-336 Sat, 09 Jul 2011 21:14:11 +0000 http://booksbywomenorg.netfirms.com/?p=1358#comment-336 Great post, Barbara. Very funny. But would you not dust off the manuscripts and try to submit one? Has anyone ever read them?

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