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ASK THE EDITOR Vol. 2, Issue 5 Q4 2001 http://kevinorf.tripod.com ----- IN THIS ISSUE: GUILT-FREE WRITING - GUILT-FREE WRITING - MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT THE WRITING PROCESS - QUOTES - QUESTION FOR READERS - PREVIOUS READER REPLIES - ASK THE EDITOR QUESTION ----- GUILT-FREE WRITING "I used to feel guilty about my writing habits," a prospective client recently confided in me. "Then I read an article that explained that most of the ways we are traditionally taught to write are not practiced by actual writers." I could not agree more. Many of us probably had a teacher who was similar to Mr. Stern, my high school composition teacher. The process Mr. Stern taught was simple--at least on paper. Pick a topic. Think about what you want to say before you start writing. Write a formal outline complete with Roman and Arabic numerals. Write the draft. Proofread for errors and turn it in. Of course, I always picked topics that were too narrow or too broad. Once I came up with the topic, I had a devil of a time thinking of exactly what I wanted to say before putting words on the page. Like most students, I didn't get around to writing an outline until after I had completed the draft. And try as I might to find every error, I could rest assured that if I missed anything, Mr. Stern would let me know in a flurry of red ink. Many of us were taught writing using traditional, outmoded methods that focus on what we're doing wrong rather than how to get it right. The textbooks we learned from did not reflect what today's language theorists now understand: that writing is a complex and messy process. The following section explodes some widely held myths. ----- MYTHS AND FACTS ABOUT THE WRITING PROCESS MYTH: Writing is a linear process FACT: Writing is a recursive process Real writing is not as tidy as many of the old textbooks would have us believe. It's a process of prewriting, writing, and revising--similar I suppose to the one prescribed by Mr. Stern--but it is not a simple step-by-step process. It is recursive, with the various stages often doubling back upon each other. For example, rewriting and writing may occur at the same time. A writer may plan what he or she wants to say before writing, but the act of writing may stimulate new ideas or a new direction. As a result, the writer may have to go back and brainstorm new ideas. Likewise, many writers draft and revise simultaneously, reworking earlier sentences or changing words on the fly, even moving whole paragraphs around as they continue to draft. MYTH: You need a formal outline FACT: You can use any darn method that works Writers rarely use formal outlines. The problem with formal outlines is the tendency to become a slave to them. Better ways to organize often emerge during drafting, so you need to be flexible. Whatever process you use should work with your particular writing style. For example, when writing articles, I usually type out the broad topics that will probably appear as major subheads for each section. After that I'll create bulleted lists of the sub-points I want to make in each section. Then I'll move the sub-points and sections around until everything seems to flow logically. An effective approach I teach in my business writing course is called blocking (a.k.a., chunking or clumping). This is where you take information that you've brainstormed or researched and organize it into blocks using post-it notes, note cards, or your word processor. Then you rearrange the blocks into an order that would have the most impact on your reader. MYTH: Know what you want to say before you start writing FACT: The process of writing helps us find what we are trying to say We rarely know exactly what we want to say before we begin to write. As E.M. Forster once said, "How do I know what I think until I see what I say?" Writing is the process of working out what we know about a topic, assessing what our audience expects of us, and exploring the writing project from many angles. We often have an idea of what we want to say, but can't quite find the words. Other times we find ourselves trying to unravel a "rhetorical problem;" that is, we are not completely certain about our purpose, our audience's expectations, what we want to say about a topic, or how to say it most effectively. Good writers develop strategies to address these situations. For example, they may spend more time up front planning a writing project. Or they may simply try getting words on the page when they are experiencing difficulty, recognizing that they can go back and revise until they get it right. Which brings us to our next myth: MYTH: Get it right the first time FACT: Revise it until you get it right Traditional methods often imply that once you've created your outline, you simply sit down and write the draft from beginning to end. But writing requires agonizing, painstaking effort. Only after repeated revision does the draft express what you really want to say. Often, it helps to get a colleague or someone who best represents your intended audience to read the draft and point out areas that are confusing or need further development. MYTH: Revision means correcting errors FACT: Revision means rethinking a piece of writing from the readers' perspective The rewriting stage of the writing process includes both revising and editing (or proofreading). Yet, this is rarely discussed in any detail in traditional writing textbooks. As a result, most writing teachers ask their students only to edit, but not revise, their work, having them correct spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors. You usually need to revise a draft a number of times to get it right. True revision involves rethinking and rewriting the piece to resolve the differences between what we intend to say and what we've actually written. If getting to Carnegie Hall requires practice, practice, practice, winning the Pulitzer Prize requires revision, revision, revision. ----- QUOTES "I do a lot of revising. Certain chapters six or seven times. Occasionally you get it right the first time. More often, you don't." John Dos Passos "I revise the manuscript till I can't read it any longer, then I get somebody to type it. Then I revise the typing. Then it's retyped again. Then there's a third typing, which is the final one. Nothing should remain that offends the eye." Robert Graves "I don't write easily or rapidly. My first draft usually has only a few elements worth keeping. I have to find what those are and build from them and throw out what doesn't work, or what simply is not alive." Susan Sontag "I write slowly because I write badly. I have to rewrite everything many, many times just to achieve mediocrity." William Gass ------ QUESTION FOR READERS What processes do you use for writing and revision? What writing "myths" are you aware of? ----- PREVIOUS READER REPLIES What do you think is the most critical thing to think about when composing? My boss forwarded your latest newsletter to me, which was great! To answer your question, my answer would have to be the reader. Be conscious of who you are writing to. Are they a colleague, a close friend, a prospective business client, a relative? Each of these persons requires a unique form of communication. Put yourself in their place. What style of writing would you expect to receive from them, and then go with your gut instinct. And, by the way, if you are writing a close friend or relative, a hand-written letter speaks with warmth, sincerity and love that cannot be expressed by the keys of your keyboard. Lynda Perkins, Administrative Marketing Assistant, Omni Hotels A word of praise: terrific! It is a pleasure to see guidance on expository writing done so well. Keep the beacon burning bright! Jack Morris, Public Relations Consultant ----- ASK THE EDITOR QUESTION Is it Web site, Web Site, website, or web site? Erika Larsen The most widely accepted style (including AP) is Web site, as World Wide Web is capitalized. "The Editor" Stumped by a style issue or perplexed by a punctuation problem? In each issue, I answer a question submitted by a reader. Send your question today! ***** Copyright 2001 Kevin Orfield
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Visit our Web site! http://kevinorf.tripod.com ***** As a customer of Orfield Communications, you get a free subscription to the quarterly e-mail newsletter, Ask the Editor. Each issue tackles common problems all writers--from business professionals to professional writers--often face. You can also get expert opinion on any writing problem. Just "Ask the Editor." Subscription Notes: Feel free to pass this newsletter on to friends and colleagues. - To subscribe others, just have them send an e-mail to kevinorf@netwurx.net with "Subscribe to Ask the Editor" in the "Subject" box. - To unsubscribe at any time, simply send an e-mail to kevinorf@netwurx.net with "Unsubscribe to Ask the Editor" in the "Subject" box. But then, why would you want to miss out on free advice? ***** |
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