One example of this is the laptop messenger bag. Now to me it looks like a form of the book bags I remember from school. And I guess in a way it is.
However, as our society moves into more modern technology, we adapt and change. People began to carry their laptops with them so they needed a way to protect them and transport them easier. Thus the book bag comes into play. Since it no longer carries our books we re-name it, make a few minor changes and a new product is born - the laptop messenger bag. I’ve also seen this happen with clothing trends and fads.
What does this have to do with writing or even reading, you ask.
In writing, we all have had a time when we begin a project (whether it’s a book or just a letter to a friend) and can’t get much past the first few lines or paragraphs. Sometimes if we put that aside for a bit and come back to it with fresh eyes, we see a way to re-write (re-name) it so that it becomes what we wanted to say to start with.
For writers, think about those short little blurbs you jotted down years ago before you became a serious writer. If you pulled those out today and re-worked them a bit, what would you have? Making something old new again can work in writing too.
As for reading, if I put a description to my reading I can get bogged down. With this description it can become work - I do book reviews. But if I re-name what I do - I read for pleasure and share my thoughts with others - then it doesn’t have the same pressure feel to it.
What about you? If you’re a writer, have you re-named a piece of earlier writing and made it work? If you’re a reader, do you put pressure on yourself to read more by renaming what you do?
Just a side note: If this post sounds a bit like rambling, blame it on the 6 to 8 inches of snow Georgia received Sunday, Jan. 9, and is still here Saturday, Jan. 15, and looks like it’s never going away. At the time I wrote this, I hadn’t been out in the real world in a number of days. LOL
What are you re-naming?
I have just revamped a few old poems.
ReplyDeleteI hope the snow melts soon for you. Stay sane and warm. :)
This isn't rambling at all...it's a great way to look at everything in life! If we can make our work or household chores sound more enjoyable or phrase them so that they're appealing, then we can approach them with more enthusiasm!
ReplyDeleteI'm not renaming anything, I'm a kind of person who always looks ahead, who likes progress not retrograde things :)
ReplyDeleteBe a gal, and send us some snow to Europe, Masy :)
I hope you get out from the snow soon.
ReplyDeleteMason - What a great idea for a topic, and it's not rambling at all! Re-naming something can make it more interesting. As a matter of fact, I'm in the process of deciding whether to re-name my work in progress. The title I'd thought of is fine, but it no longer really gives a snapshot of the book. So I'm in the process of thinking about re-naming it. Good timing!!
ReplyDeleteOh, and I love that 'photo!
Glynis, staying warm is no problem. Now the sane part, people might debate with you that I was already past that. LOL
ReplyDeleteElizabeth, I think you're right about the household chores. Maybe if we called them by a different title they wouldn't sound like chores any more. :)
Dez, if it were in my power I would gladly send you all the snow I have left (and that's still a good bit). Now they're talking about a chance of sleet Sunday night.
Dru, I think I've had enough snow for the next decade. Hope you're feeling better.
Margot, the photo made me smile when I saw it and it came under the heading of fads. I thought fads are re-named all the time. I love your example that the name is fine but doesn't give a snapshot of the book now. That's what re-naming is all about.
Margot,
I just bought my daughter a laptop backpack for campus, she loves carrying around her netbook, not having to use the school computers.
ReplyDeleteI hear you on not being out in the real world. We received two feet of fresh snowfall here Wednesday, and will be clearing more of it this weekend, particularly off the roof, before more is predicted in a few days! Happy Winter to you :)
Amen,Sister, on renaming things. What is old is new again for sure. Absolutely, I find old writing or ideas that I change up a bit and make it newish. It's usually the same story, just a little different.
ReplyDeleteSorry about your snow accumulation. Ours is finally melting. We are expecting a heat wave today 38 to 40 degrees. Close your eyes world, I'm getting out the bikini.
Have a great day...reading.
T
A few years ago, I wrote a complete novel - all in dialogue as practice. Well, I've been in love with that story to this day. So, I'm re-writing it. That way someone will actually want to read it.
ReplyDeleteCD
Wishing for spring here already, and some pretty green green grass. big sigh.
ReplyDeleteI write a manuscript, then do a ton of re-naming in the editing phase. Sometimes I change the plot, but mostly it's adding descriptions and changes the words.
ReplyDeleteJoanne, I don't even want to think about 2 feet of snow and more coming - oh my.
ReplyDeleteTeresa, 38 to 40 degrees would be a heat wave. :) Now are we going to get a look at that bikini?
Clarissa, so re-naming (re-writing) is a good thing.
Kaye, I would love to see some green grass too.
Helen, adding descriptions and changing words is a great way to re-name a writing piece.
What amazes me more is how expensive they are-I was at the apple store and they have Kate Spade and some other designer one-at outrageous prices-it is a cover for the laptop-that's it.
ReplyDeletePS I have a giveaway you may be interested in.
It sounds like you need another name for cabin fever.
ReplyDeleteHope the snow lets up soon.
Don't feel like the lone ranger with the cabin fever. We had the same snow since I don't live far from Georgia. I did go out yesterday just because I needed some food for me an the animals and it was very scary all the icy roads.
ReplyDeleteI do write my blog and then go back and sometimes rename it. It is amazing what different ideas you can come up with you when you leave something and come back to it.
Hope you get out soon.
I've renamed works I've written, and I actually find that it helps sometimes.
ReplyDeleteI hope the snow goes away!
Sorry you're trapped! it's got to warm up sometime.
ReplyDeleteI did pull out a batch of blurbs and starts and half-written attempts and created something new. Ironically though, I did not change what it was called!
I can be very un-decisive so am constantly changing titles and re-naming until I find a perfect one that I feel sticks.
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed reading this post, thank you.
Re-writing, yes, but re-naming, no I haven´t tried that yet. Perhaps I should try the next time ALL the publishers have rejected one of my stories? Or should I try to re-name myself? What if I say James Patterson or Stephen King wrote it? ;)
ReplyDeleteI always enjoy your rambling no matter what you post about! And the book reviews are awesome. Looking forward to more of them this year, Mason!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of snow for your area!! We've hardly had any since Christmas, although we've got 4 or 5 inches since last night with a bit more to come. Hope you can get out soon! :)
ReplyDeleteEsme, I agree about the prices. Seems like when some things are re-named their price triples.
ReplyDeleteMaria, you're so right about the cabin fever.
Marg, I must venture out tomorrow to restock supplies too. I don't look forward to it.
Golden Eagle, it is funny how re-naming something can some times give it a completely different angle.
Alex, I hope you're right about it warming up soon. It did make it up to the upper 30s today and that felt wonderful.
Christian, thanks for stopping by and the kind words.
Dorte, now re-naming yourself, I hadn't thought of that. :)
KarenG, thank you for your kind words.
Jemi, it's so not fair that we have more snow than you do in Canada.
I love the idea of naming what we do as reading for pleasure and sharing our thoughts, because book reviewing adds so much more pressure!
ReplyDeleteCan we re-name snow this week as paper airplanes and sail it all away?! :-)
BTW, Great post! Loved it!
I totally renamed some characters and my novel took off. Re-working old stuff has brought me some of my best writing. I think it's being able to see it with new eyes and moving past whatever stopped me before.
ReplyDeleteHi Mason .. if you're still there .. and you're wearing that outfit - someone forgot to tell you ..it'sa snowing outside?! Don't get a cold tummy .. you'll get sick ..
ReplyDeleteSo I'm renaming you SnowedInCanyon .. cheers and hope it melts quite quickly .. cheers Hilary