These are time sensitive. You do not receive credit if you write them after the deadline each week.
First, there's a blog entry (about 250 words) which will have you respond to a hopefully thought-provoking question. Each week, you must do the blog entry with enough time left in the week to be able to enter into dialogue online with your classmates. Write, reply, write more, reply more, and then write and reply more.
Second, there's a reading. There’s no blog entry associated with this. Just read.
Third, there's a written response to the reading. Your reading and writing on the blog must be completed by the SATURDAY (by midnight) of the week in which the reading falls. This entry should be a long paragraph. YOU DO NOT NEED TO RESPOND TO OTHER STUDENTS' PART THREE EACH WEEK.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
WEEK ONE WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ
WEEK ONE WRITING ABOUT WHAT YOU READ
What do you think of these writing rules? Does one stand out to you? Why? What are your most important rules of writing?
These are all very good rules. They sound straight forward but are very difficult to remember and follow. However, if a writer manages to abide by these rules he or she will compose a very well written and easy to follow story. I liked the rule about getting the reader to hate and love the characters who deserve it. I also agree with Mark Twain with regards to character development and that the reader should be able to predict their behavior in an emergency. One of the points that confused me was that a writer should not use too much detail when describing an event or situation. When I write I leave out concrete details and imagery so I fail to give the reader a good visual representation of what is going on. Regardless of what I am writing, I will finish my work and then come back to it a few days later to catch any mistakes I may have overlooked.
Hi Blanca! I truly agree on your stance from Mark Twain with character development. I also have some writer problems when it comes to creating this imagery that you have in your mind, onto paper. Either too vague or too much. It's sometimes difficult to find that neutral zone, that seems to effortless by the author's we read from. My biggest issue is overlooking mistakes, especially the little ones. That is definitely something I will have to work on.
Hello Blanca! Your response was straight and to the point which I like. I can agree with you that these rules are difficult to remember and follow. It seems so easy when writing to get off on tangents and your thoughts start to not make any sense. You are so right that if a writer manages to abide by these rules, he or she will compose a great story. Not only will he or she compose a great story, but as a writer you will gain great experience writing in a collegiate way. It is very smart that you overlook your work because it shows you understand no one writes perfectly. I need to be better at triple checking my work.
I feel like in general the rules are all very easy to follow and most of them should be rules we've known since we began writing. A few seem a bit contradictory to me, one in particular Twain's rule to "use the right word, not it's second cousin", but another rule said to use simpler words when possible. A rule that stood out to me was the limit on exclamation points. I guess I've never thought about it, but exclamation points are a bit much and can get overused, so I think that's a good rule to follow. Another rule that stood out to me that I don't necessarily agree with was to not start a book with weather. I've actually read a few books that started that way and I like it. I can't see why it should be a concrete rule. A rule I try to follow when I write is to not over write. When you're done writing, you're done. When you start trying to squeeze out more, you take away from what you're really trying to say.
Hi Jeannie! I agree with you on exclamation marks. They are so fun to use, well to me they are, but they can be overused so quickly, and in turn lose their excitement. The weather rule didn't work with me either. I know there seems to be fewer books that start out that way, but like you said, there are books that start out with weather and become good readable books. I would give much props to those writers because for me, I find it very difficult to start a story and drawing the reader in using the weather as my hook. But, I don't think it should be counted out. Your rule to not over write is a great rule. I feel the same way, that when you put your pen/pencil/keyboard down, that should be it. Yes, come back to adjust some here and there, but like you said, when you add more and more to something already done, the charm can be squeezed out of your story. Just my thoughts.
I think that everyone has their own style of writing and most of these writing rules are suggestions and not concrete rules. For example, the rule on writing on the weather because as you mentioned there are some books that start out that way and become very good reads. As for me I seem to have that problem of squeezing more out of it when there is a shortage of words and you are trying to reach your word limit. It seems that by doing that you actually lose what you were trying to explain gets lost.
As a writer, I see things I would take and leave from each of these writing rule. When it comes to writing, I seem to use Orwell's first set more than any other rules. I feel that description of a character works best being built on through the pages, not all at once. I like to get into my characters, the more the better, and agree with Mark Twain, in knowing the character to the point of knowing what that character is expected to do during an emergency. That is one rule I agree 100%. This allows me to feel this emotional connection with characters, to love or to hate. For me, emotional connection is huge. I don't agree with a lot of the rules from ELMORE LEONARD. I especially don't agree with detailed descriptions of characters. I understand there is a need of maybe some mystery of each character, for the purpose of imagery and other things a writer may use later. As far as rules go, I learned it is best to just write. Write whatever comes up, and write how you want to write. You are the author, and it's your rules. I feel that writing my way, versus a set way, I am able to create what I see in my mind on paper more effortlessly.
Well put John! As the author of your own stories you as a writer will write what comes natural to you and what you believe should be in a story and just hope that what you have put in writing will be enjoyed by other readers.
I agree with Michelle John! You definitely put your statement well. I have to agree with you that I also like to get into characters. It is so much funner when you allow yourself to leave your own personality for a moment to get into character. Being able to write in your own way instead of following rules is absolutely important in being able to create what you want and to bring new things to the table others may never have thought of. That is a very good point you brought up!
18. Employ a simple, straightforward style. I like my rules and they help me while I'm writhing. I disagree with this one. One of the greatest writers work had been around for thousands of years and that way of writing is around the point. The gospel of John uses a different method of writhing where instead of telling the reader what to think he allows us to fix our thinking with what he says. If he told us the point we wouldn't have room for another point. I have realized maybe writing Peperfectly isn't a rule but a generalization. We should be able to express our thoughts as we please for the audience that understands us in our way.
Hello Jackie. After reading your response it makes sense that simple and straightforward may not work for all writing. I try to stay simple and not go into too much detail, but I suppose that it probably doesn't work with everything. I agree with you that we should express our thoughts in our writing. I guess I'm used to writing essays that do not normally allow for much opinion.
I think that Orwell's rules are better suited for editorials and journalistic entries. Personally, I feel that his rules are intended to keep the reader's attention, as well as in-the-know about certain topics; he strives to ensure that the reader is not turning their nose up at whatever opinion he/she is writing about, which in effect simplifies the message being expressed. In short, I feel that Orwell's rules were intended to make the works of writers easier to absorb and comprehend, as evidenced by rule 2; "Never use a long word where a short one will do", and rule 3; "Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent". This is similar to the rules of Mark Twain, in respect to the omission of unnecessary words and phrases. However, Twain stresses the necessity of detail and situational realism; there must to be a means to an end. Twain seems more concerned with giving the reader a fair amount of story development, reminding the writer to not eschew any important details necessary for the progression of the story and its characters. Elmore Leonard's rules were quite hard to get my head around, as it seemed like he was providing writer's etiquette for the proper usage of prose. However, I can identify with Leonard's rules the best because of how simple they seem to be, as not only are they simple to follow (with the exception of the first one, “never open a book with weather”), but most of them actually make sense to me when prose is concerned. The one rule that stuck out to me personally was one of Leonard’s, namely the avoidance of using the phrases “suddenly” and “all hell broke loose”. If there was to be some sort of unexpected happening that was meant to surprise the reader, then the usage of those phrases only do well to make the situation anti-climactic, rendering the scene impotent in its delivery. My most important rules concern the usage and placement of words in ways that will not interrupt the flow of my ideas in writing. Whenever I take on the task of putting my thoughts on paper, I make it a point to use the right words within the right context, instead of wantonly throwing out opportunities for the readers to access the dictionary or thesaurus.
