Writing is a magical craft and an uncompromising, demanding mistress. Secret spells exist to empower those who seek to become masters of the craft and win the hand of the mistress - in fact, they've been around for years, so why the hell haven't I found them before now?
Thanks to BC's own Paul Jordan, I've discovered those tools. He linked to the treasure trove of writing tips on Poynter Online, one of the best journalism sites on the web, named after the late journalist Nelson Poynter. One of Poynter's faculty has developed a series called "The Writing Tools: Writing tools from the workbench of Dr. Roy Peter Clark." Listed are 50 tips that are essential for anyone who's interested in the craft. If you click on each tool, it takes you to Clark's longer piece explaining it in more detail.
Consider just two of the tools of which Clark, in an interview with Steve Buttry says "Together, these tools work magic."
- Tool 1: Branch to the right. Begin sentences with subjects and verbs, letting subordinate elements branch to the right. Even a long, long sentence can be clear and powerful when the subject and verb make meaning early.
Clark makes the point continually that nouns (subjects) and verbs are powerful words; adjectives and adverbs are weak. Think about your own writing - how often you start a sentence with a subordinate clause such as, "Not meaning to insult his readers, ..."
How much more powerful to begin, "Schannon never meant to insult his readers." Hmm. Try a different example next time, genius.
- Tool 4: Period as a stop sign. Place strong words at the beginning of sentences and paragraphs, and at the end. The period acts as a stop sign. Any word next to the period says, 'Look at me'.
Article comments
1 - Disgusted
With errors like this:
It also brings to mind one of the best pieces of advice from Strunk & Whites Elements of Style, "Every word counts."
I suggest you go re-read those tools. There are several errors in this piece, and why, pray tell, would one begin the article with random italics?
2 - Chelsea Snyder
I for one enjoy random italics.
3 - mschannon
Dear Disgusted,
My goodness, what a rash and nasty sort art thou. Hast thou forgotten to take one's pill's today?
First of all, my good man, it's "errors such as this" not "like." The misuse of the word "like" shows,I'm afraid to say, a rather poor level of education. And, other than the lack of of the apostrophe in White's, I don't see any error. I fully admit that is a dreadful, inexcusable lack of editorial oversight.
Chelsea, my dear, you are sweet about random italics. I too find them amusing, but I fail to understand the use of "random" as an adjective in describing the first word of the article. I do think, sir--or madam, you meant something else.
I must confess, I haven't a fucking clue why Writing is italiized.
In Decaf Veritas
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
You misspelled Poynter. It's spelled with an "i."
Sheesh.
5 - Scott Butki
Matthew: You're kidding, right? It is Poynter in this case.
6 - mschannon
Matthew's dylexic. His wit is also so dry it floats away before anyone can figure it out.
Methinks, he was making a pun. Pointer--Tools for writing?
Or, he was just drunk. It used to happen to me before I found...
In Decaf Veritas
7 - Snarkattack
Why do people joke about taking and not taking their meds regularly? *pouts* Given the pain it causes, I don't see what's so amusing about it, sigh.
Taking them regularly is overrated: I do so and am still blotto, to make a writing-related pun...
8 - mschannon
Snark, Good grief, never meant to insult. Well, I meant to insult Disgusted, but taking pills is just your body's way of saying, "something's broken, fix it."
In Decaf Veritas
9 - -E
Congrats, this article was picked for one of this week's Ed Picks. Keep up the good work.
10 - Snarkattack
No Mark, I know you mean no harm, I was outwardly musing over the phrase and its usage in everyday communication. In the meantime, I humbly await the fixing that the damn meds are supposed to do!
11 - mschannon
Snark--you and me both!