In the past people wrote letters .
to describe events
to give information
to convey feelings and ideas
Writing can also be done for the following purposes :
shopping lists
notes to family and friends
informal letters
completing forms
memos
other more formal writing such as business letters
essay for academic
courses reports, etc.
How can you make writing something more pleasurable, satisfying, and even more effective ?
By developing your writing skills and confidence
What is effective writing ?
Writing, the aim of which is to communicate our ideas, thoughts, feelings or put our message across to the audience.
What is effective writing?
When it is:
clear It expresses our ideas carefully in a way that the reader can understand. \
concise It uses sufficient words to impart the message but not so many as to obscure the meaning.
exact It uses vocabulary correctly and follows the conventions for spelling, punctuation, and grammar.
appropriate It uses the correct tone for the situation and the reader.
What do you have to consider when you write?
Purpose
Before you start a piece of writing, ask yourself two questions'.
Why am I writing?
What do I want my writing to achieve?
Consider these questions before you think about the other aspects of writing.
You may be writing in reply to a letter, preparing a report at work, drafting an essay - the
reasons for writing are endless but the purpose must be clear in your own mind before
you start.
By thinking first about your purpose, you will find it easier to decide what you want your
writing to achieve. For example, if you were writing to complain about a product, would
you want the product repaired, exchanged or the price refunded? Determine your
preference and then make sure you convey your wishes clearly.
Audience
Your aim in any piece of writing is that your reader, or audience, should understand and respond to your message. Your message must be
expressed in the most effective way for that audience.
Who is your audience?
Do you know them?
What will they expect from you? What might they be influenced by?
Most of us adopt a different style and language for different situations. When we talk to friends, we use the language and tone of voice
appropriate to our relationship. In a formal situation we use more formal language, exact vocabulary and perhaps a more polite manner: we
should consider our audience and respond accordingly. Our writing must also reflect this consideration.
Tone
Having considered purpose and audience, you will find the tone you need to adopt in your writing becomes clear. For example, a letter of
complaint will have a formal, precise tone - firm but polite; a letter to a friend will be expressed in less formal language - a warmer and more
relaxed tone will be evident.
The tone of a piece of writing is conveyed by the vocabulary, style, sentence structure, and format of the writing. In later chapters you will be
shown how you can create the correct tone by using the appropriate language and structures.
Planning
In any formal writing task it is essential to plan carefully before writing the first draft. The plan allows you to:
consider the content;
arrange your ideas in the most logical and acceptable order.
Careful planning will increase your chances of conveying your message effectively.
Content
Considerations about content will vary according to the writing task.
There are, however, some points regarding the content of a piece of writing that should always be considered.
Is the content relevant to the task?
Does your writing contain sufficient information or evidence for you to achieve your desired outcome?
Is it sufficient, interesting to engage your reader's attention?
Remember, if the content is not suitable or adequate, your writing won't achieve its purpose.
Punctuation
Correct punctuation allows your reader to make sense of your ideas. A piece of writing which has no punctuation or is
punctuated incorrectly is difficult or even impossible to understand and can convey the wrong message.
EXAMPLE:
Last week we went to. Merry Hill Shopping Centre while Ann. And I shopped our two children. Were able to play in
the. Children's playroom it made shopping a. Pleasure rather than a chore.
This passage is almost impossible to understand as the full stops have been put in the wrong places.
Expressing ideas in clear, correct sentences is an important writing skill. Correct sentence construction and
punctuation will help you to impart your message effectively. If you haven't had the opportunity to do much formal
writing for a few years, you may find that you need to brush up on your sentence construction and punctuation skills.
Spelling
Many people feel inhibited about writing or say they can't write because they have difficulties with spelling. If you also
feel that a lack of confidence about your spelling is stopping you from writing, it is important to put spelling into
perspective. The degree of accuracy required depends upon the formality of the situation. For example, a diary entry
written for your own pleasure or use may contain spelling errors, but a report written at work must be correctly spelt.
If accuracy is essential, careful proof-reading of a first draft can eliminate obvious spelling mistakes; knowledge of
possible and probable spelling patterns will help you to identify problematical words; sensible use of a dictionary will
increase your confidence in your spelling.
Proof-reading and editing
It is rare for anyone to produce a good piece of writing at the first attempt. Most of us need to produce a rough or first
draft before a final copy. Indeed, knowing that a first attempt can be edited and improved is very reassuring.
For formal writing tasks you will need to organize your thoughts and devise a plan before you embark upon the first
draft.
Beginnings often cause difficulty - don't sit looking at a blank sheet of paper waiting for a polished first sentence to
spring to mind: start writing and get your ideas down on paper. You should find that once you have started, your
writing becomes more fluent.
0 Comments