I actually have to say that I agree with Orwell's rules. When you are writing, usually your instinct is what comes to mind, so you are able to write about things you are passionate about and that come straight from what is going on inside. However, there are times when we write where our instincts do not kick in, and we suddenly have nothing to go on. I do agree with Orwell where he believes you should never use a long word where a short one will do. The reason this one rule stood out to me is because I strongly believe if you use a long word where a short one could do, it looks as if you are "trying to hard," so to speak. Leonard's rules were very good as well! My favorite one of all was where he said "keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose. I believe this is a very good rule and an important one as well, because as writers we can tend to go out of control with our exclamation points. In my opinion when you use too many exclamation points your thoughts start to look jumbled and it may look as though you are unsure of what you are really trying to say. My most important rules of writing are to not use the word "I" too many times, and to try my best to not have run on sentences. Writing is a very challenging task, but you must know it is never going to be perfect.
I enjoyed both Twain's and Elmore's rules of writings, but I think I identify more with Twain's because it has more variety and loopholes. What stood out to me was Twain's rules 10 and 11 stating '10. The author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones. 11. The characters in tale be so clearly defined that the reader can tell beforehand what each will do in a given emergency.' I believe that to make the reader deeply interested in the characters the author must provide some sense of suspense and curiosity, of course depending on the story line. If I were to read a story I would not want to know beforehand what I am to expect from the characters throughout the story, I would want to sit on the edge of my seat, not wanting to know what exactly the bad characters are going to do so I can anxiously await their bad decisions so I can not like them all the more. Am I making sense? I think they are both good points, but when used together, I do not agree with them. I enjoy Twain's rules more so than Elmore's because Elmore's rules seem rather negative. I enjoy reading stories that start out in weather or ones that go into greater detail about the characters and the places they are at because it helps me follow along and imagine myself in the story following along and giving me the chance to be more connected with the characters. Elmore sounds like he could use some variety in his life, starting off with The Hunger Games series.
I like the questions Orwell uses in the beginning. These questions are good material to think about when writing. I agree with Orwell's rule #5: "Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent." At times writers tend to use scientific words or foreign phrases that not everyone understands, it can be confusing and cause the reader to misinterpret what the writer was trying to say. Using an everyday equivalent that people have heard of and used before will help the reader understand the reading and become more involved in what the writer is saying. All these rules seem simple to follow and anyone that follows these rules will accomplish great work, but in my opinion no work of writing is perfect. People have their own unique style of stating their thoughts on paper. Another rule that stood out to me was Elmore Leanard's rule that states, "Keep your exclamation marks under control..." I strongly agree, exclamation marks can be very easy to get carried away with, I've done it myself. It seems that words become almost ignored and do not seem as emotional when exclamation marks are used too much. One of my rules I try to follow when writing is get straight to the point while keeping it clear and simple. I try not to write too much because I feel it causes writers to repeat thoughts becoming redundant.
I think Twain's Rules of Writing are pretty much right on par with my view and rules on writing. I love rule #10. This is so true. When I finish a book or a show/movie with excellent writing I usually like being able to say, "Oh I hated that guy" or "she was such a wonderful person." I like walking away feeling like I really knew the depths of that character's soul. In turn, when I write I want the reader to feel the same way. I think the rule goes hand in hand with rule #11. The character is so clearly defined you can picture them and their next move. You analyze their past behavior and become enthralled with the anticipation of their next move. My writing style is very much about character development. It's important to me that my reader becomes personally attached to the character so when they finish my reading they can also leave feeling they knew them.
Elmore Leonard's Rules for Writing says to avoid detailed descriptions of characters. I don't necessarily disagree with this rule. To me it is important I give as much detail necessary to paint a picture of the person surrounding the incident. For example if I were writing a story about the first time a man set eyes on his future wife and why he thought she was so beautiful I would find is absolutely necessary to describe every physical attribute of her. But, if I were describing a person sitting down at an interview with a future employer I would not find it necessary to describe the employer in detail if the point of the story was not focused on the employer. I think it's important to give as much detail as the story should allow.
It is most important to me to keep my writing engaging and also relevant to the topic at hand. I suppose that is why I liked Twain's and Leonard's rules the most. My favorite rules were Twain's #3 and #4 and Leonard's #10. However, I also hold Orwell's rule #2 in equally high regard.
Orwell: Never use the passive voice where you can use the active
Starting out with Orwell's rule, I must say that I have always had trouble maintaining an active voice. I am a very passive person, and I suspect that is why I am also very passive in my writing (or so I've been told). I accept that an active voice is needed for a writer to have a better chance at being both convincing and more engaging to the reader. If I were ever to be writing something of extreme importance, I would muster up the courage to write actively and confidently.
Twain: 3) The personages in a tale shall be alive, except in the case of corpses, and that always the reader shall be able to tell the corpses from the others. 4) The personages in a tale, both dead and alive, shall exhibit a sufficient excuse for being there.
Twain's rules intrigued me because he worded them in a way where paraphrasing them would be doing him an injustice. Not only were these rules smile-worthy, but they provided vital information for prospective or current fiction writers.
I enjoyed Leonard's rule #10 because it goes hand in hand with both of Twain's rules for relevancy and Orwell's rule for an active voice. Leonard's rule, "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip" seems to tie them all together. In other words, don't make your characters so bland that no reader cares about them, don't give them no purpose whatsoever, and don't include any irrelevant side-notes (or chapters) that the reader will not care about, either.
I found these rules for writing very interesting. I myself, am a writer and these rules are some things I have never even heard of!!! For me, some of them were quite interesting. Others, seemed a bit silly. There were a few that stood out most to me as highly important.
6. "When the author describes the character of a personage in his tale, the conduct and conversation shall justify the description." What I really liked about this one is it makes a lot of sense. If we perceive a character to be A,B,and C, based upon the books description, and then we read the novel and that's not what is occuring in the book, it makes the novel useless. People buy books usually based upon word of mouth and the descriptions given on the back of the book. It's the vital part of information their given before deciding whether or not to buy the book.
The second rule that stood out to me was number 15.
15. "Not omit necessary details" I have read books where authors briefly mention some neccessary details but they dont expand upon them as they should. I've noticed when reading novels some authors cover everything that needs to be covered and that's it. Others write every tiny detail neccesarry.
Thirdly, I like rule 17.
17. "Use good grammer" For me this is one of the best rules. No one wants to read a novel where the author cant put together a proper sentence. It makes the novel confusing and people are more likely to tune out and stop reading.
Lastly, when it comes to Leonard's rules, I liked this one "try to leave out the part readers tend to skip" This rule in particular comes in handy when writing because people tend to try and fill their writing with fluff simply to take up space which isnt good. Doing that is just as bad as not giving neccessary information.
Writing a novel all comes down to making the story enticing so that people will WANT to care about them. Using these three rules are great examples to follow.
Hi Lexi! I have to agree with you on how people buy books based upon word of mouth and by just reading the description. The times that i have bought a book its because of the information they have given about it.
Can you think of the last time you read a great book, essay, or article? If so, you remembered it because it included simple— yet strenuous components—which are rules. Everything requires structure and if things are well-organized, they will flow smoothly. As is the case with writing, if commas are placed in the correct order; if paragraphs transition without ambiguity, and if one’s message is coherently understood by the reader—you have done a great job with your writing.
When I think of rules, I always imagine how the reader is going to interpret my work. For example, if I know who my intended audience is, I will use different methods of writing. For instance, writing with marketing, persuasion, argumentative, and informative—all have different tones. A question that I continually ask myself is why there are so many rules to writing? But then I recognize how crucial rules are in order to create concrete statements throughout one’s writing. As I read the assigned readings, the phrase that caught my attention was “never use a long word where a short one will do.”
