Writing is tough. I am not a professional although I have made a few bucks writing for companies and candidates. I have not relied on writing for my livelihood and do not consider myself a pro. Writing lacks the full-throated context of speech wherein one can through inflection, volume and tone convey additional meaning to the stark words. It is difficult to share irony or satire with the written word when one lacks the talent for doing so. I am also a cynic and a skeptic which compounds the task of clear communication….a cynically satirical piece can create confusion among the readers. All I want for Christmas is to be a Word Wizard….in total command of the nuance and shading of every word in the Universe….in all languages for all time.
In the simplest models communication is a four-part process involving the source, message, the channel and the receiver. Those would be you, your idea, your voice or your keyboard, and your listener or reader. Generally communication is not that simple and precise communication is even more complicated. There are numerous intervening variables that impact a communication attempt. The state of mind of the listener or reader can have a huge impact on any communication effort. For example have you ever uttered some innocuous comment only to have a listener (intended or eavesdropping) take offense? That may have happened because the listener had a preconceived notion that your message seemed to confirm or reject. Or it could be something as perplexing that they are having a bad day and are immersed in paranoia and defensiveness so any statement from you is viewed as potentially offensive.
Given all the clinkers that invade the communication process, I am amazed that our species continues to exist. We take offense when none was intended or we inadvertently offend because we use the wrong word, phrase, reference or timing. Dogs have it so much easier. A well-placed sniff identifies the invading critter as “friend or foe” and measures are taken accordingly. If we went around butt sniffing one another, I might have a more hopeful expectation for the future of the human race. But I digress….there are so many factors that inhibit perfect communication and understanding, that I am amazed that we do not have even more interpersonal and international conflicts than we have now.
If you or someone you love has been married for a significant length of time, you’re aware of the potential for misunderstanding and conflict. A marriage is a simple one-to-one (usually….well, generally) communication context wherein the sender/receiver relationship alternates between parties and is expected to have a high degree of familiarity and cohesion. Yet….conflict occurs…..sometimes for serious reasons and other times for head-scratching ones. So…extend this picture to the writer/audience relationship. It seems obvious that there will be misunderstanding and friction. They are inevitable and likely. Given that in most cases the writer and the reader have never met, have no personal knowledge of one another (unless the writer shares that information) and are operating in different environments. It is truly amazing that disagreements are not more frequent or more fierce.
Sometimes a writer has a difficult time expanding a concept. She or he has a vague sense of what must be said or written to clearly present the idea but the exact words to project the precise meanings will not be found. This is a form of the devastating nightmare called writer’s block. It is painful……………………………………………………………………………………………..
Comment: cearlwriting@hotmail.com
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