Language Arts

Do you know that early English poets were called shapers?   People who used “the stuff of language to create stories the way that God, the Great Shaper, formed heaven and earth.” (p.68, writing tools)   Isn’t that neat?  To think of yourself as a shaper, one who can build life into what we write. 

Think on that a spell.  What would you need to be that sort of writer?  Think of how God created the word.  He chose the order carefully, creating the structure before creating the life that fills it. 

He didn’t just say “let there be animals”, What he said was “Let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds—livestock and creeping things and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.”

Do you see how he chose his words wisely?  Describing what he wanted, where it was to come from, and giving us an image to hold in our minds’ eye.  As writers we need to do the same.   Just as we need to let our key words stand on their own, we need make sure we aren’t limiting our words to what is easy or “dumbed down” for our readers.  

As writers we tend to have a rich vocabulary, so we aught to use it.  Not to fill every space with a fancy word, because you don’t need big words to do the job.  You just need the RIGHT one for the space it occupies. 

How to Choose the Right Word?

There are several ways to choose what word you need. Perhaps these methods will help you to be choosing words wisely.

• Use a thesaurus to remind you of options. A good thesaurus is worth it’s weight in gold.
• Keep word and phrase choice that fits the context. Try not to be overly repetitive, search for words or phrases in your transcript that you use too often and switch them up.
• Listen for what sounds right. Read your words over, let them roll through your mind.
• The precise word isn’t necessarily the right word. Sometimes close it just what you need to fit the context and tone.
• The most powerful words tend to be the shortest and most basic in the English language. Winston Churchill said: “Broadly speaking, the short words are best, and the old words best of all.” Frankly though, if the best word you can use to communicate your tone and point is a longer one, use it, and use it confidently.
• Keep a list of descriptive words. Words that have caught your fancy, delight your mind, or just intrigues.
• Seek out words that evoke an emotional response, they may be simple or complex. They need to fit the mood and situation.
• Be specific where needed. Perhaps you need to say “Mountain Dew” instead of pop, or Malinois rather than dog.

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Be the writer you want to be. Search out and gather words to yourself. Expand your pool of usable words. Learn the history behind the words that interest you. Incorporate them into your language and your writing. Choosing words wisely will further your abilities.

Be a writer.

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When is the last time as a writer you sat back and just watched the world around you? When have you last taken note of the birds that visit your backyard, the look of your neighbour’s curtains, or how a cat stalks after a bird? Observation is an important part of being an author, how are you cultivating those skills?

Write Better

The other day, hubby and I were listening to some book (the name currently escapes me) and simultaneously said “wow, that was a great description!” It was so spot on, and funny. I wish I could remember exactly what it was, but the description was so vivid, without dragging on, you could tell how well the author knew his subject.

As I stop and think about how accurate his description was, I realize that it was based on his ability to really see what was there. The question for me then arises, how does a writer learn to see what is really there?

Practice Observation

I was out doing a spot of gardening this morning, thinking about this post. I got to thinking that if I were to write about gardening I could talk about the chill of the earth beneath my knee as I knelt over the garden. The spindly white roots of the garlic and chives as I moved them into the white half barrel laden with compost and rich black earth. The red-brown of the earthworms as they are just starting to wake up from a cold winters sleep.

I would have to note the smell of the compost, slightly rotten and yet full of the odour of composting manure and straw. The sounds of the neighbours short-legged dachshund dog yipping loudly whenever I move, and my manure-making rabbits rattling their water bowls as they finish up their breakfast.

Holding on to these observations would help me if I were to write a factual article about transplanting chives, as well as add rich detail to a story about a gardener. Can you see how adding those details would heighten the truth of what you have to say?

Look for the Unusual

Sometimes we need to practice, to stop and really take note of the world around us. To do so, sometimes we need to look for the unusual. Like how would a caterpillar see the world, or imagine life if you were as big as a brontosaurus. You could take the vantage point of a child, a deaf person, or a super hero. Let your imagination take you as you look around. That beetle that you see, maybe it has an invisible rider seeing the world in a dizzying blur.

Go for the normal

Head out the mall and people watch. Observe their interactions, clothing styles, and manner of walking. Spot store clerks interacting with customers, notice random acts of kindness or unnoticed cruelty. Make note of other watchers, browsers, and the child all alone. See the elderly couple holding hands, the young pair whip arms wrapped around, can you see the growth in love? Watch long, look deep, make notes. Then go to the playground, the beach, the coffee shop and the gym. Do it again, and then again. Add details, colour and smells. Remember everything, add it to what you write, let the details bring life to your words.