When I was in sixth grade, we had an assignment where we had to act out a play out of the blue, and as I was preparing to perform, my teacher said “hurry up, Felix.” Well, this is extemporaneous, you know? It is hard, I replied. She looked at me astonished because of the word I mentioned. I could have said “it’s hard to perform something 'unrehearsed'.” To this date I suffer from this; I always use a big word when a simple one sounds and looks better. Throughout high school and college all my essays have suffered from poor word choice. After reading over the assignment, however, I will attempt to implement some of these rules, in hopes of making my writing appear proper.
I agree with Margarita and Lexi. You touched on some things that few did. Habit is very hard to break from. That is particularly true when it comes to writing. The way we learned to write in Junior High, High School, Junior College, and University are vastly different. It can be difficult changing the way we write and think about writing. These rules do create a great framework for changing our writing habits.
After reading the three author’s writing rules, it opened my mind to see the many aspects that goes into writing. Each author had a valid point, especially in cohesion to their writings. Mark Twain related his points towards his style of writing, to help writers of this style. Once I finished reading the rules, I found that each author had something that stuck out to me. George Orwell states, “If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.” I just finished writing a Memoir about my Grandmother and I learned that cutting fatty parts out is key. Once you step back from your writing for a while and come back, as a writer you will notice many flaws and pieces that can be cut out. Mark Twain’s number five, “When the personages of a tale deal in conversation, the talk shall sound like human talk, and be talk such as human beings would be likely to talk in the given circumstances, and have a discoverable meaning, also a discoverable purpose, and a show of relevancy, and remain in the neighborhood of the subject in hand, and be interesting to the reader, and help out the tale, and stop when the people cannot think of anything more to say.” This is something I pick up right away when I am reading a novel. If it does not seem lifelike it is hard for me to keep reading. I want to imagine the story as if it is real life and if the story is not, it’s uninteresting to me. Although Orwell and Twain had valid points my favorite was Leonards. I found that his ideas are straightforward and to the point. I feel it is easier for me to follow directions this way and with these writing techniques I could see myself keeping them as a reference. My most important rules of writing is One, to get it all out first, then go back and revise. I like to have everything on the paper even if I will not keep it. Second, I stay away from contractions. I also, believe that when a writer is describing characters or setting to keep it vivid but not long. The reader wants to imagine it, but not be stuck in that place for ten pages. Next, getting rid of the fatty chucks that is unnecessary in your writing. And lastly I try and take a break from my paper for a week or longer. This allows your mind to refresh and come back in a new mindset as a reader not a writer. This allows the writer to take out unnecessary parts and ‘clean up’ the writing.
Oh where to start. There are so many rules in writing. They are somewhat confusing, but they are interesting nonetheless. I do like and agree with some of them. If I had to follow each and every one of these rules as I was writing a story, I think it would take me a very long time to finish it. The first set of rules are definitely good ones. A writer, whether experienced or not, would always ask themselves these questions and make sure they look at all the details and revise the writing in order to have a clearer understanding of what he or she is wanting to express. The different sets of rules are very different but also somewhat similar in that they state that it is important to be simple and not to exaggerate the writing. The one that stands out to me is: Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. This stood out to me because as a nurse this is exactly what we always need to consider when we explain things to our patients or when we are talking to others who may not understand medical jargon. Sometimes we do this and may not even realize it. My rules of writing would include some of the rules mentioned above. You should always use the right word, use a short word and not a complicated or long one, don’t go into too much detail, use good grammar, and be simple and straightforward. Also, you should always re-read your own work at least once or more.
Hi Margarita! i agree with you there are many rules in writing, and if i was also to follow these rules it would take me a long time or I wouldnt even finish. But hopefully this rules can help us in our writing. goof response on why never use a foreign phrase, because you would want the reader to understand what it is being read and no wonder what is it that they are reading.
I completely agree with all of these rules. The one rule that stands out to me is Orwell's second rule about saying things as simply as possible. I have read many books where the author uses big words to try and sound intelligent. I always attempt to make my writing easy to read so that it does not frustrate the reader. The other rule that stands out is Elmore Leonord's rule about not going into great detail when describing places and things. Some writers get too caught trying to describe a certain object when it really is not relevant to the overall story. They could also over describe something that is better left to the reader's imagination. Overall I found these rule very insightful and they are something to keep in mind in any type of writting.
I don’t know much about writing rules. Usually, when I have a writing assignment, I usually try to imitate writings that we’ve already read. I can understand why these writing rules are made. Whenever I read a something, I want to be able to understand it. These rules make sure that writers know who their readers are. That is why i think the the first four rules are the most important. Writers should know exactly what they are trying to say. If the writer doesn’t know what he/she is trying to say how is the reader suppose to know. Writers should get straight to the point. They should not write about unrelated information. The writer should know the words that the reader recognizes. If the writer uses words that the reader doesn’t, how will the reader know what he/she is talking about. The writer should be aware of the vocabulary of the reader. The writer should be able to create an image that the reader can visualize. The writer should not create an image that the reader is unfamiliar with. An image should be something that the reader can relate to. I think these rules are the most important rules because it focuses on how well writer understand the reader. I think the most important rule for the writer is to make sure to understand his/her audience. By understanding their audience, the writer can write in a way that that the reader can best understand what the writer is saying.
Yes, it all makes sense once we stumble across an issue in writing. We normally look back and say "ah, that did help," or something across those lines.
And it is great that you mention that the writer should be able to "create an imagine that the reader can visualize" -- brilliant!
These rules are all new to me, but they make sense as a writer and following some or most of these rules. Orwell's rules are more for news type entries. But if followed they could keep the writer on track in writing with provoking interest for the reader and keeping thei attention.
Overuse of the exclamation point is something I'm quilty of. I've seen it overused in social media sites also. I don't believe it's been taught well in english classes and overlooked for proper usage. I can identify with Leonard's rules mostly because I have followed them in my writing. A rule of Leonard's that I've noticed in my writings that I tend to follow Leonard's rules due to simiplicity and it's how I think, as well.
All of the rules seem like really good guides to excellent writing basics. Orwell’s seem to help the writer stay on track of the story that they are writing and Twain’s gives good advice on the actual writing of the story and Leonard’s are great writing tips. I like Leonard’s because they are definitely relatable to individual people. By this I mean that he has you put yourself in the place of the reader and thus, write accordingly to what would catch your interest and skip the parts that would not. The one rule that really stands out to me is rule number 7 by Twain because I had read stories before when the writer starts the story very prim and proper and by the end you can tell they have either run out of things to say or are tired of writing because the language and idiom have changed completely. Twain’s rules of writing are the ones that stood out to me the most especially 12 thru 18 because I have trouble with getting to the point and these rules would definitely help me get back on track when I am writing.
The first reading gives us ideas on what to say when we write. These rules are all simple to follow. To what I understand it basically is for the reader to be interested. The writer should use clear understanding words, and keep long word short and simple, so that the reader won’t get bored. Twain’s rules would be great rules to follow when writing especially if you use rule 10. The author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones. I like to read books that keep me interesting and wanting to know more about hat will happen next. I personally would never have though of some of Twain’s rules. Also, one of twain’s rule the limit on exclamation points to me that is a good rule because most people overuse exclamation points. One of my problems when I write is that I over write, and now knowing these simple rules I hope to make my writing more clear and entertaining.
Both Orwell and Twain wants us to concentrate on ways to keep our readers active and understanding what we wrote. Twain's rules are based on adding life to your story and characters. He wants us to take time to describe what is happening in the moment, while Orwell wants to get straight to the point. Leonard's rules are more based on what we should not do and what we should not add to our writing.
