A friend of mine recently asked this question:
“Here is a related question. In this Mailbag, you shared an excerpt from your memoirs—you bared your soul to us. Does your writing rise from that place? How has your writing changed as you have healed inside? These are personal questions, but you have already shared so much with us.”.
I really think this question is crucial for all writers.
I have no idea how many articles and books I’ve read during my lifetime. Easily the number is in the thousands if not the tens-of-thousands, right? I am, after all, seventy-one years old. I was a teacher, I’ve attended college for five years, and I am an avid reader, so it’s safe to say I’ve read a bunch. I can divide that huge block of reading into two categories: interesting and not interesting.
Now what makes an interesting article or book? And why are some not interesting?
I think one criteria is the subject matter. I love mysteries. I also love history. Pretty much anything I read which is a mystery or a historical writing will be found interesting by me. But what about all the rest? What keeps me interested in an article about cooking? I’m not terribly interested in cooking, so it’s going to take a bit extra to get me onboard with a cooking article.
Which brings us to writing style . . . voice . . . approach . . . and I think this is where a writer can take control and hook just about any reader.
For me, a major portion of my writing style/voice comes from my willingness to let my guard down and show you who I really am. That means sharing the pains and the joys. People respond to my writing because of that honesty and in-your-face approach.
It’s not for everyone. Many writers are not comfortable with that kind of brutal honesty. I am!
Just random thoughts . . .
Have a great week!
Bill
“Helping writers to spread their wings and fly.”
Billybuc
Artistry With Words 