Disclaimer: Highly Controversial Topic | Opinions will vary
To produce good writing, I think it’s crucial to firstly establish what good writing actually consists of. I have thought about this a lot over the years. I started by analysing the texts I loved in search of commonalities. Then, I did the same with the ones I couldn't stand. I questioned why the novels we call 'classics' should be grouped together, etc. In the end, I came up with a few key characteristics that I think distinguish good from bad writing. However, keep in mind that it's such a deep question, it's impossible to answer it in one article. It deserves its own book.
One thing I think that all well-written texts share is communicating complicated ideas in simple ways. Albert Einstein said that if you can’t explain a concept to a six year old, you don’t understand it yourself. By simplifying, you get to the heart of the matter quickly which increases the chances of the reader both understanding and remembering your points. One way of doing that is by dispensing with unnecessary words like overused adjectives. If one word expresses your meaning, using three additional ones clouds it. Saying that it's 'scorching' outside is bore more precise and evocative than saying that it's 'very hot'. Also, if you have an important point to make, let it speak for itself. If doesn’t need to be dressed in fancy words to make an impression. Writing is crystallised thought, so adding multiple words which do not explain the point, or transition to the next one, is self-indulgent. Unless, the point is to show self-indulgence, of course. Then, use as many nouns, verb, brackets, and clauses as you like. Otherwise, economy and precision rule.
Let me give you an example of what I consider bad writing then. Have you ever had to read a text (novel, textbook, newspaper) multiple times to get the meaning of a few lines? I have. Firstly, I thought I was rereading it because I was tired, or distracted. Then, I thought of an experiment. I asked two friends to read the same text. Both said they got lost half-way through. This is when I knew that something was wrong with the text, not us. The sentences were so long you couldn't remember the beginning once you got to the end, and the language didn't help either. The sound of too many highfalutin words squeezed together gave the impression of sophistication. Unfortunately, even now, I'm not sure what that text was about...
Bottom line is, simple doesn't mean boring. It means clear.
#writer #writing #goodwriting #writingtips #alicjaswritingplanet #freethethought #thoughts #latenightthoughts #autumn #mood #drafts #essays #articles #blog #newblog #dailyblog #consistency #meaning #rules #oscarwilde #alberteinstein #spread #knowledge #read #readnotdead #readers #authors #poetsunite #coolpoetry #poet #books #bestbooks
Comments