These rules are pretty straight forward. I found Orwell's rules easier to understand and to follow, especially when writing an essay. Sometimes I tend to overwrite and use the longer version of words to fill up a page. Having that mindset, of just filling up a page, won't keep my reader interested. I had forgotten when writing an essay it is important to keep my reader interested, and it was good to review for the future.
Both Orwell and Twain wants us to concentrate on ways to keep our readers active and understanding what we wrote. Twain's rules are based on adding life to your story and characters. He wants us to take time to describe what is happening in the moment, while Orwell wants to get straight to the point. Leonard's rules are more based on what we should not do and what we should not add to our writing.
These rules are pretty straight forward. I found Orwell's rules easier to understand and to follow, especially when writing an essay. Sometimes I tend to overwrite and use the longer version of words to fill up a page. Having that mindset, of just filling up a page, won't keep my reader interested. I had forgotten when writing an essay it is important to keep my reader interested, and it was good to review for the future.
Tammie Mason week 1 reading response- My understanding of the first reading is to use words that are clearly understood. Get to the point of the information, grab the interest of the reader and keep the reader interested in the work. The writer should use fresh ideas to convey the meaning. Do not bore the reader with information that has been written before. In this way we can present an idea in a clearly understood way and hopefully intrigue the reader to continue to read and explore our ideas. The second reading, "Twain's rules," give intellectual credit to the reader. Twain is telling us to be consistent, if the character starts out speaking and thinking in a certain manner, follow through to the end of the tale in the same vain. The tale is to inform the reader and convey a meaning. We, as writers need to be clear in what we want to convey. Don't beat around the bush, get to the point. If we build a character in our tale we can predict or guide the reader to a logical conclusion.
I think these rules are definitely a different point of view than a college student writing a paper. As a student, I try to add as many words to a paper to meet my criteria of subject length. I use big, multi-syllable word to show the professor I have a vocabulary, and I try to relate my input of the subject by referring back to a story in my reference material. To write in simple language makes better sense, to grab the interest of the reader using simple words and not try to inflate ones vocabulary seems reasonable. This submission procedure is still a little confusing, I submitted my response in a different location several days ago. I copied and pasted to this site. I thought I had submitted another response in this area prior to today, but I do not see it. I will get this system down, trial and error, hopefully it does not hurt my grade.
I wish I would have had these rules memorized throughout all my years of writing. They would have been put to good use. For me, the most difficult and most important rule to remember involves what I am trying to say. What is the intent of my writing? What am I trying to make my audience understand? While reading these excerpts, I found I have trouble deciphering between a big, complicated word and a short, understandable word. Orwell says to never use a long word if a short word will do. This is not what we were taught growing up. I am learning to refrain from complicated wording if simple wording will do the trick. As for me, my most important rule of writing is to refrain from lifeless writing. I don't want my writing to be boring or easily scanned over. I have spent years in school perfecting how I write. With that, I believe that my writing should be at college level. So, I try to maintain my education through how I write. My main focus when writing is for my point to come across and not to lose sight of my topic.
You are right, Lauren. I did not even think of this when writing my response. We are taught that the bigger the word, the more impressive the writing. Why use a short word that everyone knows when you can impress people with your vocabulary?
My first thought about the writing rules was that these are a lot of rules to rememeber as one is writing. I am not an English major student so the majority of the rules that I read are foreign to me. The one rule that does stand out the most to me is: Could I put it more shortly? and Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly? I know one of my main problems in writing is that I am a repetitive writer. I'll get my point across in one sentence, and then I will say the same thing again, but smarter, hopefully. Then I will express my point once more in another language as though the first two times were not clear enough. All of this eventually leads to butchering the message that I was trying to give. I need to become a more clear and clean writer, and those particular rules reminded me of the writing that I have now. One of my most important rules to wrinting is to make sure that I have clear transitions between topics. It can easily become confusing when there are random topics all over the place and nothing to relate them to. This is the one rule that I really try to accomplish as I write.
I can actually learn a lot from these rules. This would have been pleasant to know during high school. English is one of my favorite subjects because you can always improve. Writing is never perfect. I feel if you can reach out to someone that relates to it in any shape, way or form then you've accomplished an incredible thing. Twain's rule #17 "Use good grammar," is probably one of the best rules that I can apply to myself and encourage others to do so. I cannot stand when people use horrible grammar, it is very frustrating. So I tend to ignore those who have bad grammar. Oops. I actually started a blog myself, just because of this class. So that I can not only improve on writing, but to write about how I feel and share my ideas. I really like the rule, "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip," because when you have a captivating story and has the reader tuned into every word, I feel you've done your job. I've read books to where I was like "What did I just read?" I really enjoy the first four rules from Orwell's essay, I would really like to improve and instill these rules, when I begin writing or brainstorming. The reason being is because I want to tell a story when I write, capture attention and hope those who read enjoy the read. The biggest issue I have when writing is; how am I going to capture anyone's attention? Are they going to like what I wrote? I am pretty hard on myself with certain things because I feel that I should know it, but then again life is a learning experience. I truly feel that all these rules can be applied somehow at some point in my life.
In general I think these rules are well thought out and good to keep at hand when writing. My issue with them is that it is very difficult to remember all of these rules all of the time. Their usefulness is moderately dependent on the type of writing as well. The rules that stick out the most for me are the ones that guide writers to keep sentences and points clear, concise, and universally understandable. Remembering not to use phrases, similes, and other cultural slang can be very hard. One does not realize how very integrated slang is until a writing project begins. Saying things such as "The cat is out of the bag" can really muck up good flow in writing. Orwell's essay has the rules that I can apply to my own writing the most. Some of them are redundant, but that is necessary. One of the rules that he repeats in various forms is to keep a sentence simple and precise. When I proofread my work, I find many parts where I could have used a shorter sentence, word, and/or paragraph to convey what I wanted to. Elmore Leonard cautions writers to only use "said" to carry on dialogue. This is a simple answer for those who struggle with writing conversation. It also complements Orwell's rules on simplicity.
First, I think rules in writing, such as rhetorical devices to be incorporated in writing skills are important and useful. There are three takes on such mechanics. First being Orwell, Mark Twain and Elmore Leonard. For Orwell’s rules the one in particular that stands out is the third rule being “If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.” This is an interesting rule but I think it applies to my own writing. I need to learn to edit. I think I can make my point as efficiently without overly using language which I tend to do. I think of myself as being an editor, and I need to learn how to edit when the time calls. If a word is an absolute necessity, then make the decision at the time. However, often writing (words) in my own person experience tend to be over utilized. So, I’m in accordance with this specific rule.
In Twain’s rules of writing, the last rule in improving my own writing mechanics is to employ his last rule ‘Employ a simple, straightforward style.’ Until I have more expertise in my writing skillset and learn the fundamentals, I should utilize this style to make sure my points are heard and my thesis and or argument are not muffled by other things, such as lofty words, fragments and too many thoughts into one sentence, losing my original point.
My most important rules in writing are to be creative. My favorite type of essay is an Argumentative one. This type of essay allows me freedom to make a stance on a particular subject, support it with evidence but also allow it to be argued by others. I like to take both the argument I am fighting for (pro) and the con in this type of paper.
These are all very good rules. They sound straight forward but are very difficult to remember and follow. However, if a writer manages to abide by these rules he or she will compose a very well written and easy to follow story. I liked the rule about getting the reader to hate and love the characters who deserve it. I also agree with Mark Twain with regards to character development and that the reader should be able to predict their behavior in an emergency. One of the points that confused me was that a writer should not use too much detail when describing an event or situation. When I write I leave out concrete details and imagery so I fail to give the reader a good visual representation of what is going on. Regardless of what I am writing, I will finish my work and then come back to it a few days later to catch any mistakes I may have overlooked.
