Good writing is when a turning mixture of ideas are laid to a page word by word. It’s as if you’re a mason builder, using the tools of your insight to construct the finished product. Some may want to build small cottages while others feel the need to create expansive castles.
Despite the variations, all good stories start with a foundation or an idea. An idea that isn’t afraid to take risk and protrude into reality because all good writers learn through trial and error. From each risk we’ll understand and develop the techniques to make a great piece. For life has inspired us to express a story.
To become strive in writing we mustn’t be consumed by fear’s loom but battle its conception – for writing is a career to be catered to an audience. Sure, it’s human to be bothered by others’ ideas of your work but how else are you going to know if you have the ability to be a great writer?
You have to battle yourself into believing that you can do this. Take the risk of challenging your inner author and the thousand of others that dream the same aspirations.
Having confidence to pursue the career is only the first step. To actually distribute your ideas is an entire new battle. As you will face rejection slips and low pay, just remember – you can do this.
Hunter S. Thompson once asked
“Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed?”
In life there will be all sorts of obstacles and we mustn’t merely claim pretentious defeat but grow from our stumbles in order to live.
Good writing becomes great writing when skills and techniques sharpens your expression as a writer’s journey is never done. To continuously improve, you must first understand writing. What is writing? It is the silent voice that carries the idea or purpose through coherent words that surround our everyday.
Each piece of writing – books, newspapers, poems – display their own style and concept. In order to gasp your own style, you need to observe how your favorite authors creates their pieces. It’s like learning the steps to a dance; after the step becomes more routine, the more you’ll be able to add your own flare while staying within the general idea.
As a dance may look eloquent, writing must sound graceful. It should flow out through your mind and hum in your ears. Good writing becomes a sympathy of similes, metaphors, alliteration and the various other instruments, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.
Also don’t forget to edit, the more you edit your work the better your skills will become. Practice definitely makes close to perfect. Only close to perfect because the piece can always improve like how you may mold clay. The piece may never be perfect to your eyes or even the reader’s, even if you remove all the grammatical errors – it can always get better. Every through read can help you draw up an idea to make it close to perfection. Whether you need to trim the fat or add some sprinkles.
Let’s also stay away from the cliches and let’s encourage originality instead. The lack of effort is clearly evident when these mad lib fillers become the “apple to your eye.” I feel it stunts the individual process to assemble your own wit. It may land on a back of a DVD but do you really want to be known as the guy who sold out this creativity?
Of course not!
One of my professors said “It’s better to show than to tell; no more of that 3rd grade crap.”
Like our favorite authors we should script lines that let the conversation go through the readers head. It simulates the audience’s internal discussion with the characters, situations and the author’s purpose. Instead of saying “Sally hated her cat,” you could say, “Sally’s brow scowled at the cat as she wished it flew out the window and splattered on the concrete.”
Good writing isn’t always seen. It flows all around us through the daily adventure of living life. There are good stories everywhere. Whether on a summer trip, childhood experiences or any other event life may lead you to. These moments has inspired have inspired our favorite tv shows, books and articles.
Always believe that there is a good story to tell and it will definitely find you. Don’t be afraid to try new things and challenge yourself. There are so many adventures, events, and people waiting to get scripted.
Living life should become the main motivator and contender. So get out there and embrace the journey, you mason building, orchestra listening, dancer.
Tramane Harris
Brooklyn, New York
