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10 Tricks to Great Writing
Your content is only part of the process
As an editor, I notice writers heavily dwell on their content. One would think that content is all that matters. However, many aspects of writing are what make writing a craft. For instance, the more a writer realizes how their work aesthetically looks on the page, the higher the chances that your piece will be a success.
Follow me down the path of editing :
1. Syntax – How a writer formats a sentence must vary as not to create a pattern. When evaluating sentences, consider the different ways that a sentence may be written.
Example- Disparaging thoughts raced through my head. I did not feel whole. The choices I made led me to this misery.
Syntax- And, as obscene and disparaging thoughts raced through my head, I gasped. I realized within me there was unfulfillment, a hole, a void, a need for response, internally, to where I had led my life thus far.
2. Sentence Structure- Every written sentence in an article cannot be the same length. A reader will lose interest if their brain where stimulation falls short.
Example: I watched as the boy crossed the street. I thought it was humorous when he got a jaywalking ticket. The boy would have to pay for such a careless act.
Sentence Structure- Then he was caught- the boy who brazenly crossed the street in through traffic. I laughed. But I knew his act was reckless. The jaywalking ticket would be his to pay when all was said and done.
3. Active Verbs- Changing a verb from a passive voice to one that is active accurately describes the scene.
Example- She was surprised to see him come and said hello.
Active Verb- She bellowed a loud hello due to his unexpected arrival.
Thesaurus.com is your friend.
4. If you are too attached to a sentence, it probably needs to be deleted. Writing for Hemingway became a series of deletions after he wrote a story. By editing 90 percent of what he wrote, only the most important details remained: hence victory!
5. Use simple words rather than difficult words that may intimidate the reader. This is not a contest; this is a story. The reader does not need to stop or pause while reading to clarify the meaning of the author’s words.
6. Bleed on the page and then bleed some more. Tolstoy was famous for his ability to draw readers by writing stories that were raw, honest, and self-exposing. A writer’s ability to be vulnerable sets them apart from those who hide behind their words.
7. A writer can create interest in any subject matter. I used to play a game with my students called “Nothing is Boring.” The students would think of the most boring ideas, and I would instantly find a way to make it exciting.
Example: Watching grass grow.
Adaptation: The slimy worms enjoyed the growing grass as it allowed them a chance to hide from the hungry birds that gathered after a rainy day.
8. Proofread your work or find a second pair of eyes. Our brains are quite amazing; they work 24 hours a day to try to make sense of our worlds. This means that the brain will unconsciously extract necessary words from a sentence that is needed for clarifications. Watch your “to” “of” “the” and “on” words. Many writers, including myself, will believe the word is in print when it is floating around inside your mind.
9. Proper Style and Formatting- Every year, the StyleBook publishes new rules. Stay current. Although these rules feel monotonous, the educated reader will catch these mistakes, and your research paper will lose credibility.
Good info- https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines
10. A reader always needs a takeaway- Make sure that your story reaches the reader. Does your story teach the reader new information or alternate approaches to viewing an age-old subject? Remember, the trick is to write for yourself and the reader simultaneously.
There are many more tricks of the trade. But the most important trick is practice. Write. Write. Write. Scrap what does not work, highlight the pieces that make your soul soar.
Review
https://medium.com/illumination-curated/tk-writers-nirvana-67469d304748
Blog post
https://medium.com/illumination-curated/normal-to-me-9ac4370b3c39
Research Paper
https://medium.com/illumination-curated/stages-of-language-acquisition-38cfb3c3a522
Medical Editorial
https://medium.com/illumination/you-hit-rock-bottom-when-you-stop-digging-14f96ab248f7
Marketing
https://medium.com/illumination/the-anthem-of-the-wild-woman-8d58f0e395c4
Nonfiction
https://medium.com/illumination/the-difference-between-being-sad-and-feeling-sad-7f1bdc584fbb
Web Content
https://www.skydiving.com/huntsville/