The magic of writing with a punch
- DK Airon
- Oct 1, 2017
- 4 min read
We keep communicating through writing; in exams, emails, an article, a personal letter or even a short message. Our writing leaves an image about us in the mind of the readers who have not seen us. It even reorients our image in the minds of those who know us. It can magically improve our impression or down grade it.
The official instructions in writing exams for some elite public administration services across the globe, are clear – there should be a simple workman like use of language. Write in a simple direct language clearly conveying what you have to say. Bombastic, high blown flowery language is a strict no.
Some do’s and don’ts.
Do not write in a roundabout manner. Come straight to the point.
Do not use long sentences. Use two sentences, if you can, instead of one.
Use active voice not passive voice. Instead of ‘You are requested to pass on that book to me’ write ‘please pass on that book’. Instead of ‘you are advised to drive safely on road’ say ‘drive safely’. The words ‘advised’ and ‘on road’ are implied and are unnecessary. Use active voice.
Do not use idioms or hackneyed phrases. Say ‘take timely action’ and not ‘a stitch in time saves nine’.
While making a point support it with relevant facts. Use concise and correct sentences.
How can you learn to write effectively?
The good news is that it is a skill that can be learnt with practice and hard work. It is not a gift one is born with. One has to acquire it.
To know what a good piece of writing feels like one must read a lot. Read anything that you like; an article in a newspaper or magazine, a suspense story, a thriller novel, even a comic book; anything. Read as much as you can – a few minutes to a few hours.
Keep a dictionary at hand. Look for the meaning of new words that you come across whose meaning is not absolutely clear. It is the best way to improve your vocabulary. Start by using these words in day to day writings. Target just five new words daily.
Gradually your vocabulary will build, your grammar and word usage power will improve, and your mind will be tuned to good English.
After you acquire a reasonable feel of good English and build a good vocabulary you are ready for the next stage; writing good English.
When you sit down to write, good words and sentences will float in your mind. Initially you may struggle to find the exact words that convey your meaning and may not be able to articulate your thoughts as well as you’d like. However, when you read them somewhere the next time, you will quickly lap up those and use them with greater ease in future. This way your writing will continue to become more and more effective.
Start with writing short articles or paragraphs on any topic you are familiar with. Don’t look for serious ideas. Write about something very light; a friend’s birthday party, trip to a park, movie or even eating out. It is meant for your eyes only. Write whatever you want to. The idea is to practice writing with a purpose. Use simple and direct language and add relevant information. Lead the imaginary reader to the conclusion you want. Whether it was fun or a nightmare? Your reader should remain with you and your feelings and thoughts. Keep his interest and do not write monotonously.
Write topics from a hundred to a thousand words. Write anywhere between twenty to thirty articles, experiences, letters, and reports. Use your newly acquired vocabulary. Learn to organize your ideas and write those in a flowing manner.
The final step - Précis writing.
Précis is an integral part of good writing. If a thing can be described in 330 words then using 1000 words is a waste of time and energy of the writer as well as of the reader. This is exactly what Précis writing is about. The examinee is required to reduce a piece of writing to exactly one third of the original length without losing pith and substance.
If one reads the Précis he would not miss any important thing in the original. It requires a lot of practice and patience to reduce the length of a composition to one third. It is impossible to do this in first few attempts.
If you can do it without great effort you have succeeded in becoming a good writer. After you carry out about fifteen to twenty Précis write-ups, it will become your second habit. You would have become a good writer. You would have learnt the magic of writing with a punch!
P.S. Have you ever experienced the magic of impactful writing? Has there ever been a time when something you wrote had a profound impact on someone or a lot of people? If yes, please do share it with us through the comments section.
Also, if you have any questions for the author or need help with writing well, please post your queries in the comments section below. Thank you!
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