| Being a teacher of human nature, I have often | | | | emerged in him that good writing not only inspires |
| been asked to help people learn to read and write | | | | pictures in the mind of the reader. It also requires |
| consciously. Every sort of person you can imagine | | | | good readers reading it. Moreover, this holds true |
| has asked me for this, from those who claim | | | | regardless of how the author deviates from |
| they have serious reading and writing disabilities to | | | | acceptable norms. |
| those who claim they teach English for a living. | | | | After we hung up, I sat there trying to find my |
| The following came out of a rather stressful | | | | own words for what made good writing. What |
| discussion I once had with a fellow from the later | | | | makes good writing? The following is what came |
| category. This fellow was an English teacher who | | | | out of me, and when this fellow read it, he told |
| at the time was teaching an online class on English | | | | me his eyes filled. |
| for English teachers. | | | | His classes have never been the same. |
| How did our discussion come about? He had | | | | Here is what I sent to him. |
| asked me to write something which he could use | | | | On Good Writing |
| in one of his online classes. However, when I sent | | | | "Good" writing is real. |
| him what I had written, he sheepishly told me it | | | | "Real" writing is visual. |
| was bad. Terrible, in fact. Which then prompted an | | | | It is also complete, succinct, and descriptive. And |
| hour long discussion as to what made something | | | | blameless. |
| "good writing." | | | | "Really good" writing is all these things, and can |
| During this discussion I asked him how he would | | | | also inspire love in the reader. |
| grade something which used mostly one and two | | | | You cannot feel delight and be unable to "see" a |
| syllable words and no higher concepts. At least in | | | | writer's words. Delight clears the readers eyes |
| the literal wording. (Something that Hemingway | | | | and fills the writer's words with the visions of the |
| might have written.) | | | | reader. |
| His answer? Not performing up ability in class. | | | | Be delighted and I promise, you will see the |
| Wording too simple; grammar at times wrong. | | | | writer's words. |
| I then asked him how he might grade something | | | | After seeing these living words then, know the |
| filled with foul language and slang. Something | | | | reader must pass on what is seen to another. |
| almost completely devoid of adverbs. Nary a | | | | Retelling completes the writing. Only then is the |
| "very" in sight. (Something Mark Twain might have | | | | writing done. |
| written.) | | | | Few people know this. |
| His answer? Uses foul language, slang, too few | | | | Even fewer know that it is they, as readers, who |
| adverbs, and so on and so on. | | | | co-create the writing by retelling the words. |
| I then told him that the two writers I had been | | | | This makes readers very important. More |
| referring to were Hemingway and Mark Twain. | | | | important than anyone has ever suspected. |
| Writers we both know to be two of the most | | | | In truth then, "really good" writing requires a |
| respected American writers. At which point, he | | | | "really good" writer and a "really good" reader. |
| had an aha. We then continued our talk until it fully | | | | Be both. |