We all learn to write at a young age. We write well enough to get us out of high school. Perhaps well enough to graduate college and some of us continue on to graduate school. Have you thought of writing as an art? Writing is in the top ten percent of occupations and so many people aspire to write a book. Our society considers a published writer an educated person with an admirable occupation. Do you have something you want to say utilizing the art of the written word?

“A picture paints ten thousand words”

A writer is the artist who writes the ten thousand words, to create a picture for the reader. Approaching writing with thoughts of being an artist brings a special reverence to a daily routine. Creating a setting, articulating a concept, expressing feelings are all part of the craft of writing. Testing and trying different techniques and styles develops personal proficiency. The writer decides how and in what form to present the writing. Every part of the writing process from conception to finish, is art manifesting.

A word to the beginner, “Be true to yourself when expressing details. If you are flowery, be flowery. Don’t write out of your perspective. Don’t leave anything out. Just put it on the page. Read it aloud listening to your voice and word choices. Only then, ask, “What can I add or remove and still get a clear picture of what I want to say?” Knowing your strengths and weaknesses lets you know what skills you need to practice.

Examples of concise description:

His veil of deceit was translucent gray while her veil of denial was opaque and dark as pitch.

With rage burning in her gut, May sat at her desk breathing slowly. In and out, she breathed releasing her anger before confronting her boss.

Ask yourself, “What word should I use that best conveys my meaning. A great tool of this artistry is a thesaurus. Use it to find concise words that communicate, in the fewest words required, the picture from the writer’s mind onto the paper. From there it flows to the readers’ eyes and mind. Readers appreciate simple detail. Choice of descriptive language is purely the artist’s to convey the meaning that succinctly expresses a vision. Yes, a thesaurus is truly a priceless tool! It gives a list of alternate word choices with the same meaning as the referenced word.

Tips to sharpen skills:

1.Spend an afternoon or evening at the library reading your favorite author’s works looking for the author’s technique and style.

2.Try scanning a room from left to right, writing and creating each view in detail.

3.Look out your window and do the same with that view.

4.Practice describing characters

An experienced writer speaks freely for characters. To artistically paint and sculpt a character, the writer creates multi-aspects of a persona while choosing that perfect word to describe the character’s demeanor and more. A breath of life takes form through the character’s speech and action becoming a living entity to the reader.

When writing on your computer, select a word and right click on it. Click on synonym opening to a thesaurus to receive a list of words to, possibly, replace your selected word. This is an invaluable feature. Utilize it to perfect your artistry.

Origin

The original quotation is ‘One picture is worth ten thousand words’, Frederick R. Barnard in Printer’s Ink, 8 Dec 1921 retelling a Chinese proverb. http://www.babylon.com/definition/A_picture_paints_a_thousand_words/