In his book “Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer,” Poynter’s Roy Peter Clark provides readers with tools to make their writing shine. I’ve chosen a few strategies from the book that I think you’ll find especially beneficial when honing your craft.
- Tool 7: Fear Not the Long Sentence. Take the reader on a journey of language and meaning.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve shortened my sentences in a news article for the sake of brevity. Brevity doesn’t always translate to clarity, and the most important thing is to present your ideas well. A long sentence allows the writer to clearly present multiple ideas at once, and it can often break up the monotony of an article with repetitive sentence structure. Don’t be afraid to explore your options when writing; break out that semi-colon every once in awhile.
- Tool 16: Seek Original Images. Reject clichés and first-level creativity.
How refreshing does it feel to read something original? The same can be said about writing it. Boycott overused phrases that can make your writing sound trite, instead seeking truth and honesty. Writing from the heart usually does the trick.
- Tool 45: Break Long Projects into Parts. Then assemble the pieces into something whole.
I think this tool is the best practical piece of advice in Clark’s “Writing Tools” book. When undertaking a large project, it is really easy to get overwhelmed. If you look at the project in smaller chunks, it suddenly seems far more achievable.
At my college newspaper, I wrote an article about a student marathon runner who told me her running strategy was to take it one mile at a time. “I just focus on finishing the first mile, and then the next, and then the next – 26 miles seems a lot easier that way,” she said.
