DoctorSyntaxJul 26, 2023
Stan Carey

A literary anecdote I've always liked is this exchange of telegrams:

Publisher: "NEED 2-PAGE SHORT STORY TWO DAYS."

Mark Twain: "NO CAN DO 2 PAGES TWO DAYS. CAN DO 30 PAGES 2 DAYS. NEED 30 DAYS TO DO 2 PAGES."

#writing #WritingCommunity #publishing #editing #literature #ShortStory #MarkTwain

Jul 25, 2023 at 12:52pmWeb
Show threadPeter JanesJul 25, 2023
@stancarey
Pascal's apology, but, ironically, shorter!
Show threadStan CareyJul 25, 2023
@me Yes!
Show threadMans RJul 25, 2023
@stancarey @me Some variant of the Pascal one is often wrongly attributed to Twain.
Show threadStan CareyJul 25, 2023
@mansr @me Eventually everything is wrongly attributed to Twain
Show threadMans RJul 25, 2023
@stancarey @me Said Mark Twain.
Show threadColorblind CowboyJul 25, 2023
@stancarey @sfphotogirl It’s really true.
Show threadKevJul 25, 2023

@stancarey I think it was JB Priestley who arrived in Venice and then sent a telegram to his editor in New Yorker:

ARRIVED SAFE. STREETS FLOODED. WHAT TO DO QUERY.

Show threadShu DaiziJul 26, 2023
@stancarey Deep truth here.