One of the things I frequently run into are bloggers who say they are lacking inspiration, or they are just feeling ‘meh’ about writing and they frequently will say “I wonder if I should just give it up?” I never really understood that until I went through a bad patch after Christmas this year. Just wondering why in the world do I even bother?

With that of course, comes the comparison game.. I don’t put neat studies together like Homeschool on the Range, or I don’t have success doing Link ups like Kym, or write with innate kindness like Lori. I frequently do what bloggers shouldn’t do, I write like I talk and think, I don’t write on a single topic, I scatter the thoughts of my world on a daily basis. Problem I think, is I have too many things I want to talk about! 🙂 But it does get overwhelming sometimes, to share what you are learning, or what you are thinking about. So like those other writers, I wonder should I give it all up? Or perhaps I need to be taking time to rest as a writer.

No Pressure

What I learned after Christmas was a rather important fact. I don’t need to put pressure on myself to write, or to meet a daily schedule. Feeling badly over missing an self-imposed deadline. For instance, I love posting about art books and if I missed a week I would feel horrid. I have since learned that it’s okay to say, so I missed a week, big deal! It’s not the end of the world, and perhaps I should change how I do that anyways. Make it more fun! 🙂 Again, I am not putting pressure on myself to do that. What’s the point? Would I like to make money on my blog? For sure, but if I don’t, that’s okay too. In this season of my life, I don’t need the pressure right now.

Take Time to Rest

Part of putting no pressure on myself, and don’t we all do that? We think to ourselves.. I need to put this piece out, or I have to write about that, or this must happen by the end of the week. Pressure, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. It keeps us motivated and doing things. If we are trying to figure out what the point in writing is, adding pressure to the mix doesn’t help. Taking a step back so you can mentally rest from those internal pressures is sometimes the very best thing we can do as writers.

Pressure, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. It keeps us motivated and doing things. Click To Tweet

Occasionally, taking a break from writing… whether it from meeting a self-imposed schedule, or from writing all together can be the very best thing we can do for ourselves. It gives us the space to breathe, to be inspired by beauty we find elsewhere, and to focus on family, friends, faith, or just the freedom to be.

Build rest in, or let it fall haphazard like?

Whether you build in your rest periods or let them come as they will depends on you! Granted, sometimes life experiences dictate (like you are having surgery, or have a child needing care, or have started a new job) when you take a break. Sometimes your writing will dictate your break periods (I have a book to finish and nothing else matters until it is done) but once it’s done you can be lavish in your rest period. Celebrate that completeness and take your time.

There are times when we face writer’s block and nothing you do breaks it so you NEED to focus on something else for a while. The very focusing on the other, gives your brain the break that it needs so it can be inspired by something new, and so again you will write.

Mindlessness is Needed

There are times when we need to stop and engage in an activity that is completely mindless. For instance, when I’m trying to sort through a problem and I’ll start raking the lawn. The mindless act of gathering up leaves, throwing them in the back of the truck, releases my mind in ways that sitting at a computer or talking with a friend doesn’t. Going for a walk, shutting off the TV, doing exercises with Billy Banks Jr, cuddling a baby bunny… they let your mind work from a different frame of reference. We need mindlessness in our lives, if only to give ourselves a break from the constant noise and material around us. This mindlessness is our thinking time even if it doesn’t appear as such. 🙂

Know Yourself as A Writer

Know yourself. Does taking a spontaneous break give you an excuse to slack off? Do scheduled breaks serve you better? What type of rest gives what you truly need? How will you meld your deadlines with your need to rest? Only you can truly know what type of rest serves you best. But take it. Don’t feel like work is only done when you put pen to paper, writing work is often done in the mindless moments. Use them well.

You know how Lincoln said a “government of the people, by the people, and for the people?” Do you think if he varied that words that the impact would have been the same? Do you think he intended to use the words the way he did? Words have their own space and territory don’t they? Being intentional about the territory of words is definitely something we should consider.

Recognize Repetition

“To preserve word territory, you must recognize the difference between intended and unintended repetition“. (p. 64 Writing Tools) For instance, often in reviews I am tempted to use the words fantastic, intriguing or interesting… and once I start it’s easy to repeat them. I don’t want to do that. If I overuse a word, then it makes the review seem forced and/or boring, I don’t want that. Because no-one wants that! 🙂

Anyways, one of the ways you can be mindful of the words you use is to divide them into categories. Are they function words (said, that), or building block words (house, river, car) or distinctive words (silhouette, jingle)? Remembering that simplification is a good thing, what words or phrases can you use that create a rhythm intentionally? What do you want to do to make sure the words you use are distinctive?

