[stylist] Word choice

[Bridgit Pollpeter]

That I recall, I've never had anyone question this in my writing, but in
my actual life, it happens all the time. People constantly use terms
like listening to TV or a book or feeling a book if Braille. Ross and I
have had people argue with us when we use terms like reading a book or
watching TV. As Robert says, words are relative, and I agree with Chris
that I'm not going to slow my writing down or make it clunky just to
appease certain people.

And, I do look at things even if I can't see them. Had you said he saw
or was seeing, that may have more of an argument, but to just said he
looked, well, if his turns that way, that is looking by its definition.

I always, always wonder why people who aren't blind, want to project
things onto those who are blind, and they insist, but when we, the
actual blind people, try to set them straight, they refuse to listen;
they think they are right. I mean, seriously, why?

People really get caught up in this stuff; it's so stupid, LOL!

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
 
"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan

Message: 1
Date: Wed, 28 Nov 2012 13:18:37 -0500
From: "Chris Kuell" <ckuell at comcast.net>
To: <newmanrl at cox.net>, "Writer's Division Mailing List"
	<stylist at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [stylist] [word choice & Robert's gratitude submission
Message-ID: <3E507D5DD5104367A907274F674916CA at ChrisPC>
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
	reply-type=original

This is an interesting post, Robert. I've run into similar situations in
my 
own writing. For example, I belong to a critique group. I submitted a 
chapter of my novel about a blind massage therapist, in which I wrote
'Dan 
looked down at his plate, buying time while he thought of an appropriate

response.'
Several of the sighted folks in the group wrote--how can he look down at
his 
plate? I understand their point, but I don't really feel like slowing
the 
action to say that while Dan can't see the plate physically with his
eyes, 
when he pointed his face toward the plate, what a sighted person would
call 
looking at it, he saw it in his mind. The chicken to the left side, the
rice 
and vegetables to the right... and so on. I left it as is, although an 
editor down the line might raise the same exact question.

chris