Damn Hard Writing

"Easy reading is damn hard writing." -Nathaniel Hawthorne

He says it well. However, I have never met anyone who says Hawthorne is easy reading. Rather, they complain about his dated use of the English language. His words sound in the mind like a preacher's but, from my experience raising three young adults, I know Hawthorne still manages to capture attention with his compelling stories. They laughed where Hawthorne would have them laughing, complained where he would have them complaining, and followed to where he leads their minds. He was an excellent writer.

Given today's short attention spans, television, commercials, sound bites, and the evolution or de-evolution of language, I think Hawthorne might have said it differently today. He might have said, "Easy reading gets hard with time until it becomes as damn hard as the writing."


© 2009, Steven R. Lundin, all rights reserved