Lesson 39 What every writer wants作家之所需

I have known very few writers, but those I have known, and whom I respect, confess at once that they have little idea where they are going when they first set pen to paper.

confess at once ^立刻承认

• Writers whom I respect, confess at once that they have little idea where they are going.^{我所尊敬的作家们立刻承认，他们几乎不知道该往哪儿走。}
• When questioned, the suspect confessed at once to the petty theft.^{当被质问时，嫌疑人立刻承认了小偷小摸。}
• She was so nervous that she decided to confess at once to breaking the vase.^{她非常紧张，于是决定立刻承认打碎了花瓶。}

have little idea where they are going ^{对他们的方向知之甚少/几乎不知道该往哪儿走}

• They have little idea where they are going when they first set pen to paper.^{当他们第一次提笔时，他们几乎不知道该往哪儿走。}
• After graduation, many students have little idea where they are going in terms of career path.^{毕业后，许多学生对他们的职业道路几乎不知道该往哪儿走。}
• The management team seemed to have little idea where they were going with the new project launch.^{管理团队似乎对新项目的启动几乎不知道该往哪儿走。}

set pen to paper ^{开始写作/提笔}

• They have little idea where they are going when they first set pen to paper.^{当他们第一次提笔时，他们几乎不知道该往哪儿走。}
• After months of research, he was finally ready to set pen to paper and write the first chapter.^{经过数月的研究，他终于准备好提笔写第一章了。}
• It took courage for her to set pen to paper and express her deep feelings.^{她鼓起勇气提笔表达自己内心深处的感情。}

They have a character, perhaps two; they are in that condition of eager discomfort which passes for inspiration; all admit radical changes of destination once the journey has begun; one, to my certain knowledge, spent nine months on a novel about Kashmir, then reset the whole thing in the Scottish Highlands.

eager discomfort ^{渴望而不安的状态}

• They are in that condition of eager discomfort which passes for inspiration.^{他们处于那种被认为是灵感的，渴望而不安的状态。}
• The young artist felt an eager discomfort before presenting his controversial piece.^{这位年轻艺术家在展示他的有争议的作品之前，感到一种渴望而不安的状态。}
• Waiting for the results, the student was filled with eager discomfort.^{等待结果时，学生充满了渴望而不安的状态。}

pass for ^{被认为是/被当做}

• They are in that condition of eager discomfort which passes for inspiration.^{他们处于那种被认为是灵感的，渴望而不安的状态。}
• His polite manners easily pass for genuine kindness, though he is often cynical.^{他礼貌的举止很容易被认为是真诚的善良，尽管他经常愤世嫉俗。}
• The imitation diamond was so perfect it could pass for the real thing.^{这颗仿制钻石如此完美，可以被当做真品。}

radical changes of destination ^{目的地的根本性改变}

• All admit radical changes of destination once the journey has begun.^{一旦旅程开始，所有人都承认目的地的根本性改变。}
• The company made radical changes of destination after the market crashed.^{市场崩盘后，公司对目的地（目标）做了根本性改变。}

to my certain knowledge ^{据我确切所知}

• One, to my certain knowledge, spent nine months on a novel about Kashmir.^{据我确切所知，其中一人花九个月写了一部关于克什米尔的小说。}
• To my certain knowledge, the keys were left on the kitchen counter this morning.^{据我确切所知，钥匙今天早上是落在厨房柜台上的。}

reset the whole thing in... ^{将整件事重新设定在…}

• Then reset the whole thing in the Scottish Highlands.^{然后将整件事重新设定在苏格兰高地。}
• Due to budget issues, the director had to reset the whole thing in a smaller studio.^{由于预算问题，导演不得不将整件事重新设定在一个较小的影棚里。}

I never heard of anyone making a 'skeleton', as we were taught at school.

never heard of anyone making... ^{从未听说有人做…}

• I never heard of anyone making a 'skeleton', as we were taught at school.^{我从未听说有人列提纲，正如我们在学校被教导的那样。}
• We never heard of anyone making such a profound discovery in this field before.^{我们从未听说有人在此领域做出过如此深刻的发现。}

make a 'skeleton' ^{列提纲/做骨架}

• I never heard of anyone making a 'skeleton', as we were taught at school.^{我从未听说有人列提纲，正如我们在学校被教导的那样。}
• Before starting to write the script, the screenwriters always make a 'skeleton' of the plot.^{在开始写剧本之前，编剧们总是会列出情节的提纲。}

as we were taught (at school) ^{正如我们（在学校）被教导的那样}

• I never heard of anyone making a 'skeleton', as we were taught at school.^{我从未听说有人列提纲，正如我们在学校被教导的那样。}
• He prepared the meal exactly as he was taught by his grandmother.^{他完全按照他祖母教导的那样准备了这顿饭。}

