The Beauty Of Superb Writing Is What Is Left Out

The Beauty Of Superb Writing Is What Is Left Out

The beauty of a superb piece of writing (as a gorgeous musical composition) is what is left out–the empty spaces. A writer does not want to confuse the writer with clutter. Every thing that is not necessary has been taken out.

You want every word, every phrase, every sentence and paragraph to matter. I always said that an excellent editor is worth their weight in gold. It is very difficult for the writer to see their piece objectively.

You always need someone from the outside who you trust for their advice on your written piece. Sure you need to do everything you can before you submit your piece to someone else.

Nevertheless, at some point you need to present your piece to someone else for their opinion. You have to be very careful who you choose and when to do this. You have given your piece your all.

Now it is time to let someone else read it. Everything that gets in the way has to be taken out or changed. You want every word to count. You can not do this by yourself.

You Always Need A Mission To Write

You always need a mission to write and at the same time you must have an imaginary audience. It is that audience which gives your writing focus. It is striving to reach them which will give you the words you need to complete your mission.

The words necessary to reach your audience will come if you know why you are writing. You may not know how to get there but the words will materialize as you make your journey.

Your only job when you are complete with this leg of the journey is not to confuse the reader and take out everything that gets in the way. If you can still delete your passage and your writing stands it was not necessary.

You always need a mission to write and that always comes first. Know why you are writing. And to whom. The words always follow. They do not come first but are always last. Start with your mission.

Writing Is Foremost Communication

Writing is foremost communication. You may be writing to an invisible audience. And you may not even be aware of your audience but it is there.

Writing is one type of communication. It is not publishing although you may seek that but never lose sight of the fact you are “reaching out” to someone.

Yes, it is a feather in your cap when someone wants to publish something you have written. Never lose sight you have to write and it may be in your case a major way you communicate with others.

The more personal you can be the more others can relate to your struggles. Your writing can’t, simply, be generic. Everyone has struggles and others are interested in yours whether you choose to write fiction or non-fiction. It always has to ring true.

As far as I am concerned fiction is non-fiction disguised. It may not be autobiographical but nevertheless the writer has to delve deeply in their own psyche for their writing to be authentic. And it is always communication. No matter who the audience is. You always have one.

Writing Is Not An End Point But A Journey

Writing is not an end point but a journey. You never really arrive. Writing is a process. Someone called my short article on journal keeping (which can be found on siggyscafe.com) a ‘blurb’.

That might be but it took me a lifetime to write. Several decades of journal keeping. My wife also did a masterful job of editing it.

I am well aware I will never write the great American novel. I simply am not motivated that way. I simply want to write something and get out as quickly as possible. I am conscious of that. I strive for simplicity and clarity. I accepted that a long time ago.

The longer pieces I have written in my lifetime were very difficult for me to do. I have written only a few short, short stories. I find it interesting that a fellow writer who has the opposite problem– keeping the word count down– recommended that on some longer pieces she wanted to hear more detail.

Maybe I need to take her advice. It certainly would stretch me. There really is no point in which you have arrived as a writer although you might consider publication of a book one.

At every point you write, you whole past is impacting your writing. Writing is always a process and journey. Otherwise you are constantly repeating yourself.

Siggy's Cafe for Writer's & Poets

Blogs About Writing - Page 1