A speaker uses the sword and water as metaphors for precise language. He argues that careful word choice, deliberate character naming, and cutting away excess material reveal what actually matters. Revision and refinement make writing sharp.
Chapters
Well, it's also. I mean, a sword in general is so provocative to begin with, and then you add in the sensuality of the water and what that means to you. It also reminds me just of how important words are and the choice of words and being really selective with the words that we choose to put out into the world. I can spend a long time, you know, trying to name a character or trying to make sure that I'm expressing really the root of what I'm trying to talk about, and. And the idea of cutting away all the extraneous until you can get to the real nugget of it. That's a process that takes time and care. So I just. And I know you work with speakers a lot, so I'm sure that you're constantly revising the written word.