ReplyDeleteHi Blanca! I truly agree on your stance from Mark Twain with character development. I also have some writer problems when it comes to creating this imagery that you have in your mind, onto paper. Either too vague or too much. It's sometimes difficult to find that neutral zone, that seems to effortless by the author's we read from. My biggest issue is overlooking mistakes, especially the little ones. That is definitely something I will have to work on.
DeleteHello Blanca! Your response was straight and to the point which I like. I can agree with you that these rules are difficult to remember and follow. It seems so easy when writing to get off on tangents and your thoughts start to not make any sense. You are so right that if a writer manages to abide by these rules, he or she will compose a great story. Not only will he or she compose a great story, but as a writer you will gain great experience writing in a collegiate way. It is very smart that you overlook your work because it shows you understand no one writes perfectly. I need to be better at triple checking my work.
DeleteI feel like in general the rules are all very easy to follow and most of them should be rules we've known since we began writing. A few seem a bit contradictory to me, one in particular Twain's rule to "use the right word, not it's second cousin", but another rule said to use simpler words when possible. A rule that stood out to me was the limit on exclamation points. I guess I've never thought about it, but exclamation points are a bit much and can get overused, so I think that's a good rule to follow. Another rule that stood out to me that I don't necessarily agree with was to not start a book with weather. I've actually read a few books that started that way and I like it. I can't see why it should be a concrete rule. A rule I try to follow when I write is to not over write. When you're done writing, you're done. When you start trying to squeeze out more, you take away from what you're really trying to say.
ReplyDeleteHi Jeannie! I agree with you on exclamation marks. They are so fun to use, well to me they are, but they can be overused so quickly, and in turn lose their excitement. The weather rule didn't work with me either. I know there seems to be fewer books that start out that way, but like you said, there are books that start out with weather and become good readable books. I would give much props to those writers because for me, I find it very difficult to start a story and drawing the reader in using the weather as my hook. But, I don't think it should be counted out. Your rule to not over write is a great rule. I feel the same way, that when you put your pen/pencil/keyboard down, that should be it. Yes, come back to adjust some here and there, but like you said, when you add more and more to something already done, the charm can be squeezed out of your story. Just my thoughts.
DeleteI think that everyone has their own style of writing and most of these writing rules are suggestions and not concrete rules. For example, the rule on writing on the weather because as you mentioned there are some books that start out that way and become very good reads. As for me I seem to have that problem of squeezing more out of it when there is a shortage of words and you are trying to reach your word limit. It seems that by doing that you actually lose what you were trying to explain gets lost.
DeleteBlanca,
DeleteI, too, found the rules very blunt and descriptive.
You mentioned "concrete details."
This may seem weird but before I write out any assignment, I have a separate piece of paper that states "stick to the point!"
It always helps because it reminds me that I should avoid secondary things and create writing that is pertinent to the topic.
- Felix
As a writer, I see things I would take and leave from each of these writing rule. When it comes to writing, I seem to use Orwell's first set more than any other rules. I feel that description of a character works best being built on through the pages, not all at once. I like to get into my characters, the more the better, and agree with Mark Twain, in knowing the character to the point of knowing what that character is expected to do during an emergency. That is one rule I agree 100%. This allows me to feel this emotional connection with characters, to love or to hate. For me, emotional connection is huge. I don't agree with a lot of the rules from ELMORE LEONARD. I especially don't agree with detailed descriptions of characters. I understand there is a need of maybe some mystery of each character, for the purpose of imagery and other things a writer may use later. As far as rules go, I learned it is best to just write. Write whatever comes up, and write how you want to write. You are the author, and it's your rules. I feel that writing my way, versus a set way, I am able to create what I see in my mind on paper more effortlessly.
ReplyDeleteWell put John! As the author of your own stories you as a writer will write what comes natural to you and what you believe should be in a story and just hope that what you have put in writing will be enjoyed by other readers.
DeleteI agree with Michelle John! You definitely put your statement well. I have to agree with you that I also like to get into characters. It is so much funner when you allow yourself to leave your own personality for a moment to get into character. Being able to write in your own way instead of following rules is absolutely important in being able to create what you want and to bring new things to the table others may never have thought of. That is a very good point you brought up!
Delete18. Employ a simple, straightforward style.
ReplyDeleteI like my rules and they help me while I'm writhing. I disagree with this one. One of the greatest writers work had been around for thousands of years and that way of writing is around the point. The gospel of John uses a different method of writhing where instead of telling the reader what to think he allows us to fix our thinking with what he says. If he told us the point we wouldn't have room for another point. I have realized maybe writing Peperfectly isn't a rule but a generalization. We should be able to express our thoughts as we please for the audience that understands us in our way.
Hello Jackie. After reading your response it makes sense that simple and straightforward may not work for all writing. I try to stay simple and not go into too much detail, but I suppose that it probably doesn't work with everything. I agree with you that we should express our thoughts in our writing. I guess I'm used to writing essays that do not normally allow for much opinion.
DeleteI think that Orwell's rules are better suited for editorials and journalistic entries. Personally, I feel that his rules are intended to keep the reader's attention, as well as in-the-know about certain topics; he strives to ensure that the reader is not turning their nose up at whatever opinion he/she is writing about, which in effect simplifies the message being expressed. In short, I feel that Orwell's rules were intended to make the works of writers easier to absorb and comprehend, as evidenced by rule 2; "Never use a long word where a short one will do", and rule 3; "Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent". This is similar to the rules of Mark Twain, in respect to the omission of unnecessary words and phrases. However, Twain stresses the necessity of detail and situational realism; there must to be a means to an end. Twain seems more concerned with giving the reader a fair amount of story development, reminding the writer to not eschew any important details necessary for the progression of the story and its characters. Elmore Leonard's rules were quite hard to get my head around, as it seemed like he was providing writer's etiquette for the proper usage of prose. However, I can identify with Leonard's rules the best because of how simple they seem to be, as not only are they simple to follow (with the exception of the first one, “never open a book with weather”), but most of them actually make sense to me when prose is concerned. The one rule that stuck out to me personally was one of Leonard’s, namely the avoidance of using the phrases “suddenly” and “all hell broke loose”. If there was to be some sort of unexpected happening that was meant to surprise the reader, then the usage of those phrases only do well to make the situation anti-climactic, rendering the scene impotent in its delivery. My most important rules concern the usage and placement of words in ways that will not interrupt the flow of my ideas in writing. Whenever I take on the task of putting my thoughts on paper, I make it a point to use the right words within the right context, instead of wantonly throwing out opportunities for the readers to access the dictionary or thesaurus.
ReplyDeleteI actually have to say that I agree with Orwell's rules. When you are writing, usually your instinct is what comes to mind, so you are able to write about things you are passionate about and that come straight from what is going on inside. However, there are times when we write where our instincts do not kick in, and we suddenly have nothing to go on. I do agree with Orwell where he believes you should never use a long word where a short one will do. The reason this one rule stood out to me is because I strongly believe if you use a long word where a short one could do, it looks as if you are "trying to hard," so to speak. Leonard's rules were very good as well! My favorite one of all was where he said "keep your exclamation points under control. You are allowed no more than two or three per 100,000 words of prose. I believe this is a very good rule and an important one as well, because as writers we can tend to go out of control with our exclamation points. In my opinion when you use too many exclamation points your thoughts start to look jumbled and it may look as though you are unsure of what you are really trying to say. My most important rules of writing are to not use the word "I" too many times, and to try my best to not have run on sentences. Writing is a very challenging task, but you must know it is never going to be perfect.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed both Twain's and Elmore's rules of writings, but I think I identify more with Twain's because it has more variety and loopholes. What stood out to me was Twain's rules 10 and 11 stating '10. The author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones.
