As I look back upon my previous posts-, first I still cannot believe I’ve been able to keep this blog going for as long I as I have. Second, I’ve noticed a phlegmatic change in my quality of writing and choice of topic. There has been a rise and fall like the swells of an ocean tide and I admit it to be the fault of my neglect alone.
I’ve discovered that every topic can be analyzed and written on, but not all are interesting to my readers. Thus, having perused my post history and discovered the most viewed and liked posts, I will attempt to resurrect their quality of concept and composition.
Now that formalities are over with, I’d like to pick up a topic that I scarcely write about on this blog, though it is perhaps my favorite: writing.
We’ve learned a little bit about classification and genre, but hardly anything about mechanics and style; both of which are vital to learn and develop.
Everything In Moderation:
This phrase has been used to censure writers for decades, it is commonly used in reference to an excess of one area of content, such as: violence, love, suspense, or horror. All of which are tools and useful in their own ways, but the problem is often not with the simply the excess of content, rather it is with the discriptive nature of the content. For, if the writer was more discrete with his/her usage of certain terms or allusions, the excess of content would not be noticeable.
I’m not saying that it is not possible to be too discriptive, but, it is very possible to be poorly discriptive. Descrecion is a tool to ensure everything is kept in moderation. Remember, description, especially word-imagery is used to help the reader envision what is happening in the story, and there are certain things you would not want your reader to envision. Also, it is wise to note that your writing is also your credentials, though the writer in you can be viewed as a separate personality, the work of that personality will reflect back upon you nonetheless.
The lower the standards the writing holds, the lower the credibility the writer will.
Enhancement And Enchanments:
The fine line of fantasy as opposed to reality in writing is a topic for a different time, but magic is in the writer’s pen regardless of his/her beliefs about fantasy.
Magic in writing is in symbolism and idioms, the phrases that immediately associate the reader with the object of these discriptors. The enhancement that we use to incarnate our words are the enchanments that make them come alive to the reader.
Symbolism, is simply the process of causing something to mean or remind you of something else. To reference pre-existing symbols or to create your own to be referenced later on in a story is a good way of associating your reader with an object or idea.
Idioms are, in my opinion, a lot more enjoyable to work with. An idiom is like a blown out of proportion cliché. More or less, idioms were inside jokes that became common phrases. The definition an idiom is: a group of words established by usage as having a meaning not dectible from those of the individual words.
Essentially what that is saying is that the meaning of phrase is not determined by the words that compose it. Example, “it’s raining cats and dogs.”, it’s not really raining literal cats and dogs, it’s a phrase whose meaning cannot be determined by the words of which it is composed. Like I said, idioms are very fun to work with and the enchant your story immensely when used properly.
To ehance your story requires a level of skill and a few choice words, to enchant your story requires a knowledge of vocabulary and a touch of magic.
Keep in mind, even too much magic can be a bad thing. If every other paragraph contains some kind of idiom, symbolism, cliché, or some other manner of enhancement, your reader will tire of the frequency and the magic will lose its allure. Everything in moderation, with tact and selection, make your story one to be remembered; make it… Immortal.
As always, thanks for reading, and please, let me know what you think and how I’m doing. I’d love to chat with you sometime.
–the anonymous novelist