See, that’s an example of style.
I could have just said: "And now let’s learn about style."
How can some people write so beautifully?
I think I've figured it out.
THREAD: The four elements of writing style:
See, that’s an example of style.
I could have just said: "And now let’s learn about style."
• Your voice
• Your presentation
• Engaging the senses
• Engaging the imagination
Ask your friends what it's like to talk with you.
Perhaps they’ll mention your:
• Tone of voice
• Sense of humor
• Eccentricities
• Viewpoints
In other words, voice is not your choice of words. Voice is your unfiltered self.
In later drafts, you can remove sensitive details.
Until that point, treat it like a confession.
It also happens when you try to "write smart"—using words like "plethora" or “myriad.”
If you don’t use those in conversation, don't use them in your writing. It's out-of-touch.
Style also engages the imagination.
I personally define poetry as finding evocative, unconventional ways to say meaningful things.
In that example, we're describing the effect caused by the hot day—as opposed to directly describing the heat itself.
The more steps you can be removed while still successfully communicating the meaning, the more "elegant" your poetry feels.
A. A first-order statement is a plain description of the scenario:
"The day was hot."
This is how we commonly talk.
"The day melted our popsicles."
The reader can imply that the day was therefore hot.
"Our popsicles melted."
There's ambiguity as to why our popsicles melted. But with a bit of *imagination,* the reader pieces it together.
To get there, we can describe an effect that is unconventional, counterintuitive, or witty:
"Even the bugs were looking for air conditioning."
—C.S. Lewis
In short, I personally define poetry as unconventional third-order descriptions.
One way to engage readers' senses is to be vivid.
To explain vividness, here are writer Venkatesh Rao's remarks on the vividness of author David Foster Wallace:
It's the articulation of the rarely articulated nuances of life—in a way that makes you remark, "Ahh, that’s how I'd put words to that feeling."
• Wait But Why uses cartoon drawings and analogies to explain complex topics.
• Maddox uses dark humor, crude GIFs, and videos to shock and entertain.
If so, consider using them. You want your ideas to resonate.
• Engage a reader's senses—paint vivid landscapes.
• Engage a reader's imagination—have them do a little bit of work.
• In non-fiction, try writing the way you sound. Your unfiltered self is a breath of fresh air amid all the online fakery.
—C. Robert Cargill
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See my past threads here: @julian
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