While getting to write something, I was long searching, if I can say so, Why my writing was difficult to grasp? Why the message behind it was not reaching my readers the way I wanted it? I’ve been constantly poked by others(teachers, friends, contacts) that it was difficult to get the message from my writing. Hoping to improve my writing and language skills, I was getting to the side of Successful-Blog.com that gets to deliver good writing and various skills for those relying on these to live. Yesterday I just came out of my RSS Reader and got there to tell Liz about my problem :
Hans Says:
July 10th, 2006
hello Liz it’s been some time I’ve been reading your crispy articles and today I decided not to be the lurker and came to comment in here.
Talking about content Liz, could you please help me to understand the writer within me? You know I like to write and want to improve much in order to convey the message behind my posts and my writings but you know I’ve been poked by others(readers,teachers,friends) that my writing is not fluid and difficult to grasp sort like I lack something probably the objective I was setting myself : conveying the message. I once remembered having written a mail to ask for some bits of information to a dude and the first reply back from his mail was that I should write in better clear English because most of the mail was incomprehensible. Could you please help me Liz I’m just getting hasty in writing clear crystal English, most of the times the solution I just hear from others is to read(good reads) a lot(that’s why probably I’m getting to the side of your blog reading it through RSS).
Following my comment Liz nicely replied back. That’s Liz reply afterwards :
ME Strauss Says:
July 10th, 2006
Hi Hans!
Welcome, it’s nice to meet you!Well, first Hans. I help folks with their writing for a living, but here’s some advice you can have for the lovely words you’ve given me.
Breathe. Count the words in your sentences. I think that second paragraph might be only one sentence by itself. That can be confusing because readers like to stop and think about what you have to say.
Your writing is fine.
As Ernest Hemingway said, “Every first draft is sh*t.�? Hans, All you need to do is finish by editing.
I’ll edit a bit here:
You know I like to write. I want to improve in order to convey the message behind my writing, but I’ve been poked by others(readers,teachers,friends) that my writing is not fluid and difficult to grasp. They say I lack something — probably the objective I was setting myself: conveying the message.I remember having written a mail to ask for information and the first reply back was that I should write in better clear English because most of the mail was incomprehensible…
All I did was take out the words you didn’t need and adjust the rest to read okay when they were gone.
Hope that helps you, Hans. . . .
Thank you for thinking such nice thoughts about the way I write. They mean so much to me.
Liz
Thanks very much Liz, you don’t know how much your nice words of wisdom helped me in here and I’m right sure that gonna change the way and the style I write. Talking here much about writing here’s a saying from Robert Otto in why we should write :
Why Write?
Why would anyone write, or want to write?
What’s in there for them, for you?When a morning opens its shutters, throws open the blue
and the breeze comes up and brushes your chin
how could you not write?When the coffee brews and the breakfast comes on
and the eggs stare at you with their big yellow eyes
how could you not write?When the cat walks past and your wife purrs in your ear
and the tea kettle whistles and the birds go to singing
how could you not?When you burn the paper and the world’s news turns to ash
and the leaders crumble away and the angst is dust
how could you not write?When the airplane goes over and you dream of places far away
and the clouds hold up the sky
how could you not write.When the neighbor’s dog barks and comes with his wagging tail
and the treat in your hand is just what he wants
how could you not write?When you climb inside and settle into the words of your world
and the sound you hear is your own breathing,
how could you not write?When you read out loud and your voice carries across a room
and the pictures you see come from the words
how could you not write?Time is told not by the watch, but by the sound of your voice
sweetly talking.
© 2006 Robert Otto
Do you also love to write? Then please tell me how do you get to deliver the message behind your words? Do you have your little tricks and secrets so why not get them onto a comment just below. Writing is just getting artful and rightful now
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Tags: 7 Comments
7 responses so far ↓
Hans,
I read your post. Thank you for saying such nice things, but see you did all of the work yourself. I can see the change already in your writing. Shorter sentences and more life in every word. Keep going and keep writing.
Writing is like playing the piano — you have to practice to get to the part that is music.
Smiles,
Liz
I used to take private lessons with an English teacher who would repeat the same thing week after week, “Write plain simple English.”
Like Liz already said, eliminate all words that do not add any value to the piece. Then revise.
WOW, you know Liz as well! Man, I thought I was the only guy in Mauritius who cared about those blogs, you know.
Don’t worry about your writing. It’s always like this at first. But as Liz said, writing is like playing the piano. Think about it, I’ve been writing for about 3 years now and I’m still way from being perfect. Personally, I think that if you love to write and have the passion, you’ll automatically work hard and play with the words until they eventually get along all great.
And then, the biggest problem that my friends get when they write is the structure of the essay. Judging by your blog entries (and the emails you sent me) you don’t have this problem. So it’s already one thing done, see.
Well good luck, anyway and by the way, Ill be in holidays as from tomorrow!
Oops, I forgot. I got to know about Liz through this site. It’s a great site by the way and it has an interview with Liz.
Thought you might be interested.
@ Liz: thanks Liz for dropping by my blog and getting to read my first post that I dedicate to you for giving me those nice tips and tricks that unlocked my basic writing skills.
Now I know what to aim and where, it’s getting to light up more in my world of writing and this thanks to you. Yeah now it’s my part of the play : work hard and practice to make it to the level.
Hope you had a nice moment by my blog. Get to see you back soon
@ eddy young: thanks dude for bringing in your thoughts here.
Yeah, you got the point, get to give a K.I.S.S (Keep It Short and Simple) to my writing now.
Thanks for commenting pal.
@ khalil: thanks dude for those comforting words, getting another pal who is already acquainted to good writing to give me his words of wisdom
and yeah dude it’s the blogosphere so you don’t know on whom you might fall
hey dude yeah it’s the holiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiddddddddddaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyy
happy holiday to me and you pal, get to have a nice moment of joy and relaxation since you know what’s awaiting us at the end of this year, gonna breathe some fresh air before that.
Thanks btw for popping that link, I’ll be adding that site to my RSS pool, getting another crispy stuff under my teeth and thanks for the visit
hope you enjoyed it 