ReplyDelete11. The characters in tale be so clearly defined that the reader can tell beforehand what each will do in a given emergency.' I believe that to make the reader deeply interested in the characters the author must provide some sense of suspense and curiosity, of course depending on the story line. If I were to read a story I would not want to know beforehand what I am to expect from the characters throughout the story, I would want to sit on the edge of my seat, not wanting to know what exactly the bad characters are going to do so I can anxiously await their bad decisions so I can not like them all the more. Am I making sense? I think they are both good points, but when used together, I do not agree with them. I enjoy Twain's rules more so than Elmore's because Elmore's rules seem rather negative. I enjoy reading stories that start out in weather or ones that go into greater detail about the characters and the places they are at because it helps me follow along and imagine myself in the story following along and giving me the chance to be more connected with the characters. Elmore sounds like he could use some variety in his life, starting off with The Hunger Games series.
I like the questions Orwell uses in the beginning. These questions are good material to think about when writing. I agree with Orwell's rule #5: "Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent." At times writers tend to use scientific words or foreign phrases that not everyone understands, it can be confusing and cause the reader to misinterpret what the writer was trying to say. Using an everyday equivalent that people have heard of and used before will help the reader understand the reading and become more involved in what the writer is saying.
ReplyDeleteAll these rules seem simple to follow and anyone that follows these rules will accomplish great work, but in my opinion no work of writing is perfect. People have their own unique style of stating their thoughts on paper. Another rule that stood out to me was Elmore Leanard's rule that states, "Keep your exclamation marks under control..." I strongly agree, exclamation marks can be very easy to get carried away with, I've done it myself. It seems that words become almost ignored and do not seem as emotional when exclamation marks are used too much. One of my rules I try to follow when writing is get straight to the point while keeping it clear and simple. I try not to write too much because I feel it causes writers to repeat thoughts becoming redundant.
I think Twain's Rules of Writing are pretty much right on par with my view and rules on writing. I love rule #10. This is so true. When I finish a book or a show/movie with excellent writing I usually like being able to say, "Oh I hated that guy" or "she was such a wonderful person." I like walking away feeling like I really knew the depths of that character's soul. In turn, when I write I want the reader to feel the same way. I think the rule goes hand in hand with rule #11. The character is so clearly defined you can picture them and their next move. You analyze their past behavior and become enthralled with the anticipation of their next move. My writing style is very much about character development. It's important to me that my reader becomes personally attached to the character so when they finish my reading they can also leave feeling they knew them.
ReplyDeleteElmore Leonard's Rules for Writing says to avoid detailed descriptions of characters. I don't necessarily disagree with this rule. To me it is important I give as much detail necessary to paint a picture of the person surrounding the incident. For example if I were writing a story about the first time a man set eyes on his future wife and why he thought she was so beautiful I would find is absolutely necessary to describe every physical attribute of her. But, if I were describing a person sitting down at an interview with a future employer I would not find it necessary to describe the employer in detail if the point of the story was not focused on the employer. I think it's important to give as much detail as the story should allow.
It is most important to me to keep my writing engaging and also relevant to the topic at hand. I suppose that is why I liked Twain's and Leonard's rules the most. My favorite rules were Twain's #3 and #4 and Leonard's #10. However, I also hold Orwell's rule #2 in equally high regard.
ReplyDeleteOrwell: Never use the passive voice where you can use the active
Starting out with Orwell's rule, I must say that I have always had trouble maintaining an active voice. I am a very passive person, and I suspect that is why I am also very passive in my writing (or so I've been told). I accept that an active voice is needed for a writer to have a better chance at being both convincing and more engaging to the reader. If I were ever to be writing something of extreme importance, I would muster up the courage to write actively and confidently.
Twain: 3) The personages in a tale shall be alive, except in the case of corpses, and that always the reader shall be able to tell the corpses from the others. 4) The personages in a tale, both dead and alive, shall exhibit a sufficient excuse for being there.
Twain's rules intrigued me because he worded them in a way where paraphrasing them would be doing him an injustice. Not only were these rules smile-worthy, but they provided vital information for prospective or current fiction writers.
I enjoyed Leonard's rule #10 because it goes hand in hand with both of Twain's rules for relevancy and Orwell's rule for an active voice. Leonard's rule, "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip" seems to tie them all together. In other words, don't make your characters so bland that no reader cares about them, don't give them no purpose whatsoever, and don't include any irrelevant side-notes (or chapters) that the reader will not care about, either.
I found these rules for writing very interesting. I myself, am a writer and these rules are some things I have never even heard of!!! For me, some of them were quite interesting. Others, seemed a bit silly. There were a few that stood out most to me as highly important.
ReplyDelete6. "When the author describes the character of a personage in his tale, the conduct and conversation shall justify the description." What I really liked about this one is it makes a lot of sense. If we perceive a character to be A,B,and C, based upon the books description, and then we read the novel and that's not what is occuring in the book, it makes the novel useless. People buy books usually based upon word of mouth and the descriptions given on the back of the book. It's the vital part of information their given before deciding whether or not to buy the book.
The second rule that stood out to me was number 15.
15. "Not omit necessary details" I have read books where authors briefly mention some neccessary details but they dont expand upon them as they should. I've noticed when reading novels some authors cover everything that needs to be covered and that's it. Others write every tiny detail neccesarry.
Thirdly, I like rule 17.
17. "Use good grammer" For me this is one of the best rules. No one wants to read a novel where the author cant put together a proper sentence. It makes the novel confusing and people are more likely to tune out and stop reading.
Lastly, when it comes to Leonard's rules, I liked this one "try to leave out the part readers tend to skip" This rule in particular comes in handy when writing because people tend to try and fill their writing with fluff simply to take up space which isnt good. Doing that is just as bad as not giving neccessary information.
Writing a novel all comes down to making the story enticing so that people will WANT to care about them. Using these three rules are great examples to follow.
Hi Lexi! I have to agree with you on how people buy books based upon word of mouth and by just reading the description. The times that i have bought a book its because of the information they have given about it.
DeleteCan you think of the last time you read a great book, essay, or article? If so, you remembered it because it included simple— yet strenuous components—which are rules. Everything requires structure and if things are well-organized, they will flow smoothly. As is the case with writing, if commas are placed in the correct order; if paragraphs transition without ambiguity, and if one’s message is coherently understood by the reader—you have done a great job with your writing.
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of rules, I always imagine how the reader is going to interpret my work. For example, if I know who my intended audience is, I will use different methods of writing. For instance, writing with marketing, persuasion, argumentative, and informative—all have different tones. A question that I continually ask myself is why there are so many rules to writing? But then I recognize how crucial rules are in order to create concrete statements throughout one’s writing. As I read the assigned readings, the phrase that caught my attention was “never use a long word where a short one will do.”
When I was in sixth grade, we had an assignment where we had to act out a play out of the blue, and as I was preparing to perform, my teacher said “hurry up, Felix.”
Well, this is extemporaneous, you know? It is hard, I replied.
She looked at me astonished because of the word I mentioned. I could have said “it’s hard to perform something 'unrehearsed'.” To this date I suffer from this; I always use a big word when a simple one sounds and looks better. Throughout high school and college all my essays have suffered from poor word choice. After reading over the assignment, however, I will attempt to implement some of these rules, in hopes of making my writing appear proper.
Great response! And yes it is very hard to change ones habits. I think these rules may just help us though.