Watch Your Word Patterns

We all have word patterns that we use over and over again. Therefore we need to break that cycle and really look at the words we use. Make them unique. Help your writing stand out. Use a word over again if it helps you make your point, bringing clarity or attention to a thought you need to convey.

You don’t need to mess around with changing how people talk. People often just say things…they don’t always chortle, threaten, opine, or elaborate, just let your said be said. Be deliberate about the other words you use. Repeat what needs it, but otherwise, try to change up your word patterns. Use words that are meaningful and bring attention to your work.

I have a niece that I really like talking to.  She wrote an art piece for the blog a bit back, and she’s a burgeoning author.  She’s an articulate young lady and recently she is needing to put together a one page synopsis of her book.  Taking ALL that information, and finding a way to put it on one page.  She’s needing to simplify, and as I read this chapter in Writing Tools, I am learning that simplification is best.

We have a new Brazilian student living with us this week.  He’s a nice boy, but like the one who just left, his English leaves something to be desired, but UNLIKE him, he has a better command of written English.

Whenever a new student arrives I am reminded that using small words and slowing down the cadence of my speech, assists in understanding.  (and when all else fails, Google Translate is our friend).  🙂  There is so much that is new that it can be overwhelming.  Canadian society and mannerisms is a complex organism that takes time to digest.

It’s the same when we write.  When we have a complex situation or problem, making it simple helps your reader.

Prefer the Simple over the Technical

Assuming that you are not writing for a technical audience, clarity with simpler words and shorter sentences, better helps your reader understand the material.

Rather than using longer words, use shorter.  Make your points plain.   Doesn’t mean you need to talk stupid, or down to people, you are just using the words you need to make it plain, and therefore easier for your readers to understand. 

Simplicity can also be conveyed, through the use of words that spark the imagination.  A careful, complex crafting, using plain english, that melds the imagination into a complex whole.

Remember your first decision…. you want to inform people of something, whether it’s fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or prose.

What you are doing now is using your words, your short, concise, imaginatively complex words, to convey your thoughts.  You are helping your reader understand your words in as clear a manner as you can.

How to do that?

The more you know your topic, the more time you spend with it, making sure you know all the minutiae of it.  The clearer you can be in writing it.  I saw this often when my hubby was putting together a sermon.  He’d complain that it wasn’t coming together and then say… I need to study and research it more.

It’s hard work to do the reporting, researching, and critical thinking. It’s impossible to make things clear to your readers if it’s not clear in your own head.   Do the work and then tell your readers “here’s the message”.

Then What?

1. Revise your work.  Study the words you use, can they be shorter, more concise?
2. Any complicated passages that you can rewrite?
3. Is there additional research that you need to do to make the matter more clear for your readers?

As I continue to learn more about writing, today’s topic is Revision, or rather editing your own work. 

Now I haven’t a written book, I don’t even write hugely long blog posts. 🙂  So for the most part, to me editing is making my sentences run smoothly and watching my spelling.  Occasionally though, I have a longer review, or a sticky post that takes me time to write.. and then the skills talked about in this chapter of Writing Tools comes into play.

What tools?

The ability to be mindful of the words you are using.  For instance… Do you have to use that adverb that merely shows emphasis?   Is it really necessary in your book/article/blog post?

Do you have a paragraph or chapter that doesn’t truly advance your theme/idea/storyline?  If it doesn’t advance it…cut it out.   Why have more words for your reader to wade through for no reason?  You generally want to make it easy for readers to make their way through your words. 

Cut out the needless words and phrases, replace weak quotes with strong ones, and pull out anything that doesn’t truly fit.  You aren’t here to please your English teacher, but to satisfy the needs of your readers.    Focus on the job at hand, not on what you think aught to be doing.   Do you know what I mean?   Look to what your readers need instead of thinking primarily of language lessons learned.

Make the cuts yourself.  It’s hard because we do so fall in love with our words and characters, but it’s necessary to learn how to edit and revise our own work.   To see the potential that awaits when we make our work more succinct.  

Make your work the best it can be, cut the unnecessary and make reading what you write the easiest you can make it for your readers.  They will appreciate you for it!