I've recently discovered a new (to me) blog called Lingua Franca -- thanks to my friend Rob who pointed me in its direction. It's subtitled 'Language and Writing in Academe' so probably doesn't sound wildly exciting to those who are not involved in writing, but I've been finding it fascinating and often very funny.
Today's interesting and entertaining post, written by one Allan Metcalf, is called Teflon and Velcro Writers, and briefly the argument is this:
Teflon writing is smooth, polished, gemlike. You can admire it, but it doesn’t reach out to you. It leaves you in peace.
Velcro writing, on the other hand, grabs you, sticks with you, changes you. It isn’t necessarily pretty to look at, but it gets hold of you and shakes you up.
If you read the whole post you'll see that he gives some examples, mostly taken from American poetry. But in principal this can be applied to any writing and I tend to think it's very apt, though it may be quite subjective, and very much sums up my own feelings about literature in general. I'm just about to finish a review of a writer who I'd definitely put in the Velcro camp -- wonderful Elizabeth Bowen. But maybe she doesn't reach out and grab everyone?
