Home
>
Writing
>
Self-examination vs Self-indulgence

Self-examination vs Self-indulgence

Self-examination is brutally honest. Self-indulgence is brutally maudlin.

Writing requires the author to be harshly candid about motive, intent, and goal, which, of course, mean self-examination. On the other hand, a lack of sincerity becomes self-indulgence, which is self-pitying.

Writers must know why they are writing, their motive. Is it for money, acclaim, or self-satisfaction? Is it to inform, entertain, or convince the reader? Is it to fulfill a desire to titillate, deceive, or subvert the reader? The author must be sincere when he or she considers the desire.

Generally speaking, writers have more than one goal as they compose. In today's world where non-fiction makes up the greatest percentage of writing, the motive is to inform or convince with the secondary motive being financial. Most authors want to be published to acquire financial assets or to become wealthy, but the first consideration is to have something to say that is relevant to the intended readership. Fiction writers often write for a need to express themselves and to entertain while poets put forth their passion to amuse, to beguile, to foment, to excite, and to purge. All writers, therefore, must establish their motive and be conscientious.

Thus writers have three goals--to inform, to entertain, and to convince. In this world of information overload, the writer has an important role because dissemination of information is, for the most part, achieved through the written word, even in television. Before the pictures, comes the text and writers generate this although they often work behind the scenes.

Entertainment is accomplished through the eyes, the ears, and other senses, but, again, before this happens, the writer is the primary source of the ideas that become articles, books, movies, or television programs. Last but not least, is the motive to convince, and again the writer is responsible for this. Advertising, political campaigning, religion--all want to persuade the reader, audience, spectators, and listeners that it to their advantage to accept what is offered. Behind the scene, again, is the writer.

Thus, the writer must submit to self-examination with candor and intensity to be sure that motives are fulfilling, not just self-gratifying. If it is self-indulgence then it is effusively sentimental, lacking in substance and fidelity-the dedicated writer's anathema.

Charles Goulet has a BA in history and BEd in English literature. He has several historical novels published.

Charles O. Goulet
RR 1
Evansburg, AB
T0E 0T0
go1c@telusplanet.net

cheap limo service Lombard .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Recent reports show many common passwords can be cracked in literally seconds. Kurt the CyberGuy explains how to strengthen your passwords.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Iron, a robot that stands 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds, combines advanced artificial intelligence with human-like movement and exceptional vision.

Hertz, the rental car giant, recently confirmed that customer information was exposed through a cyberattack on one of its software vendors.

There are a number of features with AirPods you may or may not know about to take your listening experience to the next level. Kurt the CyberGuy explains.

These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.

Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.

Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.

Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.

With a fully automated warehouse system and AI-powered robots, Ocado's Hive picks, packs and delivers grocery store orders in just a few minutes.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Recycling robots are using artificial intelligence to learn how to sort recyclables by recognizing patterns in colors, textures, shapes and logos.

The Reachy 2 robot is designed to be friendly and approachable, inviting natural interaction and is perfect for research, education and experimenting with embodied AI.

Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares several easy ways to keep your credit cards safe from digital thieves while you're traveling this summer.

Arcturus sets up cameras around the edges of baseball stadiums to capture real-time action and generate a 3D digital clone of the game.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

The CyberGuy explains why healthcare organizations are vulnerable to hackers after there have been a half dozen data breaches this year.

Developed at two California universities, the innovative technology combines brain-computer interfaces with advanced AI to decode neural activity into audible speech.