Many of us know that writing often takes us in a different direction than we intended. Expressing oneself concisely, clearly, and unambiguously is a lifelong task. Literary expression naturally requires far more skill, practice, knowledge, feeling, and sensitivity than everyday conversation. This is clearly evident in screenwriting, where even the smallest word can be out of place. Words play an important role. Why?

The power of thoughts, the power of words.

It is a pyramid, at the top of which stands the thought as the ultimate force of creativity: lightning fast and with transformative power in the form of an idea. The thought or idea manages to move us to action, to change. Then comes the word as an expression of the thought – not always powerful and like the flash of thought, but nevertheless with immense power. That is why we can be seduced, overwhelmed, moved, and enchanted by words. But we can also be insulted, humiliated, hurt, and manipulated. The word is not just that, but much more: we identify with words and define ourselves through words. There is a big difference between saying “I am great” and “I am nobody.” How we define ourselves with the verb “to be” – “I am” – is how others see us. We present to others the self-image that we have articulated mentally. We present ourselves through the words in our heads, whether we want to or not.

And what about lapsus linguae?

Saying something you didn’t mean to say – that’s lapsus linguae. That’s the funny side of the word. An interplay between the word and us. Often, we don’t want to say something or don’t know what to say, but the word manages to bring the unconscious to light. I remember an anecdote about a friend who wanted to say in an upscale delicatessen that it was a shame they didn’t have a certain type of wine in stock. Instead of “so pity,” she said “so shitty.” Strangely enough, she told me, she didn’t notice the slip-up until she got home.