Writer’s block is a common experience for those of us that write often. Whether it be a halt in your story writing progress, or uncertainty in starting your essay for a college course, these blocks are always frustrating. While not the case for every instance of writer’s block, E. Shelley Reid posits that feeling overwhelmed by the many “rules of writing” can be a factor. You can probably list a few without having to think too hard; every paragraph should have no less than five sentences, end your introduction with a thesis statement, don’t overuse “said”, et cetera et cetera. These are only a small handful of examples, but there are countless other limitations and guidelines that have become ingrained in our consciousness.
Instead of regurgitating the myriad of socially accepted writing rules, Reid replaces them with three main principles that she believes are most essential to keep in mind when writing. She then illustrates these ideas through a collection of metaphors in order to better get her points across. Reid’s three principles are as follows:
- Write about what you know about, are curious about, are passionate about (or what you can find a way to be curious about or interested in).
- Show, don’t just tell.
- Adapt to the audience and purpose you’re writing for.
Principle number one helps both the writer and reader stay engaged in the writing. If you write what you know (either through prior knowledge or interest driven research), your passion will come through in your words. This makes it easier to convey your ideas, and keeps your readers on the same page.
Now, for many of us (probably most of us), show don’t tell sounds like another one of those writing rules we’re supposedly not focusing on. However, this principle is one of the most important concepts to come out of those rules, so it can’t be overlooked. When trying to make a point to your readers, it is important to make sure they fully understand that point. If your statements are broad and vague, it is highly likely that your readers will be interpreting them differently. If you want someone to understand your specific thought process, you need to be descriptive, or provide specific examples to illustrate whatever point you are making. This way, the reader’s understanding of your writing will align with your own.
Finally, we come to the third principle, your writing’s audience. Depending on the audience you intend to reach with your writing, your style of writing will adapt to best complete your objective. If you were writing to the school board in order to get solar panels installed on campus, for example, you most likely would write that persuasive paper in a different manner than you would if you were trying to convince your parents to do the same at home. You may pull more from scholarly sources when writing to the school board, while persuading your parents may require more personal appeal and a more casual lexis.
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