DeleteExcellent job! I would have to agree with Margarita that it is hard to change ones habits. But yes, I do find these rules very helpful as a writer.
DeleteI agree with Margarita and Lexi. You touched on some things that few did. Habit is very hard to break from. That is particularly true when it comes to writing. The way we learned to write in Junior High, High School, Junior College, and University are vastly different. It can be difficult changing the way we write and think about writing. These rules do create a great framework for changing our writing habits.
DeleteAfter reading the three author’s writing rules, it opened my mind to see the many aspects that goes into writing. Each author had a valid point, especially in cohesion to their writings. Mark Twain related his points towards his style of writing, to help writers of this style.
ReplyDeleteOnce I finished reading the rules, I found that each author had something that stuck out to me. George Orwell states, “If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.” I just finished writing a Memoir about my Grandmother and I learned that cutting fatty parts out is key. Once you step back from your writing for a while and come back, as a writer you will notice many flaws and pieces that can be cut out.
Mark Twain’s number five, “When the personages of a tale deal in conversation, the talk shall sound like human talk, and be talk such as human beings would be likely to talk in the given circumstances, and have a discoverable meaning, also a discoverable purpose, and a show of relevancy, and remain in the neighborhood of the subject in hand, and be interesting to the reader, and help out the tale, and stop when the people cannot think of anything more to say.” This is something I pick up right away when I am reading a novel. If it does not seem lifelike it is hard for me to keep reading. I want to imagine the story as if it is real life and if the story is not, it’s uninteresting to me. Although Orwell and Twain had valid points my favorite was Leonards. I found that his ideas are straightforward and to the point. I feel it is easier for me to follow directions this way and with these writing techniques I could see myself keeping them as a reference.
My most important rules of writing is One, to get it all out first, then go back and revise. I like to have everything on the paper even if I will not keep it. Second, I stay away from contractions. I also, believe that when a writer is describing characters or setting to keep it vivid but not long. The reader wants to imagine it, but not be stuck in that place for ten pages. Next, getting rid of the fatty chucks that is unnecessary in your writing. And lastly I try and take a break from my paper for a week or longer. This allows your mind to refresh and come back in a new mindset as a reader not a writer. This allows the writer to take out unnecessary parts and ‘clean up’ the writing.
Oh where to start. There are so many rules in writing. They are somewhat confusing, but they are interesting nonetheless. I do like and agree with some of them. If I had to follow each and every one of these rules as I was writing a story, I think it would take me a very long time to finish it. The first set of rules are definitely good ones. A writer, whether experienced or not, would always ask themselves these questions and make sure they look at all the details and revise the writing in order to have a clearer understanding of what he or she is wanting to express. The different sets of rules are very different but also somewhat similar in that they state that it is important to be simple and not to exaggerate the writing. The one that stands out to me is: Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. This stood out to me because as a nurse this is exactly what we always need to consider when we explain things to our patients or when we are talking to others who may not understand medical jargon. Sometimes we do this and may not even realize it. My rules of writing would include some of the rules mentioned above. You should always use the right word, use a short word and not a complicated or long one, don’t go into too much detail, use good grammar, and be simple and straightforward. Also, you should always re-read your own work at least once or more.
ReplyDeleteHi Margarita! i agree with you there are many rules in writing, and if i was also to follow these rules it would take me a long time or I wouldnt even finish. But hopefully this rules can help us in our writing. goof response on why never use a foreign phrase, because you would want the reader to understand what it is being read and no wonder what is it that they are reading.
DeleteMargarita,
DeleteHa ha -- "where to start."
That was funny.
I agree with your post, great comparison with the patients you deal with, too.
And I most definitely agree with the "short word."
I suffer from word choice a lot.
Thanks!
- Felix
I completely agree with all of these rules. The one rule that stands out to me is Orwell's second rule about saying things as simply as possible. I have read many books where the author uses big words to try and sound intelligent. I always attempt to make my writing easy to read so that it does not frustrate the reader. The other rule that stands out is Elmore Leonord's rule about not going into great detail when describing places and things. Some writers get too caught trying to describe a certain object when it really is not relevant to the overall story. They could also over describe something that is better left to the reader's imagination. Overall I found these rule very insightful and they are something to keep in mind in any type of writting.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know much about writing rules. Usually, when I have a writing assignment, I usually try to imitate writings that we’ve already read. I can understand why these writing rules are made. Whenever I read a something, I want to be able to understand it. These rules make sure that writers know who their readers are. That is why i think the the first four rules are the most important. Writers should know exactly what they are trying to say. If the writer doesn’t know what he/she is trying to say how is the reader suppose to know. Writers should get straight to the point. They should not write about unrelated information. The writer should know the words that the reader recognizes. If the writer uses words that the reader doesn’t, how will the reader know what he/she is talking about. The writer should be aware of the vocabulary of the reader. The writer should be able to create an image that the reader can visualize. The writer should not create an image that the reader is unfamiliar with. An image should be something that the reader can relate to. I think these rules are the most important rules because it focuses on how well writer understand the reader. I think the most important rule for the writer is to make sure to understand his/her audience. By understanding their audience, the writer can write in a way that that the reader can best understand what the writer is saying.
ReplyDeleteAlelie,
DeleteYes, it all makes sense once we stumble across an issue in writing. We normally look back and say "ah, that did help," or something across those lines.
And it is great that you mention that the writer should be able to "create an imagine that the reader can visualize" -- brilliant!
- Felix
These rules are all new to me, but they make sense as a writer and following some or most of these rules. Orwell's rules are more for news type entries. But if followed they could keep the writer on track in writing with provoking interest for the reader and keeping thei attention.
ReplyDeleteOveruse of the exclamation point is something I'm quilty of. I've seen it overused in social media sites also. I don't believe it's been taught well in english classes and overlooked for proper usage. I can identify with Leonard's rules mostly because I have followed them in my writing. A rule of Leonard's that I've noticed in my writings that I tend to follow Leonard's rules due to simiplicity and it's how I think, as well.
All of the rules seem like really good guides to excellent writing basics. Orwell’s seem to help the writer stay on track of the story that they are writing and Twain’s gives good advice on the actual writing of the story and Leonard’s are great writing tips. I like Leonard’s because they are definitely relatable to individual people. By this I mean that he has you put yourself in the place of the reader and thus, write accordingly to what would catch your interest and skip the parts that would not. The one rule that really stands out to me is rule number 7 by Twain because I had read stories before when the writer starts the story very prim and proper and by the end you can tell they have either run out of things to say or are tired of writing because the language and idiom have changed completely. Twain’s rules of writing are the ones that stood out to me the most especially 12 thru 18 because I have trouble with getting to the point and these rules would definitely help me get back on track when I am writing.
ReplyDeleteThe first reading gives us ideas on what to say when we write. These rules are all simple to follow. To what I understand it basically is for the reader to be interested. The writer should use clear understanding words, and keep long word short and simple, so that the reader won’t get bored.
ReplyDeleteTwain’s rules would be great rules to follow when writing especially if you use rule 10. The author shall make the reader feel a deep interest in the personages of his tale and their fate; and that he shall make the reader love the good people in the tale and hate the bad ones. I like to read books that keep me interesting and wanting to know more about hat will happen next. I personally would never have though of some of Twain’s rules. Also, one of twain’s rule the limit on exclamation points to me that is a good rule because most people overuse exclamation points. One of my problems when I write is that I over write, and now knowing these simple rules I hope to make my writing more clear and entertaining.
