apparently carl has become the only person i talk to about my writing. and that's crazy in itself!

carl:
"you're not like other writers. you don't seem to give a shit about describing a situation in a way that catches the reader's attention, and makes them feel like they themselves are right in the story. like here, try to describe an earthquake or something."

me:
"you're right. i'm very bad at describing earthquakes. i probably couldn't make a spider bite appear real at all (well let me actually try. jimmy was bit by a spider and blood and guts poured out EVERYWHERE and the slimy red intestine started oozing right out of his fingertips and) and to be honest, you're right, i should get better at that. i remember virginia woolf said something like:

'one has to secrete a jelly in which to slip quotations down people's throats - and one always secretes too much jelly.'

and that always made sense to me."

carl:
"you just quoted that for no reason! you're being the exact thing she's talking badly about!!"

me:
"yeah, you're right. and my adjective use is very poor. my verbs could use a little sprucing up too."