Scribbles
Volume 9
By Emmet Robinson
Writer and Editor
Helping You Express Yourself More Effectively
610-647-4341
Bad Numbers
Thank you for reading this – and be thankful that you can. Several million Americans would be unable to do so because they lack reading skills.
In a recent issue of Time magazine, I came across these alarming statistics:
- Out of ten American kids, four haven’t acquired basic reading skills by 4th grade.
(Source: National Assessment of Educational Progress, 2024) - One third of 8th graders are reading below grade level.
- In a reading test, the average 12th grader scores three points lower than his or her classmates did in 2019. Compared to 1992, they score ten points lower.
- According to the National Center for Education Statistics, roughly one-fourth of 16-24 year-olds are functionally illiterate.
- Folks 20-34 years of age spend ten minutes a day – or less – reading something for pleasure.
It’s easy to see why when we consider that reading requires the use of imagination to convert symbols on pages into people, places, things, emotions and human interaction. Why go to all that trouble when everything we have interest in is available in picture form on an endless variety of illuminated screens?
Just this: When a 400-page novel is produced as a feature film, what gets left out? What we don’t see in the movie are the back-stories of the characters, their personal histories, the emotions that drive them, the subtle shadings of language and the complex plot twists that would take too long to present in film. The book is nearly always better.
Party Time!
As much as I love writing, I find equal pleasure in editing the work of others – anything and everything from a simple business card to a full-length novel.
I recently worked on a party invitation that needed a bit of polish. Written for a Florida condo community’s annual holiday bash, all of the words were there – just not in the most effective order.
A few minor matters needed adjustment as well. The choice of entrée wasn’t entirely clear; neither were the details regarding adult beverages. A couple of lines seemed unnecessary. With a little attention to spelling and grammar, it was done in less than an hour.
Now it’s easier to understand, hopefully more effective – and a bit shorter as well.
What can I help you with?
Excitement!
Excitement for me, anyway, because I’ve just completed a first draft of my new novel titled, Billy.
The main character is a boy genius, born with an IQ not measurable by standard means. As he breezes his way through public school and college by skipping grades, he discovers his true purpose in life and helps thousands of troubled people find a measure of peace in their lives.
I started as a business writer half a century ago, but fiction – just makin’ stuff up – is much more fun!
Planned for publication in the spring, I’m having difficulty in designing a cover for the book. If you have any suggestions, please let me hear from you!