It was intriguing to see the very different approaches that the writers took. It is also interesting to get to hear the “voice” of the writer which came through clearly in many of the submissions.
“Voice” is important to develop. We understand it as being the way in which a writer uses language. Each writer has his or her own rhythm or way with words. Cadence, if you like. Some speak quickly; this means a more rapid pace of writing. Others are more languid and we hear this in the “voice” of the submission. It is important to keep one’s voice in one’s writing, and not to edit it out. ‘Voice’ has power and holds the reader’s interest far better than over-editing of material in an effort to get it ‘just right.”
If by ‘essay’ is meant ‘a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative or interpretative’ (dictionary definition), only five of these texts qualify or semi-qualify. The others are autobiographical stories, poetic writings or even pure fiction. I shall judge each entry according to the criteria of clarity, literary ability and general interest for the readier rather than for their conforming to the ‘essay’ definition.”
From my general overlook of the submissions, I was impressed with the standard of writing. Vivid imagery brought scenes clearly to life. It is important to SEE your writing as a video in your head as you write. This is similar to painting a picture, using words as the medium. The scene leaps to life and the reader is delighted to be part of it and be where the action is happening. This ability is as essential in essay writing as it is in writing a story or a novel. It livens up the writing, engrossing the reader. And that’s what we, as writers, want to do! Keep them reading!
Important in essay writing as in journalism, is to start with a thought or phrase to capture the instant interest of the reader. This is the “hook”. Then it is important to “hold” the reader, and to”highlight” your work. Keeping a single thought or thread to hold your essay or article together helps the reader understand your meaning. Clarity is essential, and it is quite possible to have all the elements just mentioned as well as being clear in your meaning.
Editing your own work is essential, but be careful not to edit away its charm and power. It is often helpful to learn to edit by working on some already published piece of writing. There is often much to edit, even in published work! In this way, you learn to help yourself to edit your own work. With editing, it is better to REMOVE words rather than to ADD them. Read out what you have written and hear how it sounds. Crisp writing that is vivid, has voice, and has clarity is your aim. If you have already done all this or know it, that’s wonderful! Meantime, keep writing!
