Powerful Writing in 30 Words Or Less: My Contribution
It’s not easy, is it? This is mine, for now.
Powerful writing flies through the air, hitting its target.
I guess for me powerful writing is lean, shorn of excess words, getting straight to the point. Flies like an arrow through the air.
And although at first I said to Robert Hruzek I didn’t think of targets in relation to writing, but focus on purpose and intention instead, the more I think about it the more I realise that I do: think about what point I want to make, what feeling I want to evoke, what mark I want to leave. That might be in me, or in someone else.
I know it’s worked when I feel it, when they feel it, when you notice the impact.
When the words leave their mark.
The biographical “A River Runs Through it” features the childhood of Norman Maclean, renowned author of the 40′s. In it there is a scene where he turns his essay in to his father who is schooling him at home. The father (he actually is a pastor in the movie) crosses many things out and says: “Try it again, half as long.”
Best advice the kid ever got I am sure!
Powerful writing is when a writer captivates me on what I think is usually a boring topic. For example, I’ve never been big on travel writing. On Writing Well had one that blew me away.
See? Told ya!
Damien that’s some of the best writing advice I can think of. Nice and short too!
Meryl, I agree. Powerful writing can bring any subject to live by being specific, capturing the essence of the subject, finding what matters, making the connection with the reader…
Robert, yep, you got me!
Joanna
I agree that you do actually focus on the target, Joanna, because writing with purpose and intention, as you do, is really equivalent to taking aim (as your archer image so aptly illustrates.) And when one takes aim, that always implies a target!
Jeanne
Jeanne, It was interesting to realize that’s what I do. I’m looking forward to exploring writing with purpose next month – such an important ingredient of powerful writing.
Joanna