In the breaking and remaking, in the timing, interweaving, beginning afresh, the writer comes to discern things in his material which were not consciously in his mind when he began. 

breaking and remaking ^{打破和重塑}

• In the breaking and remaking, in the timing, interweaving, beginning afresh, the writer comes to discern things.^{在打破和重塑、把握时机、交织、重新开始中，作家开始辨认出事物。}
• The process of innovation involves constant breaking and remaking of old ideas.^{创新的过程涉及对旧观念的不断打破和重塑。}

interweaving ^{交织/穿插}

• In the timing, interweaving, beginning afresh, the writer comes to discern things.^{在把握时机、交织、重新开始中，作家开始辨认出事物。}
• The novel is masterful in its interweaving of three separate timelines.^{这部小说在将三个独立的时间线交织在一起方面非常精湛。}

beginning afresh ^重新开始

• In the timing, interweaving, beginning afresh, the writer comes to discern things.^{在把握时机、交织、重新开始中，作家开始辨认出事物。}
• After the failure, the team decided to wipe the slate clean and try beginning afresh.^{失败后，团队决定清除旧账，尝试重新开始。}

come to discern ^{开始辨认/逐渐发现}

• The writer comes to discern things in his material which were not consciously in his mind when he began.^{作家开始辨认出他材料中那些在他开始时并非有意识地在他脑海中的事物。}
• After years of observation, the scientist came to discern a pattern in the data.^{经过多年的观察，这位科学家开始辨认出数据中的一种模式。}
• The children gradually came to discern the subtle differences between the paintings.^{孩子们逐渐开始辨认出画作之间的细微差别。}

not consciously in one's mind ^{并非有意识地在某人脑海中}

• Things in his material which were not consciously in his mind when he began.^{在他开始时并非有意识地在他脑海中的事物。}
• The underlying fear was not consciously in her mind, but it affected all her decisions.^{潜在的恐惧并非有意识地在她脑海中，但它影响了她所有的决定。}

This organic process, often leading to moments of extraordinary self-discovery, is of an indescribable fascination.

organic process ^有机过程

• This organic process, often leading to moments of extraordinary self-discovery, is of an indescribable fascination.^{这个有机过程，常常导致非凡的自我发现时刻，具有一种难以言喻的魅力。}
• The growth of the company was an organic process, not forced or hurried.^{公司的增长是一个有机过程，并非强迫或仓促的。}

extraordinary self-discovery ^{非凡的自我发现}

• Often leading to moments of extraordinary self-discovery.^{常常导致非凡的自我发现时刻。}
• Travelling alone can be a time of extraordinary self-discovery.^{独自旅行可以是一段非凡的自我发现的时光。}

be of an indescribable fascination ^{具有一种难以言喻的魅力}

• This process is of an indescribable fascination.^{这个过程具有一种难以言喻的魅力。}
• The ancient ruins were of an indescribable fascination to the archaeologists.^{这些古代遗址对考古学家具有一种难以言喻的魅力。}
• The aurora borealis is of an indescribable fascination every time you see it.^{北极光每次你看到它时都具有一种难以言喻的魅力。}

A blurred image appears; he adds a brushstroke and another, and it is gone; but something was there, and he will not rest till he has captured it.

blurred image ^{模糊的图像}

• A blurred image appears; he adds a brushstroke and another, and it is gone.^{一个模糊的图像出现了；他添上了一笔又一笔，它就消失了。}
• The old photograph was so faded that it looked like a blurred image.^{这张旧照片褪色得很厉害，看起来像一个模糊的图像。}

adds a brushstroke and another ^{添上了一笔又一笔}

• He adds a brushstroke and another, and it is gone.^{他添上了一笔又一笔，它就消失了。}
• The painter carefully added a brushstroke and another to complete the intricate background.^{画家小心翼翼地添上了一笔又一笔，以完成复杂的背景。}

will not rest till... ^{将不会休息直到…}

• He will not rest till he has captured it.^{他将不会休息直到他捕捉到它。}
• The detective will not rest till the truth behind the mysterious disappearance is revealed.^{这位侦探将不会休息直到神秘失踪背后的真相被揭示。}

capture it ^捕捉到它

• He will not rest till he has captured it.^{他将不会休息直到他捕捉到它。}
• The photographer waited hours to capture the perfect moment of the sunset.^{摄影师等了好几个小时才捕捉到日落的完美时刻。}

