今天跟大家分享的英文原版书是《On writing well》里面的第一章。
在这一章里，作者和一个兼职作家Dr. Brock被邀请到某学校给学生分享他们对写作的看法。两人在当地都非常有声望，是非常受人尊敬的作家，但是，两个人对于写作的看法却是截然不同。
学生们一共问了他们6个问题。
第一个问题是成为一名作家是怎样一种体验？What was it like to be a writer?
Dr. Brock认为写作充满了无穷的乐趣：it was tremendous fun. The words just flowed. It was easy.
而作者却认为写作很难且无趣：writing wasn't easy and wasn't fun. It was hard and lonely, and the words seldom just flowed.
他们被问到的第二个问题是：重写重要么？If it was important to rewrite.
Dr. Brock认为重写毫无必要，这样才能反映出作者最自然的状态。Absolutely not. Let it all hang out. Whatever form the sentences take will reflect the writer at his most natural.
而作者却认为重写是写作的本质所在，需要不断重写。Rewriting is the essence of writing. Professional writers rewrite their sentences over and over and then rewrite what they have rewritten.
他们被问到的第三个问题是：写不出来的时候咋办呢？What do you do on days when it isn't going well？
Dr. Brock认为那就写不写，放几天，有灵感了再写。: Just stopped writing and put the work aside for a day when it would go better.
而作者认为写不出也要坚持写。Professional writer must establish a daily schedule and stick to it.
他们面对的第四个问题是你的不好的情绪是否会影响写作？What if you're feeling depressed or unhappy? Won't that affect your writing?
Dr. Brock 认为可能会影响，所以他会选择去散步或者钓鱼。Probably it will, Dr. Brock replied. Go fishing. Take a walk.
而我则认为不太会，Probably it won't. If your job is to write every day, you learn to do it like any other job.
他们要回答的第五个问题是跟圈子里的人多交流有没有用处？Is it useful to circulate in the literary world.
Dr. Brock:显然很喜欢跟圈子里的人交流。He was greatly enjoying his new life as a man of letters, and he told several stories of being taken to lunch by his publisher and his agent at Manhattan restaurants where writers and editors gather.
而作者则认为没有必要. Professional writers are solitary drudges who seldom see other writers.
他们要回答的最后一个问题是：作品中是否使用象征的手法？Do you put symbolism in your writing?
Dr. Brock 显然很喜欢用这种手法：I love symbols!" Dr. Brock exclaimed, and he described with gusto the joys of weaving them through his work
而我则尽量避免使用这种手法。Not if I can help it," I replied. I have an unbroken record of missing the deeper meaning in any story, play or movie, and as for dance and mime, I have never had any idea of what is being conveyed.
以上六个问题，两人的回答截然相反，如果你在现场的话，可能会越听越糊涂了：这两人到底谁说的是正确的？我到底应该听谁的？
我们总是有一种倾向，对于任何问题，总想得出一个清晰的结论，这件事是好事还是坏事，这个人是好人还是坏人？我们从小在学校念书，也经常被告知正确的答案只有一个。
但是很多问题并不是只有一个答案的，正如在本章的最后，作者说道在第一章的最后，作者说道我们给学生提供了更宽广的关于写作的视角：We gave them a broader glimpse of the writing process than if only one of us had talked. For there isn't any "right" way to do such personal work. There are all kinds of writers and all kinds of methods, and any method that helps you to say what you want to say is the right method for you.
我曾经看过两本书：一本是奥威尔的《1984》，一本是赫胥黎的《美丽新世界》。它们都是在想象人类未来的可怕前景，但是思路不一样。奥威尔害怕的，是权力作恶，而赫胥黎害怕的，是我们的人性作恶。
《娱乐至死》的作者波茨曼有一段话说得好，他说：“奥威尔害怕的是那些强行禁书的人，赫胥黎担心的是再也没有人愿意读书；奥威尔害怕的是那些剥夺我们信息的人，赫胥黎担心的是人们在汪洋大海的信息中日益变得被动和自私；奥威尔害怕的是真理被隐瞒，赫胥黎担心的是真理被淹没在无聊烦琐的世事中；在《1984》中人们受制于痛苦，而在《美丽新世界》中人们由于享乐失去了自由。简而言之，奥威尔担心我们憎恨的东西会毁掉我们，而赫胥黎担心的是，我们将毁于我们热爱的东西。”
这两本书的观点哪个对，哪个错，哪个有道理？
依我看，两个都对，两个都有道理。
正如罗永浩曾经说过：同时葆有全然相反的两种观念还能正常行事，这是第一流智慧的标志。
所以，这第一章给我最大的启发是很多问题并没有绝对的答案，互相矛盾也未尝不可，重要的是要保持头脑的开放性，发现看问题的新的角度，把不同的观点当做一盏盏灯，了解到的观点越多，前进的道路上点亮的灯就越多，前进的道路也就越光明。
希望今天的分享对你有启发，顺带学点英语。
