In any job that must be done there is an element of fun--you find the fun and *snap* the job's a game, sings Mary Poppins. That's really true of writing. For many, maybe most, students writing is just a chore, as it was at one time for William Zinsser, author of On Writing Well. Zinsser was lucky enough to have people introduce him to the joy of writing, and his On Writing Well book is, among other things, a great book for introducing others to the fun/joy of writing--though Zinsser insists that good writing still is a lot of hard work, and there are times it won't always seem like fun.
For Tuesday, February 28, please read pp. 1-24 of Part I of the Zinsser book. In the comments section below, add your thoughts on that portion of the book. What do you see here that you think is particularly good advice for making writing fun and for becoming a better writer?
When reading this chapter I personally like when the author states the clutter is the disease of American writing. We like to use unnecessary words, circular constructions, pompous frills and meaningless jargon to try and make our papers more wordy then they should be. The secret of good writing is to strip every sentence to it's cleanest component.
ReplyDeleteI really like how the author gave us an example of how to write a more clear paragraph without the unnecessary jargon. Clutter is hard to keep up with because new clutter words are always popping up. The author gives us examples of clutter words that you should be careful of when writing your paper.
The last point I want to talk about is style and making sure your style can reach to your audience is a practical manner. You will first need to strip your writing in order to build it back up in the perfect style. When writing you want to be relaxed and confident in your power to write in the perfect style.
While reading I like when the author talks about what good writing is. They talked about what good writing should do and how we can use language to achieve the best clarity in your writing. I also really liked the simplicity section. Simplicity is a way to achieve good writing. We have to take away words that are just there to clutter and fill. Say what you mean in the most simple way. This will also allow the reader to understand and gain understanding of what your true intentions are.
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DeleteI like how the author goes into great detail about clutter and fluff used in writing. We tend to fill our papers with many big words to sound educated, but they just make it more difficult for readers to understand our statements. Although clutter can be taken out, a writers style and opinions on the subject can help their writing stay interesting. Some types of papers may not allow for personal opinions, but writers have evaded using personal language to talk about a subject because it seems less formal. People want an interesting paper or article to read, and including personal thoughts can do just that. Focusing on the audience is a good thing to do too. You want to use your style, but you need to make sure each sentence is written correctly so your paper does not fall apart.
ReplyDeleteI also like the example the author provides in the book of the paragraph he rewrote multiple times over to correct it. All the corrections he provides helps to give an idea of the effort needed to be put in and revisions needed to write a good paper.
This section of the reading focused a lot on eliminating extra fluff in your writing. The advice that Zinsser gave to his class at Yale about putting brackets around unneeded words is very helpful. Professor Haller always says not to include that extra fluff in your writing and to just get straight to the point. When I’m writing though, I don’t always see the fluff in my work. Zinsser gives helpful advice on how to pick out words or phrases in your writing that aren’t needed.
ReplyDeleteSomethings that I read in this chapter which I thought were particularly good advice for making writing fun and becoming a better writer were the author’s warning that writing is always difficult. The author states that “Writing is hard work. A clear sentence is no accident. Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it's because it is hard.” (12) Moreover, I also think that the author’s encouragement for writers to be themselves is great help in making writing fun and becoming a better writer. I found a few lines on this topic to be particularly helpful:
ReplyDeleteThis is the problem of writers who set out deliberately to garnish their prose. You lose whatever it is that makes you unique. The reader will notice if you are putting on airs. Readers want the person who is talking to them to sound genuine. Therefore a fundamental rule is: be yourself. No rule, however, is harder to follow. It requires writers to do two things that by their metabolism are impossible. They must relax, and they must have confidence. (19-20)
Finally, I also found the author’s advice on finding clutter in writing by putting brackets around every word that doesn’t work to be extremely helpful. I’ve always had a tendency to overwrite everything I work on, so I hope this technique will help me to write more clearly
One thing that I really liked about this chapter was the way Zinsser talked about simplicity. "But the secret to good writing is to strip every sentence to its cleanest componets" (pg.6). Sometimes as writers, we tend to over explain and extend sentences and paragraphs, when in reality what we are trying to say can be said in a much shorter way. This will not only keep the reader engaged in your writing but also allow for easier reading. "If the reader is lost, it's usually because the writer hasn't been careful enough" (pg. 8).
ReplyDeleteThe best advice I thought was in this chapter was the part where Zinsser talks about just being yourself as a writer. I think that is an underrated skill in writing because it will keep it more interesting as a writer, and also it will make the writings more authentic and real, and it won't sound so fake. Zinsser talks about the authenticity of the writing being what makes one unique as a writer, and that was the best advice I received from this reading.
ReplyDeleteSomething that Zinsser tells us in his book that I think is very important to writing is when he tells us, "Writers must therefore constantly ask: what am I trying to say?" I think this is important because sometimes as writers, we cna get so lost in our own words that we lose focus and what we're really trying to tell our readers. When we constantly have the thought in our minds of "what am I trying to say?" it helps us stay focused and on point.
ReplyDeleteMaking writing fun and becoming a writer:
ReplyDeleteThe first thing I noticed in this part of the book was when Zinsser brought up the fact that a writer should constantly ask themselves, "what am I trying to say?" This alone can help make writing fun since it can help people stay on track with their ideas and not steer off in a totally different direction then they intended to go. This also will help the words to flow smoother helping to create more ideas similar to the original, thus creating a story. Creating a story will help a writer become a true writer.
Debating and getting ready for law school have taught me to cut any and all unnecessary wording out of my writing. The quicker that a writer can get their point across to a reader, the better it will be for everyone involved. Zinsser echoes these points and explains that doing this will help writers develop their own effective style. A very helpful chapter full of good advice for all writers.
ReplyDeleteReading this chapter, the section i thought was interesting was the "simplify" chapter. Most importantly the quote I got from this chapter helped me think of how to become a better writer. "Clear thinking becomes clear writing; one can't exist without the other" (Rampolla, p. 8). You can see how it is important to have a clear open mind because if you are always thinking about everything and anything you won't be able to write effectively. Having a clear idea is so important when it comes to writing.
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