to write someone off the page
A publisher and a writer having a conversation.
P: Jack's written a new book. It's good. He's a damned fine writer.
W: Jack's a mess. He's worthless and so predictable. I can write him off the page with my eyes closed.
What does the last sentence mean?
Search from various English teachers...
Answers · 4
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Haha. I've not seen those, but I immediately want one.
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I like the "I can read with my eyes shut" bookmarks :)
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I'm not sure "I can do this with my eyes closed" is specifically a childlike expression?
I think it's quite commonly used to say that you know how to do something very well. For something that has become second nature to you.
- "Do you need a hand with that"?
- No, I'm fine thanks. I've done this a million times. I could do it with my eyes closed".
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It means "I can write very much better than he can." And the subtext, probably, is "So give that large contract and advance payment to me [and not to Jack]. "
It mixes a couple of fairly child-like idioms to achieve this. "I can do it with my eyes closed" is a fun, or boastful, or childlike way of saying that I can do something very easily. And "you can play somebody off the park" is from the world of sports, where it is used to mean that you are a very much better player than the other person.
The writer here has combined these two usages. " I can write him /// adapted sports metaphor - "off the page" //// childlike boast "with my eyes closed."
I hope this helps.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/with-your-eyes-closed-shut
https://languagecaster.com/weekly-football-phrase-to-play-off-the-park/
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