Friday, October 08, 2010

Calvin and Hobbes on Writing



I love Calvin and Hobbes, it is one of my favorite comics for so many reasons. But this one is by far the funniest when it comes to writing.

I'm sure you've read books like this, books where the author is trying hard to sound smart, intelligent and highly educated but they come across as pompous, irritating and desperate.

Calvin here of course is just being his difficult self, trying to make his teachers life a little more complicated and get a good grade in the process. Maybe that's why the smarty pants writers write the way they do? To get a good grade (win an award) and impress the teacher (reviewers).

Me, I'd rather write a book that all the kids (readers) like and forget about the teachers (reviewers), after all, its not the reviewers that make you a NYT best seller.

3 comments:

J E Fritz said...

I agree. The books are for the readers. Also: Calvin and Hobbes is awesome.

Jim said...

I find it rather amazing that a stuffed tiger can read and talk. I guess I blew when I went the traditional 'Teddy' route. In my next life I'm going with the tiger.
Jim

Anonymous said...

Love this cartoon, Shannon. It's so true and an apt reminder to never take ourselves too seriously!