Both Orwell and Twain wants us to concentrate on ways to keep our readers active and understanding what we wrote. Twain's rules are based on adding life to your story and characters. He wants us to take time to describe what is happening in the moment, while Orwell wants to get straight to the point. Leonard's rules are more based on what we should not do and what we should not add to our writing.
ReplyDeleteThese rules are pretty straight forward. I found Orwell's rules easier to understand and to follow, especially when writing an essay. Sometimes I tend to overwrite and use the longer version of words to fill up a page. Having that mindset, of just filling up a page, won't keep my reader interested. I had forgotten when writing an essay it is important to keep my reader interested, and it was good to review for the future.
Both Orwell and Twain wants us to concentrate on ways to keep our readers active and understanding what we wrote. Twain's rules are based on adding life to your story and characters. He wants us to take time to describe what is happening in the moment, while Orwell wants to get straight to the point. Leonard's rules are more based on what we should not do and what we should not add to our writing.
ReplyDeleteThese rules are pretty straight forward. I found Orwell's rules easier to understand and to follow, especially when writing an essay. Sometimes I tend to overwrite and use the longer version of words to fill up a page. Having that mindset, of just filling up a page, won't keep my reader interested. I had forgotten when writing an essay it is important to keep my reader interested, and it was good to review for the future.
Tammie Mason week 1 reading response-
ReplyDeleteMy understanding of the first reading is to use words that are clearly understood. Get to the point of the information, grab the interest of the reader and keep the reader interested in the work. The writer should use fresh ideas to convey the meaning. Do not bore the reader with information that has been written before. In this way we can present an idea in a clearly understood way and hopefully intrigue the reader to continue to read and explore our ideas.
The second reading, "Twain's rules," give intellectual credit to the reader. Twain is telling us to be consistent, if the character starts out speaking and thinking in a certain manner, follow through to the end of the tale in the same vain. The tale is to inform the reader and convey a meaning. We, as writers need to be clear in what we want to convey. Don't beat around the bush, get to the point. If we build a character in our tale we can predict or guide the reader to a logical conclusion.
I think these rules are definitely a different point of view than a college student writing a paper. As a student, I try to add as many words to a paper to meet my criteria of subject length. I use big, multi-syllable word to show the professor I have a vocabulary, and I try to relate my input of the subject by referring back to a story in my reference material. To write in simple language makes better sense, to grab the interest of the reader using simple words and not try to inflate ones vocabulary seems reasonable.
ReplyDeleteThis submission procedure is still a little confusing, I submitted my response in a different location several days ago. I copied and pasted to this site. I thought I had submitted another response in this area prior to today, but I do not see it. I will get this system down, trial and error, hopefully it does not hurt my grade.
I wish I would have had these rules memorized throughout all my years of writing. They would have been put to good use. For me, the most difficult and most important rule to remember involves what I am trying to say. What is the intent of my writing? What am I trying to make my audience understand? While reading these excerpts, I found I have trouble deciphering between a big, complicated word and a short, understandable word. Orwell says to never use a long word if a short word will do. This is not what we were taught growing up. I am learning to refrain from complicated wording if simple wording will do the trick. As for me, my most important rule of writing is to refrain from lifeless writing. I don't want my writing to be boring or easily scanned over. I have spent years in school perfecting how I write. With that, I believe that my writing should be at college level. So, I try to maintain my education through how I write. My main focus when writing is for my point to come across and not to lose sight of my topic.
ReplyDeleteYou are right, Lauren. I did not even think of this when writing my response. We are taught that the bigger the word, the more impressive the writing. Why use a short word that everyone knows when you can impress people with your vocabulary?
DeleteMy first thought about the writing rules was that these are a lot of rules to rememeber as one is writing. I am not an English major student so the majority of the rules that I read are foreign to me. The one rule that does stand out the most to me is: Could I put it more shortly? and Have I said anything that is avoidably ugly? I know one of my main problems in writing is that I am a repetitive writer. I'll get my point across in one sentence, and then I will say the same thing again, but smarter, hopefully. Then I will express my point once more in another language as though the first two times were not clear enough. All of this eventually leads to butchering the message that I was trying to give. I need to become a more clear and clean writer, and those particular rules reminded me of the writing that I have now. One of my most important rules to wrinting is to make sure that I have clear transitions between topics. It can easily become confusing when there are random topics all over the place and nothing to relate them to. This is the one rule that I really try to accomplish as I write.
ReplyDeleteI can actually learn a lot from these rules. This would have been pleasant to know during high school. English is one of my favorite subjects because you can always improve. Writing is never perfect. I feel if you can reach out to someone that relates to it in any shape, way or form then you've accomplished an incredible thing. Twain's rule #17 "Use good grammar," is probably one of the best rules that I can apply to myself and encourage others to do so. I cannot stand when people use horrible grammar, it is very frustrating. So I tend to ignore those who have bad grammar. Oops. I actually started a blog myself, just because of this class. So that I can not only improve on writing, but to write about how I feel and share my ideas. I really like the rule, "Try to leave out the part that readers tend to skip," because when you have a captivating story and has the reader tuned into every word, I feel you've done your job. I've read books to where I was like "What did I just read?" I really enjoy the first four rules from Orwell's essay, I would really like to improve and instill these rules, when I begin writing or brainstorming. The reason being is because I want to tell a story when I write, capture attention and hope those who read enjoy the read. The biggest issue I have when writing is; how am I going to capture anyone's attention? Are they going to like what I wrote? I am pretty hard on myself with certain things because I feel that I should know it, but then again life is a learning experience. I truly feel that all these rules can be applied somehow at some point in my life.
ReplyDeleteIn general I think these rules are well thought out and good to keep at hand when writing. My issue with them is that it is very difficult to remember all of these rules all of the time. Their usefulness is moderately dependent on the type of writing as well. The rules that stick out the most for me are the ones that guide writers to keep sentences and points clear, concise, and universally understandable. Remembering not to use phrases, similes, and other cultural slang can be very hard. One does not realize how very integrated slang is until a writing project begins. Saying things such as "The cat is out of the bag" can really muck up good flow in writing. Orwell's essay has the rules that I can apply to my own writing the most. Some of them are redundant, but that is necessary. One of the rules that he repeats in various forms is to keep a sentence simple and precise. When I proofread my work, I find many parts where I could have used a shorter sentence, word, and/or paragraph to convey what I wanted to. Elmore Leonard cautions writers to only use "said" to carry on dialogue. This is a simple answer for those who struggle with writing conversation. It also complements Orwell's rules on simplicity.
ReplyDeleteFirst, I think rules in writing, such as rhetorical devices to be incorporated in writing skills are important and useful. There are three takes on such mechanics. First being Orwell, Mark Twain and Elmore Leonard. For Orwell’s rules the one in particular that stands out is the third rule being “If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.” This is an interesting rule but I think it applies to my own writing. I need to learn to edit. I think I can make my point as efficiently without overly using language which I tend to do. I think of myself as being an editor, and I need to learn how to edit when the time calls. If a word is an absolute necessity, then make the decision at the time. However, often writing (words) in my own person experience tend to be over utilized. So, I’m in accordance with this specific rule.
ReplyDeleteIn Twain’s rules of writing, the last rule in improving my own writing mechanics is to employ his last rule ‘Employ a simple, straightforward style.’ Until I have more expertise in my writing skillset and learn the fundamentals, I should utilize this style to make sure my points are heard and my thesis and or argument are not muffled by other things, such as lofty words, fragments and too many thoughts into one sentence, losing my original point.
My most important rules in writing are to be creative. My favorite type of essay is an Argumentative one. This type of essay allows me freedom to make a stance on a particular subject, support it with evidence but also allow it to be argued by others. I like to take both the argument I am fighting for (pro) and the con in this type of paper.