The Write Stuff
An essay on “How to write a better weblog” spotted on ‘A List Apart’, includes a fantastic example of what constitutes great writing :
The amateur writer writes:
I know this is a cliche nowadays, especially after 9/11, but I live in New York, which is much cleaner and safer now because of Giuliani, who really ought to be president after handling the crisis so well, and I know I’ve had some issues in the past with the mayor’s handling of the NYPD in regard to African Americans and his war against art involving sacred religious icons and feces (hello!? freedom of expression!?), but when all is said and done, New York, as maybe the best example of the ‘melting pot’ etc. etc., is a great city, especially when it starts getting warmer and people go outside more, like around March or April.
The professional writer writes:
New York is magnificent in spring.
As an aspiring writer, I know first-hand how difficult it is to achieve that clarity of thought and mastery over words. I can only hope that my own writing achieves that clarity, some day…
P.S. On a related note, the essay also includes some very useful tips for those maintaining a weblog : This essay on ‘A List Apart’ is definitely worth a read.
i read that essay and found it interesting.as a reader i look for freshness of content and crisp writing.grandstanding is taboo here !it needn’t be in the mould of a glossy magazine but engaging it must be…if there is a reason i keep coming back it is only because i find myself interested in the topics and have something to say.wanting to write is an urge and that can be satisfied only after applying one’s mind on the topic..on many a dreary day this blog rejuvenated me..clarity in writing does not have to necessarily reflect in brevity.as long as every word justifies its existence in a sentence,the writer is on the right track.