Comments on: What Is There In Life If You Do Not Work? http://www.casualoptimist.com/2010/07/21/what-is-there-in-life-if-you-do-not-work/ Books, Design & Culture Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:26:19 +0000 hourly 1 By: Dan http://www.casualoptimist.com/2010/07/21/what-is-there-in-life-if-you-do-not-work/comment-page-1/#comment-4810 Dan Wed, 21 Jul 2010 19:43:41 +0000 http://www.casualoptimist.com/?p=5048#comment-4810 I think there are reasons to criticize Zinsser. You might object to his comparing writing to manual labour. Or the pretension of comparing himself to craftsmen. Or you might think that his attitude does not reflect the modern experience of many creative people (myself included) who do their 'work' outside of the confines of their 9-5 job (and often are not paid for it). But, to say (anonymously) that it is "just so obnoxious" doesn't really get us very far, does it? Even though I find some of his stylistic tics irritating, I still find Zinsser's <em>On Writing Well</em> useful. What I like about it -- and this article -- is the recognition that creative work is still <em>work </em>-- that people find it difficult and have to put effort in to get inspiration. It seems to me that this is not unrelated to <a href="http://www.fsgworkinprogress.com/2010/07/in-conversation-the-state-of-book-jacket-design/" rel="nofollow">Henry Sene Yee describing design as problem solving</a>. I think there are reasons to criticize Zinsser. You might object to his comparing writing to manual labour. Or the pretension of comparing himself to craftsmen. Or you might think that his attitude does not reflect the modern experience of many creative people (myself included) who do their ‘work’ outside of the confines of their 9-5 job (and often are not paid for it). But, to say (anonymously) that it is “just so obnoxious” doesn’t really get us very far, does it?

Even though I find some of his stylistic tics irritating, I still find Zinsser’s On Writing Well useful. What I like about it — and this article — is the recognition that creative work is still work – that people find it difficult and have to put effort in to get inspiration. It seems to me that this is not unrelated to Henry Sene Yee describing design as problem solving.

]]> By: am http://www.casualoptimist.com/2010/07/21/what-is-there-in-life-if-you-do-not-work/comment-page-1/#comment-4809 am Wed, 21 Jul 2010 18:58:14 +0000 http://www.casualoptimist.com/?p=5048#comment-4809 This is actually just so obnoxious. This is actually just so obnoxious.

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