Today, we talk about great writing in a deeper way.
There won’t be hacks and tricks. There won’t be fast & easy ways to get attention and subscribers.
If anything, what you read here will make you a slower writer. It’s an article inspired by an academic course in creative writing. So… the “boring” stuff.
Why read them? They’ll make you a confident and intentional master of your craft.
It’s up to you whether you want to proceed.
The choices of writing.
Writing is a series of choices.
When successful online writers give writing advice, they usually focus on the big choices.
Topic
Voice
Structure
Genre
Headlines
Subheadlines
And more…
Today, we focus on the small choices — each word.
I’d argue the big difference between beginner writers and the greats is their awareness of word choice. Professionals understand that words are the matter of writing, and you cannot communicate a powerful message or offer a powerful experience without understanding how words work.
If online writers pay attention to words at all, they focus on the headline or subject line. For some of them, it’s difficult to imagine thinking of every word the way “real writers” do.
But it’s not that difficult if you understand your craft.
The Pyramid of Language (and why learn it).
The Pyramid of Language is a diagram by American novelist and creative writing teacher Frank Conroy. It shows you the level of importance of different purposes of language in your writing.
But before I show you that, let me invite you to make another important choice (if you haven’t already).
The information/entertainment scale.
I put all writing in the world on a linear information/entertainment scale.
What kind of a writer are you? What do you want to be? Are you here to educate? To entertain? Both? Based on this big choice that you need to make, here’s how the Pyramid of Language affects you.
The basis of writing is meaning and clarity. If there isn’t meaning and clarity in what you’re writing, it means it’s gibberish, maybe a song.
But it’s not writing — not the type that would appeal to readers, anyway.
If your writing does have meaning (I actually prefer the word “purpose”) and clarity, next thing to aim at is catching our interest. Whether you’re writing to inform or entertain if your writing triggers a sensory experience, we’ll find it much easier to perceive your message.
If you focus on informational writing, you can stay here. Clarity, purpose and some sensory experiences are enough. You wouldn’t be the best writer in the world, but maybe you’re not trying to be. Maybe your business is something else entirely.
But if you want to stand out from the crowd as an informational writer or you’re writing to entertain, you must learn the top four layers of the pyramid. They’re the spices of your writing and there can’t be enjoyment without spices. These tools allow you to offer experiences, to give your readers a chance to escape reality.
You can’t offer escape with just clarity. Some argue Hemingway does, but I’d strongly disagree. Hemingway is the master of subtext and metaphors.
So now you know what you have to learn to become a better/great writer. But how do you learn it?
Master strategies to put the top of the Pyramid into action.
This is where you’ll learn:
How to use spoken language intentionally
The most important part of speech
How to express your ideas so you blow our minds
The one assumption that will make you an irresistible writer
Note: This is the type of work you do in the second draft. Don’t overthink it during the writing of the first draft or you risk never starting.
At the end of this newsletter, I’ll also open the Writing Magic: The Craft & Business of Writing Webinar for registration.
All this is available for paid subscribers. Consider becoming a paid subscriber and locking in the price of $6.90 per month or $69 per year. Prices will increase soon.
If you’re not ready to take the plunge yet, thank you for being here and I’ll see you with more writing advice next week. ❤️
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