>>> Item number 19564 from WRITERS LOG9310D --- (102 records) ---- <<< Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1993 01:00:03 JST Reply-To: WRITERS Sender: WRITERS From: Mike Barker Subject: TECH: Writing Well "How can I write well?" This question repeats, again and again, under various guises. I won't swear these are the only answers, but with luck here are seven points to consider. 1. Get the mehcanics right. First, last, and in between, get the little stuff right - spelling, punctuation, word choice, and all those nitpicky little things you dreaded in school. They are small, but you don't need the editor or the reader stumbling over them when it is right, the reader doesn't even notice the mechanics, but when they are wrong, they are hrad to reed. 2. Think about your audience. There are lots of tricks, but the main focus for me is to think about your audience. Try to make it interesting and clear for them. If you get that right, I'm sure people will read your writing and say, "Hey, you really write well!" They may not know why, but this is the crucial difference between a piece that people won't read without being forced to and one that they can't put down. I often do this by imagining one of the people I know, like you, reading the piece. I think about just what you know, and what is likely to surprise, interest, and please you. Just like picking out one person in an audience and speaking to them, picking out one reader makes it easier for you to make the writing lively and interesting. Don't you think so? 3. Bait your lines. Of all the tricks, "bait" is what I consider most important in making the writing interesting to readers. What do I mean by this? Simple little puzzles for the reader, constantly making them ask questions and keep reading to find the answers. For example, if they read the first sentence and say to themselves "Why would anyone do that?" you have a very good chance of keeping them reading. BTW - most people call these "hooks". To me, bait is clearer, so I prefer that term. Just remember that you want some in your lines to catch readers. E.g. start with a sentence like "Mr. Gregor put his new television set in the trash this morning." and everyone wants to read more, because it seems like such a strange thing to do. Before you answer (and be sure you DO answer the question for the reader!) you can introduce Mr. Gregor, describe the curb where he dumps his trash, etc. - adding in more puzzles for the reader to keep them reading. Schematically, you want something like puzzle 1 (hook) other material puzzle 2 (hook) puzzle 1 (answer) other material puzzle 3 (hook) ... Keep setting hooks before you turn loose the old ones, but don't tease the reader for too long before you give them relief. 4. Organize clearly. Which brings up the next point - organization. Keep it simple and clear, with each paragraph focusing on one clear thought. I often find myself putting together a little list of the points, and rearranging it, then straightening out the paragraphs (or parts of the paragraphs) to fit the "outline". This, to me, is one of the key parts of revising the writing. Rearrange, delete, expand until the points flow smoothly and keep the reader involved. This is how I (at least) get the elusive "pacing" of the story - where it moves quickly or where the reader and I slow down and take a long, deep breath before plunging in again. 5. Make sure the reader knows where you went. I often find at this point that I've left out transitions. These are the little phrases or sentences that help the reader from one thought to the next. When there is a jump, put in "steps" guiding the reader from thought to the next, and from scene to scene. Sometimes these are as little as "In 1966" or sometimes longer, but make sure the reader knows where you are going. 6. Spend extra time on the ending. Finally, I often spend a lot of time working and reworking the ending paragraph. This is the summary, the place where you wrap up the whole thing in a climactic point. Make sure that point really hits the reader. tink