Sometimes the yeast within a writer outlives a book he has written.

the yeast within... ^{内在的发酵物/活力}

• Sometimes the yeast within a writer outlives a book he has written.^{有时，作家内在的活力会比他写的一本书活得久。}
• The artistic yeast within her continued to drive her to new projects.^{她内在的艺术活力继续驱使她进行新的项目。}

outlive a book ^{比一本书活得久/超越一本书}

• Sometimes the yeast within a writer outlives a book he has written.^{有时，作家内在的活力会比他写的一本书活得久。}
• A great author's influence can outlive all the books he has written.^{一位伟大作者的影响力可以超越他所写的所有书籍。}
• The core philosophy of the movement may outlive the original manifesto.^{该运动的核心哲学可能会比最初的宣言活得久。}

I have heard of writers who read nothing but their own books; like adolescents they stand before the mirror, and still cannot fathom the exact outline of the vision before them.

read nothing but... ^{只阅读…/除了…什么都不读}

• I have heard of writers who read nothing but their own books.^{我听说过只阅读自己书的作家。}
• During the trip, he decided to read nothing but classic poetry.^{在旅行中，他决定除了经典诗歌什么都不读。}
• She studies so much that she seems to read nothing but textbooks.^{她学习得如此努力，以至于她似乎只阅读教科书。}

stand before the mirror ^{站在镜子前}

• Like adolescents they stand before the mirror, and still cannot fathom the exact outline of the vision.^{像青少年一样，他们站在镜子前，仍然无法弄清愿景的确切轮廓。}
• She paused to stand before the mirror and check her appearance before the meeting.^{她在会议前停下来，站在镜子前检查自己的仪容。}

cannot fathom ^{无法理解/无法弄清}

• And still cannot fathom the exact outline of the vision before them.^{仍然无法弄清他们面前愿景的确切轮廓。}
• Scientists still cannot fathom the depths of the ocean.^{科学家仍然无法弄清海洋的深度。}
• I cannot fathom why he would resign from such a good position.^{我无法理解他为什么要辞去这么好的职位。}

exact outline of the vision ^{愿景的确切轮廓}

• Cannot fathom the exact outline of the vision before them.^{无法弄清他们面前愿景的确切轮廓。}
• The artist struggled to put the exact outline of the vision in his mind onto the canvas.^{艺术家努力将他脑海中愿景的确切轮廓呈现在画布上。}

For the same reason, writers talk interminably about their own books, winkling out hidden meanings, super-imposing new ones, begging response from those around them.

talk interminably about... ^{喋喋不休地谈论…}

• Writers talk interminably about their own books.^{作家们喋喋不休地谈论他们自己的书。}
• He tends to talk interminably about his travel experiences, much to the annoyance of others.^{他倾向于喋喋不休地谈论他的旅行经历，令其他人非常恼火。}

winkle out hidden meanings ^{费力找出隐藏的意义}

• Writers talk interminably about their own books, winkling out hidden meanings.^{作家们喋喋不休地谈论他们自己的书，费力找出隐藏的意义。}
• The literary critic spent hours trying to winkle out the hidden meanings in the obscure poem.^{这位文学评论家花了数小时试图费力找出这首晦涩诗歌中的隐藏意义。}

super-impose new ones ^{叠加新的意义}

• Writers talk interminably about their own books, winkling out hidden meanings, super-imposing new ones.^{作家们喋喋不休地谈论他们自己的书，费力找出隐藏的意义，叠加新的意义。}
• The director decided to super-impose new scenes onto the existing footage.^{导演决定将新的场景叠加到现有的镜头上。}

begging response from... ^{恳求得到…的回应}

• Begging response from those around them.^{恳求得到周围人的回应。}
• The child kept crying and begging response from his mother, who was busy on the phone.^{孩子不停地哭泣，恳求得到忙于打电话的母亲的回应。}

Of course a writer doing this is misunderstood: he might as well try to explain a crime or a love affair.

