How to Write Well | Teen Ink

How to Write Well

December 11, 2013
By Jacquelyn Bernico SILVER, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Jacquelyn Bernico SILVER, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
5 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Writing is like a painting. It takes time and patience to construct along with an abundance of creativity. Each piece is unique, creating a different image every time. Even drafts of the same paper can be rephrased to portray an altered picture from the original.

Among all the qualities a writer possesses, the most important is patience. Patience is the blank canvas that waits for someone to bring it to life with the stroke of a brush. It allows intriguing ideas to brew inside the minds of aspiring authors. It summons the words that help create the focal point of the big picture. Writing, like painting, cannot be rushed. Instead it must be written and rewritten until it satisfies the author. With patience comes creativity and originality.

Creativity and originality provide the way in which the picture is constructed. Much like the paints used in a picture, the tone of the writer’s words gives color to the piece. The words used in the writing create an image that portrays the personality of the author behind them. The beauty of this idea lies in the various ways people can use the same words to create their own, unique image. Though, the most memorable images are not the ones flourished with intricate details, but the ones woven with simplicity.

The phrase, “A picture’s worth a thousand words,” does not mean there are a thousand things within a picture. Instead, the picture may consist of something as simple as a house or a beloved family pet. These two images can drag stories and memories into the minds of its audience. This idea also pertains to word choice. Sometimes, fewer words are better. The use of adjectives can be more effective at getting points across than wordy alternatives. Being concise prevents confusion and boredom within the audience. To keep the audience’s attention not only must the piece be candid, but confident as well.

Confidence gives the piece likeability. It is the frame that surrounds the completed portrait. Confidence reels in people’s attention and makes them willing to read the writer’s work. If an author can stand behind the words he or she writes, his or her work becomes more appealing. Confidence infers to the audience that the piece is good without actually saying it. Instilling opinions into the minds of readers, it captivates vulnerable audiences into believing what is written. Like a frame, confidence creates an appealing effect towards what lies within the piece.

To quote Ms. Jorgensen, “Writing is an art.” Therefore, one piece may not seem as impressive to one person as it does to another. It requires time and practice to become skilled in writing, and even then it cannot be conquered. Writing is similar to abstract art. Two separate individuals cannot create the same piece. Even if both artists attempt to capture the same idea, their perceptions of the topic is, by nature, different. This is where confidence steps in. If an author believes his or her work to be compelling, it will have the same powerful effect on his or her audience.



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