Writing - Skills

I was Googling 'writing' and came across an interesting question - 

What is the best writing skill 

It intrigued me so I read on. 

This is what I found.

Writing skills can more specifically include:

• Grammar.
• Vocabulary.
• Spelling.
• Sentence construction.
• Structure.
• Research and accuracy.
• Clarity.
• Persuasiveness.

 

An interesting list and the very last item 'persuasion' sparked my interest. I have just finished a whodunnit that provided the oddest twist I think I've ever come across. The book is well written, characters are solid, the plot is somewhat predictable, but the twist came out of the blue. 

It was always my belief that a good twist required some preparation, even a modicum of deception. You have to grab the attention of the reader and lead them, by the nose if needs be, up garden paths until you bamboozle them with you craftily constructed false trails and reveal the culprit in the end. Not in this story. The culprit turned out to be an unnamed character that only appreared in the last three pages. 

You might wonder if this matters and I don't suppose that technically, there isn't anything against this ploy. However, it left me feeling unsatisfied that I'd been cheated out of a few mental gymnastics in trying to out think the author. Needless to say I'm not tempted to repeat the experience. 

For Steele novels etc search under Books on Amazon - 

David L Atkinson OR david l atkinson

Cessation is the most recent re-published. Inceptus gives a potted history

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 119 - Selections

 A villanelle is a 19-line poem with a strict form: five three-line stanzas (tercets) followed by a four-line stanza (quatrain). It uses two refrains—the first and third lines of the first stanza—which repeat alternately at the end of each tercet and together form the final two lines of the poem. 

Selections  

 

More than two ways to skin this old cat, 

forget status quo when making your choice, 

history, logic and common sense is where it’s at. 

 

Belligerent old guard issued the dictat,  

chanting instructions with strident voice,  

history, logic and common sense is where it’s at.  

 

A system accepted like the bowler hat,  

commoners happy to pay the invoice,  

more than two ways to skin this old cat.  

 

Able women know relevant chat,  

their emotional knowledge we rejoice,  

more than two ways to skin this old cat, 

 

External forces direct the run of the rat,  

apathy being a passive rejoice,  

history, logic and common sense is where it’s at.  

  

You my children should stop the copycat,  

stamp your will on the episodic choice,  

more than two ways to skin this old cat, 

history, logic and common sense is where it’s at.  

©David L Atkinson November 2024  

God Bless 

Writing - Framework

 The Department of Education has produced a framework for writing in primary schools. It is a prodigious document. I feel for those who have to work with it. There are some interesting paragraphs useful for us all. 

The above chart is intended for children, but it is really suitable for anyone who strives to write. However, one aspect of difficulty adult writers struggle with is chiefly themselves. 

We procrastinate instead of getting on with the job. This aspect of being a writer can be broken down into a few stages. 

There is perfectionism. Nothing we write is good enough, which leads to revising. Procrastination can lead to hours of more research. Editing is a personal stumbling block, but is essential before presenting your work to anyone. The creative mind can also be its own brake on progress. Worrying about having one's ideas stolen may seem far-fetched, but 'far-fetched' is what we're good at. 

A framework may help you stick to the process. 

The DfE framework is published to help teachers enable access to the process of writing, as it helps in many other areas of the curriculum. The intention is well-meant, and we can all benefit from taking a look at how the writing process is broken down, irrespective of how far we are down the creative path. 

God Bless 

Poetry Thursday 118 - Being poetic

 In some ways, writing poetry is speaking in a different language about the things we are experiencing in the world, and we feel that ordinary language does not comment on those experiences effectively enough. It's not an exclusive club; anyone can join. 

The Poet  

 

I have rarely met the poet myself,  

he hides in a place on a bookshelf,  

quite familiar with techniques and forms,  

not lacking experience in what performs.  

 

From the Land of the Prince Bishops’,  

unfashionably beautiful countryside backup, 

plethora of inspiration to generate words,  

as plentiful as a murmuration of birds.  

 

A darker view spawns negative feelings,  

associated with human dealings,  

generating a hackier mood,  

the poet may tend to brood.  

 

A walk on the sand or plodgin’ in the sea,  

massages the senses to set the poet free,  

from any darkening influences,  

and bugger the consequences.  

 

But it’s the people that really count,  

we need to deal in some amount,  

to engage our range of emotions,  

and translate their interactions.  

 

The poet finds equations can be prickly,  

leaving the psyche rather sickly,  

researching types of avoidance behaviour,  

providing alternatives as our saviour.  

 

The natural world provides some sanctuary,  

in its wealth of colour and variety,  

with the uncluttered nature of species,  

and their obvious biological abilities.  

 

Looking for dolphins from the pier,  

smartly dressed with their superior sneer,  

as if aware of human failings,  

yet prepared to indulge in occasional savings.  

  

Eating winkles with a pin from a hut on the front,  

dodging noisy herring gulls on the hunt,  

for scraps falling from our table,  

fish ‘n chips the inappropriate staple.  

 

Loving the ebb and flow of sound,  

marvelling at power as waves pound,  

sighs of relief from sand and pebbles,  

as sea recedes gathering for future battles.  

 

But the poet still needs to deal,  

to interact with some level of feel,  

without contracting sense of self,  

to the size of a wizened Christmas elf.  

©David L Atkinson November 2024  

God Bless