The art of writing sentences
Pearl Buck, an American writer, once shared his secret of job satisfaction. He said: ‘The secret of joy in work is contained on one word – excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it’. That`s why it is so important for every writer to work tirelessly to feel a blissful pleasure and get the best results. Writing is about the sentences game. Here is what the prominent authors advised on how to master the art of forming meaningful sentences.
The hardest thing in the world is simplicity
A majestic American novelist and social critic, James Baldwin, always stated that the goal of every writer should be to write a sentence that is as clean as a bone. It means that it should be understandable for your readers. You don`t have to think that more complicated words will make your writing more interesting. In the majority of cases, the use of high-brow language plays tricks on aspiring authors. You should always remember that simplicity doesn`t always mean that you`re sacrificing the quality.
Good prose should be transparent, like a window pane
To make yourself understood, to make all your unique ideas worth spreading, and learn the secrets of using effective language should be your top priority. George Orwell, a well-known English novelist, tried to convey this important message to all writers. You should definitely keep these golden rules in mind while writing a book:
- If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
- Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
- Never use a long word where a short one will do.
Orwell is undoubtedly right since clutter is the disease of any piece of writing. Don`t write anything that would weaken the strength of your sentence. Just keep thinking and rewriting until you say what you want to say.
I am demonstrating to you how tasty I think words are
Wayne Koestenbaum, an American writer, visual artist, and cultural critic, says that he is living in a word-paint store. He believes that language is a magical substance so it`s really important not to spoil this beauty. You should feel more responsible for the ultimate way your thoughts are combined in a piece. Lack of specificity, boredom, wordiness, and incoherence are writing sins. That`s why it is so essential to become a good self-reviser. Koestenbaum recommends making your revision notes visually beautiful so that the revision process could become an act with its own beauty.
Know weights, colors, sounds, and associations of words
Virginia Woolf was an English writer whose innovation and style is still influencing a lot of aspiring writers these days. She advised authors to play with language in search of truth and beauty. We should commit every fault of style, grammar, taste, and syntax to make our sentences perfect. We should be also not only concerned with getting words onto the page, but with how exactly they get there. Woolf starkly varied sentence length that showed that she was a skilled writer. So, don`t be afraid to experiment.
You should always bear in mind that simplicity of language and clarity of expression is the key to successful writing. We hope that the advice of these inspirational writers will help you write a book of your life.