is misunderstood ^被误解

• Of course a writer doing this is misunderstood.^{当然，一个这样做的人是被误解的。}
• The artist's avant-garde work is often misunderstood by the general public.^{这位艺术家的前卫作品经常被公众误解。}

might as well (try to) do sth. ^{不妨/倒不如（试着）做某事}

• He might as well try to explain a crime or a love affair.^{他倒不如试着解释犯罪或一段恋情。}
• Since the meeting is canceled, we might as well go home early.^{既然会议取消了，我们倒不如早点回家。}

explain a crime or a love affair ^{解释犯罪或一段恋情}

• He might as well try to explain a crime or a love affair.^{他倒不如试着解释犯罪或一段恋情。}
• It is difficult for an outsider to fully explain a complex love affair between two volatile people.^{外人很难完全解释两个性格反复无常的人之间复杂的恋情。}

He is also, incidentally, an unforgivable bore.

incidentally ^{顺便说一句/附带地}

• He is also, incidentally, an unforgivable bore.^{顺便说一句，他也是一个不可原谅的无聊之人。}
• The party was great; incidentally, did you remember to lock the back door?^{派对很棒；顺便说一句，你记不记得锁后门了？}
• I love the color of your shirt. Incidentally, have you seen my keys?^{我喜欢你衬衫的颜色。顺便说一句，你看到我的钥匙了吗？}

unforgivable bore ^{不可原谅的无聊之人}

• He is also, incidentally, an unforgivable bore.^{他也是一个不可原谅的无聊之人。}
• Listening to him talk about himself for two hours made him an unforgivable bore.^{听他谈论自己两个小时让他成了一个不可原谅的无聊之人。}

This temptation to cover the distance between himself and the reader, to study his image in the sight of those who do not know him, can be his undoing: he has begun to write to please.

temptation to cover the distance between... and... ^{弥合（某人与某人之间）距离的诱惑}

• This temptation to cover the distance between himself and the reader can be his undoing. ^{这种弥合他与读者之间距离的诱惑可能是他的失败。}
• The politician resisted the temptation to cover the distance between his beliefs and public opinion. ^{这位政治家抵制了弥合他的信仰与公众舆论之间距离的诱惑。}
• She felt a strong temptation to cover the distance between her current skill level and that of her peers. ^{她感到一种强烈的诱惑去弥合她目前的技能水平与同龄人之间的距离。}

study his image in the sight of... ^{审视自己在…眼中的形象}

• The temptation to study his image in the sight of those who do not know him can be his undoing. ^{审视自己在那些不了解他的人眼中的形象的诱惑可能是他的失败。}
• It's unproductive to constantly study your image in the sight of social media followers. ^{不断审视自己在社交媒体关注者眼中的形象是没有益处的。}
• The company hired a consultant to study its image in the sight of key investors. ^{该公司聘请了一位顾问来审视它在主要投资者眼中的形象。}

can be his undoing ^{可能是他的失败/毁灭}

• This temptation can be his undoing. ^{这种诱惑可能是他的失败。}
• His arrogance, despite his talent, was his eventual undoing in the competition. ^{他的傲慢，尽管有天赋，却是他在比赛中最终的失败。}
• For many leaders, overconfidence can be their undoing. ^{对于许多领导者来说，过度自信可能是他们的失败。}

write to please ^{迎合（他人）写作}

• He has begun to write to please. ^{他已经开始迎合他人写作了。}
• She decided she would never write to please critics again, only herself. ^{她决定再也不会迎合评论家写作，只会迎合自己。}
• A true artist shouldn't write to please the market trends. ^{一个真正的艺术家不应该迎合市场趋势写作。}

A young English writer made the pertinent observation a year or two back that the talent goes into the first draft, and the art into the drafts that follow.

made the pertinent observation ^{提出了中肯的看法}

• The writer made the pertinent observation about the creative process.^{这位作家对创作过程提出了中肯的看法。}
• During the meeting, the intern made a pertinent observation that changed the project direction.^{在会议期间，这位实习生提出了一个改变项目方向的中肯看法。}
• She made the pertinent observation that timing was the key factor.^{她提出了中肯的看法，即时机是关键因素。}

a year or two back ^一两年前

• The observation was made a year or two back.^{这个看法是一两年前提出的。}
• I met her at a conference a year or two back, but I don't remember her name.^{我是一两年前在一个会议上遇到她的，但不记得她的名字了。}
• The software was last updated a year or two back.^{这款软件上一次更新是在一两年前。}

go into the first draft ^{进入初稿/体现在初稿中}

• The talent goes into the first draft.^{天赋体现在初稿中。}
• A lot of raw energy and enthusiasm goes into the first draft of any creative work.^{大量的原始能量和热情体现在任何创意作品的初稿中。}
• All the initial ideas go into the first draft before editing begins.^{所有最初的想法都会进入初稿，然后才开始编辑。}

drafts that follow ^{随后的草稿/修订稿}

• The art goes into the drafts that follow.^{艺术体现在随后的修订稿中。}
• The editor will review the initial document and then work on the drafts that follow.^{编辑将审查最初的文件，然后处理随后的修订稿。}
• Mastering the structure takes many drafts that follow the initial outline.^{掌握结构需要许多随后的修订稿，而不是最初的提纲。}

