"Scaffolding" is Bear's term, afaik original to her. Scaffolding is the words you use to shore up your meaning, because you lack confidence in what you're saying, or you want to leave yourself safely hidden. Writing is about putting yourself on the line, about being wrong at the top of your voice if you're going to be wrong, and scaffolding is a defense mechanism to try and hedge your bets. It's the cloud of ink a squid emits to protect itself. But unlike that cloud of ink, it doesn't offer any real protection; it just creates bad writing.
It's hard to define, because the exact details will vary from writer to writer. I use the word "clearly" too much--for example--as if I need to persuade the reader that, no, really, it is clear.
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momijizukamori
no subject
Date: 2006-04-20 11:12 pm (UTC)---
"Scaffolding" is Bear's term, afaik original to her. Scaffolding is the words you use to shore up your meaning, because you lack confidence in what you're saying, or you want to leave yourself safely hidden. Writing is about putting yourself on the line, about being wrong at the top of your voice if you're going to be wrong, and scaffolding is a defense mechanism to try and hedge your bets. It's the cloud of ink a squid emits to protect itself. But unlike that cloud of ink, it doesn't offer any real protection; it just creates bad writing.
It's hard to define, because the exact details will vary from writer to writer. I use the word "clearly" too much--for example--as if I need to persuade the reader that, no, really, it is clear.
I don't know if that will help. I hope it does.