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Ten sentences

exercise

A Seminar on Effective Writing For Those who need and want to write!

“ Remember you are not a human being having a spiritual experience, rather you are a spiritual being having a human experience.”

“ Why aren’t you painting?” “ A scene that looks like a painting does not make a painting.” “ If you take the time to look closely all of nature has its own beauty.” “ I just lose myself in it.” “And then as if in a dream the scene paints itself for me.” “It’s so difficult to hold it inside.” “ I work. I slave.”

Creativity Try new experiences Get out of your comfort zone. Try to do things in a different way.

Right Away, Write It Down Record ideas as soon as you think of them. Keep paper and pen handy at all times. In your car, at home, at work, while walking, when you wake up.

Listen to Music Listen to whatever sparks your imagination. Listen to the Beatles, Bach or Beyonce or something you have never heard before.

Keep a Journal Write about life Write about your experiences Read your journal

Change your locale Leave. Go somewhere. Find a quiet place.

And most of all Be Aware. Be Aware. Be Aware. And… Read. Read anything and everything.

Some Possible Reasons Why We Write To Inform To Persuade To Entertain To Request To Express Feelings To Express Ideas

Writing Experience shapes writing. Writing never follows a straight path. Each assignment presents a unique challenge. Each writer works differently.

The Writing Process Pre Writing Writing Post Writing

Pre Writing Realities Thoughts pass through your mind; you never have nothing in your mind. Free Writing helps you get these thoughts on paper. Many things seem awkward or difficult when you first try them. Just stick to it and do not lose hope.

Pre Writing Tricks Lists Music Clustering Imaginary Dialogue Sentence Completion Reflecting

Lists are a good way to start. List five places that you have never been to but would like to visit. List five persons ( fictional or true) that you would like to meet. List five persons ( fictional or true) that you would never want to meet. List five things you would like to try but have not yet. 5 things you like about yourself.

Sentence Completion My favorite childhood toy was…… I will never…… I secretly enjoy…… The greatest joy in my life….. I feel strong when…. I worry that….. If I could I would….. Sometimes…..

PRE WRITING Time Location Atmosphere Triggers

Free Writing Write nonstop for at least ten minutes. Just write anything that comes to mind. If you have a particular topic, begin writing about it. Do not stop to judge, edit or correct your writing. Keep writing even if you think you have exhausted the topic. When a particular topic seems to be working, stick with it.

A Question of Style Think of your clothes. When you opened your cabinet this morning, you had to choose. Shall I wear something old? New? Bright? Conservative? Whatever you wear, that is your style. Same thing with writing. It is a series of choices that you make. Your words, your sentences and your paragraphs. Your clothes as well as your writing will not change and they will be in style if you do everything to make it possible to make sure it looks and sounds like you.

Tonight I can write the saddest lines. Write for example, ‘The night is shattered and the blue stars shiver in the distance.’ The night wind revolves in the sky and sings. Tonight I can write the saddest lines. I loved her, and sometimes she loved me too. Through nights like this one I held her in my arms. I kissed her again and again under the endless sky. She loved me, sometimes I loved her too. How could one not have loved her great still eyes. Tonight I can write the saddest lines. To think that I do not have her. To feel that I have lost her. To hear the immense night, still more immense without her. And the verse falls to the soul like dew to the pasture. What does it matter that my love could not keep her. The night is shattered and she is not with me. This is all. In the distance someone is singing. In the distance. My soul is not satisfied that it has lost her. My sight searches for her as though to go to her. My heart looks for her, and she is not with me. The same night whitening the same trees. We, of that time, are no longer the same. I no longer love her, that’s certain, but how I loved her. My voice tried to find the wind to touch her hearing. Another’s. She will be another’s. Like my kisses before. Her voice. Her bright body. Her infinite eyes. I no longer love her, that’s certain, but maybe I love her. Love is so short, forgetting is so long. Because through nights like this one I held her in my arms my soul is not satisfied that it has lost her. Though this be the last pain that she makes me suffer and these the last verses that I write for her.

Traits of an Effective Writing Style FOCUS Stylistic writing displays a clear focus. It stems from a specific feeling you have about your subject. It attempts to entertain, explain or persuade. It uses one word when one word will do. One sentence when one sentence will do. It is under your control.

