12 Points of Writing & Life

Senior year I took a Creative Writing class and my teacher shared with us 12 points of writing.  I still have the notebook, I still talk to the teacher, and I think the information can correlate to our own lives.

1.  Credibility, or ethos.  We believe who we respect and thusly an author has to establish that he or she knows their topic, or the character must seem believable.  Whether it be an interview, a conversation amongst friends, or a paper you’re writing, do your research and know your subject.  In life we should be tuned into the world and know what’s happening.

2.  Intrigue.  This term’s a little harder to define, but it reels us in to a story.  Likewise, we’re all interesting people, so embrace that about yourself.  We’ve all got our own stories to tell, so don’t ignore or talk down about yourself because people won’t be interested if you’re not interested in yourself.

3.  Richness of detail.  In writing, we need descriptions of the physical and tangible, objective characteristics, such as, the humidity in the air clung to my clothes.  In life we’re surrounded by an overload of details, there is so much to be noticed.  So, take the time to gaze at the sky or listen to traffic or inhale the aroma of the ocean.  We exist in richness of detail, so learn to appreciate it.

4.  Richness of dimension.  On the other hand, this means the metaphysical, the subjective, the intangible.  For example, I feel stretched thin over my to-do list.  Much like richness of detail, embrace the dimension of this world, the feelings and thoughts and ideas you have are important; take notice of them, share them, write them down.

5.  Economy.  This is so important in writing: don’t overwrite, say what needs to be said in the fewest number of words to deliver the most meaningful impact.  Basically less is more, and we all know this is true in life.  Don’t get greedy!

6.  Speakability (dialogue).  Going along with credibility, this means the character speaks credible words of the character, the words must sound organic and flow naturally when coming from the character.  This translates into the simple life lesson of being yourself.  Don’t pretend to be something you’re not because it won’t feel natural to you and people who know you well, won’t believe you, either.

7.  Gravity.  This term means the importance and impact the piece of writing makes, basically its lasting significance and what the reader takes away from it.  This could be taken in many different directions in life, but we’ll go with this one: first impressions.  Those are important and you want to leave people with a good feeling after they meet you, and you never want to burn bridges.  When people walk away after meeting you or spending time with you, what will they say about you when you’re not in the room?

8.  Pertinence.  In writing this means urgency, in the moment, immediacy.  I know this sounds incredibly vague, but to help define it, basically think of a Nancy Drew novel.  When there was suspense and action was occuring, you as the reader were captured by it and felt the moment with Nancy.  You believed the action was happening in your now, as opposed to feeling removed from the “now” in Nancy’s world.  Pertinence literally, by definition, means relating directly or significantly to the matter at hand.  So in life, pay attention to both the big picture and the little things.  If a friend is stressed take care of them for a few moments, even if you have a lot to do.  Space out a project so you have time to complete them instead of waiting until the last minute.  Basically, balance your life and try to realize what details deserve your immediate attention.

9.  Compression.  This means fitting the story in the single narrative frame and chopping off unneccesary information that’s not paramount to the story.  In a nutshell, it would’ve been weird in Harry Potter if we had learned of Oliver Wood’s back story and how he finally became captain of the quidditch team.  Sure, it would have been interesting, but Oliver’s not the main character, and his childhood would do nothing to help Potter defeat Lord Voldemort.  In life, don’t waste your time with those that don’t matter.  If you have someone in your life who puts you down and only criticizes you, cut that person from your narrative frame because he or she isn’t helping with your character development in life.

10.  Flow.  In writing there must be logical order of how the character gets from point A to point B; it should make sense as well as be realistic.  Likewise in life, there’s a certain way of progressing, and we have to accept that.  As a college student, I’m constantly being told that when I graduate I’ll have to be okay with working at a small business, but I can work my way up to becoming a professor or becoming an editor at Vogue.  Even in life, there’s a certain flow, and we have to accept it.  It wouldn’t make sense if a high school graduate suddenly became the editor in chief at Rolling Stone; that’s illogical and we wouldn’t believe it in a story nor we would allow it or even accept it happening in life.

11.  Intensity.  This refers to the emotional consistency and support.  As a writer, one needs to provide the reader with a reason to care.  A writer must choose the right words to bring forth the ‘correct’ emotion.  Readers need to feel for the character in some way.  This may sound cheesy, but embrace the spectrum of feelings we have.  If you’re mad, be mad, don’t try to hide it or bottle it up; it’s not healthy.  If you’re sad, cry; if you’re ecstatic, smile.  Let it out and don’t be afraid to share your emotions with others and learn to empathize.

12.  Celebration.  This means take pride in what you’re doing, love it, care about it.  As you can tell, from reading this post, I appreciate writing and wanted to share with you my knowledge; I love it.  In whatever you pursue, love it, share it, care about it.  And if you don’t, then find something you’re passionate about because you gotta love what you do and do what you love, ultimately to be happy.

English Books

In every English class I’ve ever taken; it’s always been a struggle getting through the required texts.  I don’t like being forced to read a book, and usually I found the books dull.  Frankenstein, for example, was my least favorite book I had to read during high school, and I cannot believe I wasted so much of my life struggling to stay interested in that book.  I always read every English book; I never simply read a Sparknotes summary or skimmed the pages and called it a day.  But, every once in a while, there was an English gem: a book we had to read in English that struck my interest, stood out, and actually engaged me.  They are few and far between, but those rare beautiful books I’d like to share because I’ve come across one in my current English class.

1.  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald:  I read this book Junior year of high school, and Fitzgerald just amazed me.  The symbolism and eloquent language mesmerized me.  It was also an easy read and I enjoyed the plot of an old friend trying to win over the love of his life from her husband.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Third and Indiana by Steve Lopez: A marvelous freshman year of high school read, and not your typical high school book at that.  The book tackled the subject of drug dealers and gangs in the Badlands of Philadelphia.  This modern book fused art, love, and corruption into a magnificent story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3.  Atonement by Ian Mcewan:  All I can say about this book is WOW.  The highly sophisticated style of writing lends itself to the elite environment and atmosphere that is present in the book.  The idea of atonement, truth, and reliability are strong themes, and the ending leaves you speechless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman: The psychological element of this short story, along with the strong symbolism, make this a must read.  The story is based on the rest cure that physician S. Weir Mitchell developed after the Civil War for women.  The mental deterioration of the narrator is effortless and anticipated yet incredibly fascinating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I’d also like to give an honorable mention to The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kid and Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare.  Getting through both those books was pretty easy, and I enjoyed how they were written.  They’ll remain on my shelf, but I probably won’t reread them like I will definitely do (and have already done in the case of The Yellow Wallpaper) for the books above.