What to say?
This week I could not get over the challenge of writing this piece, so in my fit of low creativity, I finally decided to write about writing, it's purpose and evaluation.
It’s not like the world was especially boring this week, every moment something new is happening, something that affects you and everyone you know, but it seems we hear the same thing over and over.
War, explosions, peace talks, riots, elections, corruption, scandals, celebrity gossip, and I’m not trying to under-emphasise the horror of war and terrorism by placing it in the same category as celebrity idiocies, I just feel it all seems to go on and on, without end, eventually you become numb to most of it.
Let me stop there, otherwise I’ll spiral down into an inescapable nihilistic binge and eventually be asking myself, “what is the point of nihilism?”
Let’s get back to the point of this piece, how do you actually evaluate writing?
Is it simply good spelling, grammar, wealth of words or words of wit?
I’ve often heard that content is more important than style when it comes to good writing, but the problem arises, how do you as writer know when to go on or when to stop?
As I’m writing this (honestly) the idea that I lost you 100 words ago, is nailed into my head, then again, as this is a piece I’m just writing because I couldn’t think of anything better, it shouldn’t bother me too much.
When considering style, you have to wonder where one style of writing begins, and the next ends, don’t you?
Should one play with your words more, or maybe just pause your current chaotic writing and rewind your thoughts, or settle into something more lyrical.
Whatever it takes, we can’t all be writers, it requires patience and asks for hard work.
On the matter of purpose, I think it goes without saying that words can change the world, perhaps not on the spur of the moment coup d’etat way old-school revolutions do, but in time, ideas, poems and stories will be less temporary than those phase changes.
Writing allows us to document what’s happening with and around us, it gives us windows into other worlds, in history, science-fiction, other parts of our world.
It gives us a chance to express ourselves in a way very different from real life, a character you write about might mirror you, but achieve what you never could.
Stories can inspire the reader to finally move to the country they’ve always wanted to, or approach that person they’re in love with, or even start to fight for something they believe in.
Writing is an art form that doesn’t need paint or drums or film or strength, all you need is a pen and paper, then turn on the tap for the flow of speech. FvD