Use Strong and Colorful Words The word is the basis of effective writing, so choose your words carefully. Words become sentences. Sentences become paragraphs and paragraphs become your work. So choose your words very carefully.

Prefer clear and familiar words. Small words are usually the clearest, easiest way to understand. Small words are more precise. Small words add beauty.

Use the fewest words possible Don’t use several words when one will do WORDY Concise At this point in time At the present moment At this very moment Immediately following Subsequent to At a later time Prior to In the days and weeks preceding now now then now after later before before

Be concise Use one word when one will do. Simplify.

Use Vivid Verbs Like nouns, verbs are also general and specific. The word looked is not the same as glared, glanced, stared and peeked. The manager looked at the employee is different from The manager stared at the employee.

CONCRETENESS It is precise and colorful. It helps the reader hear and feel things. It uses specific words that describe.

Avoid Vague Language Good Bad Boring Great Pretty Nice Cute Mean Evil Excellent Terrible Wonderful Amazing Strange Weird You get the picture

Choose specific nouns. Man – Writer – Poet – Pablo Neruda Drink – Nutritious Drink – Grapefruit Pain – Headache – Migraine Nouns are specific and general. Use the specific for colorful and strong writing.

Use metaphors

As scary as As cold as As terrifying as As bewildering as is is is is

Whenever possible, use a verb that is strong enough to stand alone without the help of an adverb. Verb and adverb: Joan sat down on the couch. Vivid verb: Joan plopped on the couch. Avoid overusing the “to be” verbs ( is, are, was, were….) A “to be” verb: Tess is someone who likes to play tennis. Stronger: Tess likes tennis.

Use the “right” words. Words have two shades. Denotation. – The literal meaning of the word. Connotation. – The emotional meaning of the word.

USING REPETITION When we repeat we mean similar grammatical structures ( words, phrases or ideas.) Its purpose is for rhythm, emphasis and unity. When used effectively, repetition can be a powerful tool in effective writing. The key point in repetition is to keep words or ideas parallel, or stated in the same way.

Sentences Write Clear Sentences Incomplete Comparisons Inc: I get along with Rosa than my sister. Complete: I get along with Rosa than my sister does. Ambiguous wording: Unclear:

Sentences, Part Two Vary the length of your sentences Vary the opening of your sentences. Use other words other than the subject. Use different types of sentences.

Sentence Starters Verb – Running, the man fell. Adjective – Black was the night. Interjection – Alas! He fell. Adverb – Knowingly, she reached out. Noun – Stars and moon fill my eyes. There are so many ways!

Write Natural Sentences Deadwood – wording that fills up space but does not add anything. Wordy: At this point in time, I feel the the study needs additional work before the committee can recommend it to be re submitted for consideration. Concise: The study needs more work.

Flowery Language Flowery: The cool fresh breeze which came like a storm in the night lifted me to exhilarating heights from which I had been previously suppressed by the incandescent cloud in the learning center. Concise: The cool breeze was a refreshing change from the classroom air.

Trite Expressions – overused and stale phrases. Trite: It was raining cats and dogs. Natural: It was raining hard.

Jargon – language used in a certain profession or industry. It is techinical. Jargon: I am having conceptual difficulty with these employee mandates. Natural: I do not understand these work orders.

Euphemisms – word or phrase used in a less offensive way. Euphemism: I am so exasperated, I could expectorate. Natural: I am so mad, I could spit.

Wordiness – too many words Redundant: The team won seven games straight in a row. Concise: The team won seven straight games.

Writing Acceptable Sentences Non standard language is language used in conversation but not in formal writing. Non standard: I’m gonna go with you. Standard: I am going with you. Double Negatives – is a sentence that has two negative words. Awkward: I haven’t got no money. Corrected: I have no money.

Paragraphs The Topic Sentence Formula: A limited topic plus a specific impression. Music ( limited topic) + helps people relax. ( a specific impression)

Types of Paragraphs Narrative – tells a story Descriptive – sentences present a single clear picture Expository – that presents facts, gives directions, defines terms. Persuasive – presents information to support or prove a point.

Details are the secret to effective writing. Sensory – through your senses Memory – from past experiences Reflective – when you reflect on things ( I wish, I hope)

Arranging details Chronological – in which they happen Location – left to right, top to bottom Illustration – general to particular Climax – particular to general Cause and Effect – make connections and results Comparison – when you compare subjects Definition – to explain a concept or term

Show, do not tell.