3 ms·

Well, I'm not saying that my writing is incomprehensible, I assume I've overcome that barrier. But I'm still years of practice away from achieving goodness. May

Well, I'm not saying that my writing is incomprehensible, I assume I've overcome that barrier. But I'm still years of practice away from achieving goodness. Maybe a good analogy would be something like a chef who grew up in Japan and learned how to cook tasty Yakitory (skewered chicken), and then moved to Korea and learned their cuisine. He makes unbelievably tasty Dakkochi (Korean skewered chicken), it sells well, yet it's not the same. He knows - something is missing, but he can't tell exactly what. And his only hope is to keep trying. And that's just chicken - arguably the easiest meat to deal with.

yig 4y ago
As a native English speaker, your writing seems beautiful and perfect to me. I would never have guessed you aren't a native speaker. The feeling of foreignness can be pernicious. You'll always wonder if a miscommunication is because of foreignness or the countless other reasons even two native speakers misunderstand each other.
- iLemming 4y ago
  Thank you for your kind words. They mean a lot to me and may sound gratifying to those who, just like me, are still trying to get a grip on the subtle art of expressing their thoughts freely and without any hurdles, like swimming or running. I feel awkward now. My initial intent wasn't a plea for sympathy. I didn't mean it to sound like: "look at me, the poor foreigner, my life is tough, yadda yadda..." I think English is interesting and a curious case here because it is exceptionally forgiving; not only does it allow mistakes - sometimes, "breaking the rules" is encouraged. As long as you try to convey your thoughts, whatever path you choose, it most likely finds acceptance, and your voice gets heard. I remember the day I arrived at JFK for the first time. I couldn't speak. I knew words; with whatever elementary grammar I had at the time and the pathetic vocabulary that I would thinly stretch to communicate, I could say things in my head, yet I wouldn't dare to say them out loud. From the day our ancestors left the trees and tried communicating with each other, we started associating and measuring our intellectual level tying it to our speaking abilities. When we cannot freely express our thoughts, we feel (subconsciously or otherwise) inferior to our interlocutors. However, for most English-speaking people, English is a second language, and for hundreds of millions, it's not even a second but a third or fourth. And most often, simply demonstrating the commitment to learn and get better earns you respect from even the native speakers. For this reason alone, I think anyone who learned English, even at the primary level, should try to write in it. No rule says that whatever story you're trying to tell needs to be fluid, has to sound harmonic, and is not allowed to have sharp edges. Enigma's song comes to mind: The principles of l̵u̵s̵t̵ [writing in English] are easy to understand... Do what you feel, feel until the end...
robocat 4y ago
My suspicion is that you are blocked because you demand perfection in every aspect from yourself? You should be able to achieve excellent writing in more technical areas, or in niche topics. You will likely struggle to write poetically in English. Perhaps instead encourage skills that are not specific to English: good metaphors, writing simply and clearly, choosing an interesting topic. I suggest you keep an eye out for compelling writing that is written by people that do not have English as a first language, and see if you can recognise their tricks. And remember: if you write then you are a writer. Just write. The best writers usually wish their writing were better, and can see all the flaws in their work.

yig 4y ago

As a native English speaker, your writing seems beautiful and perfect to me. I would never have guessed you aren't a native speaker. The feeling of foreignness can be pernicious. You'll always wonder if a miscommunication is because of foreignness or the countless other reasons even two native speakers misunderstand each other.

iLemming 4y ago
Thank you for your kind words. They mean a lot to me and may sound gratifying to those who, just like me, are still trying to get a grip on the subtle art of expressing their thoughts freely and without any hurdles, like swimming or running. I feel awkward now. My initial intent wasn't a plea for sympathy. I didn't mean it to sound like: "look at me, the poor foreigner, my life is tough, yadda yadda..." I think English is interesting and a curious case here because it is exceptionally forgiving; not only does it allow mistakes - sometimes, "breaking the rules" is encouraged. As long as you try to convey your thoughts, whatever path you choose, it most likely finds acceptance, and your voice gets heard. I remember the day I arrived at JFK for the first time. I couldn't speak. I knew words; with whatever elementary grammar I had at the time and the pathetic vocabulary that I would thinly stretch to communicate, I could say things in my head, yet I wouldn't dare to say them out loud. From the day our ancestors left the trees and tried communicating with each other, we started associating and measuring our intellectual level tying it to our speaking abilities. When we cannot freely express our thoughts, we feel (subconsciously or otherwise) inferior to our interlocutors. However, for most English-speaking people, English is a second language, and for hundreds of millions, it's not even a second but a third or fourth. And most often, simply demonstrating the commitment to learn and get better earns you respect from even the native speakers. For this reason alone, I think anyone who learned English, even at the primary level, should try to write in it. No rule says that whatever story you're trying to tell needs to be fluid, has to sound harmonic, and is not allowed to have sharp edges. Enigma's song comes to mind: The principles of l̵u̵s̵t̵ [writing in English] are easy to understand... Do what you feel, feel until the end...

robocat 4y ago

My suspicion is that you are blocked because you demand perfection in every aspect from yourself? You should be able to achieve excellent writing in more technical areas, or in niche topics. You will likely struggle to write poetically in English. Perhaps instead encourage skills that are not specific to English: good metaphors, writing simply and clearly, choosing an interesting topic. I suggest you keep an eye out for compelling writing that is written by people that do not have English as a first language, and see if you can recognise their tricks. And remember: if you write then you are a writer. Just write. The best writers usually wish their writing were better, and can see all the flaws in their work.