Many very bright people fail because they are unable to express themselve well.
So very true, Dr Bill. I know a fellow who fancies himself an editor. He's an orthographic machine and a relentless, punctilious grammarian. Unfortunately, he is also miraculously devoid of creative instinct. One can barely make a point in person with him, because he's wired to instantaneously correct any spoken or written venial error before the transgressor is able to complete his thought. Understandably this results in tedious and generally painful conversation. He has an alchemical ability to transmute any beautiful prose into a tidy list of words.
I was somewhat irritated the first few times my own work came under his red pen, until I learned that he often practices on great works of literature. From vibrant, lovely, and universally revered writing he produces hideous verbal corpses. "Bwahaha! Now isn't that better!"
You take a stick and poke the tidy list of words. They do not move. They do not breath. They do not quiver in response. Better than what?
Call it sour grapes, but I think it's possible to know the words and how to spell them and the rules and how to implement them and still miss the point.
k