For this reason also the writer, like any other artist, has no resting place, no crowd or movement in which he may take comfort, no judgment from outside which can replace the judgment from within.

resting place ^{安身之所/休憩之处}

• The writer, like any other artist, has no resting place.^{作家，像任何其他艺术家一样，没有安身之所。}
• The small shelter served as a welcome resting place for the weary hikers.^{这个小小的庇护所为疲惫的徒步旅行者提供了一个受欢迎的休憩之处。}
• Spiritually, he felt he had found no true resting place since moving to the city.^{在精神上，他感觉自从搬到城市以来没有找到真正的安身之所。}

take comfort (in sth) ^{从中得到慰藉/安慰}

• No crowd or movement in which he may take comfort.^{没有人群或运动可以让他从中得到慰藉。}
• During difficult times, she always managed to take comfort in her family's support.^{在困难时期，她总是能从家人的支持中得到慰藉。}
• It's hard to take comfort when all your plans have failed.^{当你所有的计划都失败时，很难从中得到慰藉。}

judgment from outside vs. within ^{来自外部 vs. 内在的判断}

A writer makes order out of the anarchy of his heart; he submits himself to a more ruthless discipline than any critic dreamed of, and when he flirts with fame, he is taking time off from living with himself, from the search for what his world contains at its inmost point.

make order out of anarchy ^{从混乱中创造秩序}

• A writer makes order out of the anarchy of his heart.^{作家从他内心的混乱中创造秩序。}
• The leader's first task was to make order out of the anarchy left by the previous administration.^{这位领导者的首要任务是从前任政府留下的混乱中创造秩序。}
• It takes skill to make order out of the anarchy of a large, diverse dataset.^{从一个庞大、多样化的数据集中创造秩序需要技巧。}

submit himself to ^{使自己服从于/接受}

• He submits himself to a more ruthless discipline than any critic dreamed of.^{他使自己服从于比任何评论家梦想的更无情的纪律。}
• Every athlete must submit himself to rigorous training routines.^{每位运动员都必须使自己服从于严格的训练日程。}
• The company had to submit itself to an external audit to restore public trust.^{公司必须接受外部审计，以恢复公众信任。}

ruthless discipline ^{无情的纪律}

• He submits himself to a more ruthless discipline than any critic dreamed of.^{他使自己服从于比任何评论家梦想的更无情的纪律。}
• Achieving excellence requires ruthless discipline and focus.^{实现卓越需要无情的纪律和专注。}
• The training was hard, demanding ruthless discipline from all participants.^{训练很艰难，要求所有参与者具备无情的纪律。}

flirts with fame ^{追求名声/与名声调情}

• And when he flirts with fame, he is taking time off from living with himself.^{当他追求名声时，他就是在从与自己相处中抽出时间。}
• He spent his early career flirting with fame before focusing on his true passion.^{在他专注于真正的热情之前，他的早期职业生涯都在追求名声。}
• She only seems to be interested in projects that allow her to flirt with fame.^{她似乎只对那些能让她追求名声的项目感兴趣。}

taking time off from... ^{从…中抽出时间/休息}

• He is taking time off from living with himself.^{他正在从与自己相处中抽出时间。}
• She's taking time off from work to travel around Southeast Asia.^{她正在从工作中抽出时间去东南亚旅行。}
• They are taking time off from social media to focus on their mental health.^{他们正在从社交媒体中抽出时间，专注于他们的心理健康。}

at its inmost point ^{在它最内在的深处}

• From the search for what his world contains at its inmost point.^{探寻他的世界在其最内在的深处包含着什么。}
• Philosophy attempts to understand existence at its inmost point.^{哲学试图在其最内在的深处理解存在。}
• He sought to capture the truth of human nature at its inmost point.^{他试图捕捉人性在其最内在的深处的真相。}