Freeman Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 I realized how bland my writing skills are, and I wanted to know: how can I write better? Just practice?
JaKiri Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 Acquire more vocab, it helps to make your conversing more flowery.
bloodhound Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 increase your swearword vocabulary as well. that way, ur writing will be sophisticated with a touch of exotic mystic
Freeman Posted July 9, 2004 Author Posted July 9, 2004 No, I have a very ostentatious vocabulary. That wouldn't be the problem.... What should I read? I have read a lot of books all ready! I have read (or am reading) most of the great books of the western world....
JaKiri Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 Thomas Aquinas isn't the best guide to good english. Just use more and different words; variety being the spice and all that.
blike Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 Start by spelling skills right Reading good writing always helps.
J'Dona Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 I'd recommend writing a lot as well for practise, as that's probably the best way to improve your skill, e.g. letters, essays, fiction. Bear in mind that I'm biased. In the extreme. (ERROR: SENTENCE FRAGMENT) Really, it depends on what styles of writing you're looking to improve. If you want to improve scientific, analytical writing then reading and writing a lot of essay type papers would probably be your best bet. If it's not just analytical writing that you want to improve... well then, I'd best not get started on that.
Freeman Posted July 9, 2004 Author Posted July 9, 2004 Are there any proffers for any prodigious codice? Am I being too bombastic?
bloodhound Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 I dont think you should have any influences on the way you write. Just start writing and then you will have your own style.
Freeman Posted July 9, 2004 Author Posted July 9, 2004 Yeah, but the Man sayz I gotta write better... :anger: You know, I can prove how and when capitalism will collapse (save the conditions remain and there aren't any catastrophic acts of nature); and I still get a B- in English. ARGGH!!! Plus, most of what I have read is complex philosophy, economics, history, and plays.
bloodhound Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 Biographies of Economists and Mathematicians are always well written, if u wanna have a look.
jordan Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 What you should read all depends on what you want to right. Read stuff along the same lines (obviously, if your writting sci-fi you don't want to take your cues from Shakespear). Just read to uderstand how they make sentences and ideas flow and then tweek it to make it more your own.
atinymonkey Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 JaKiri‘s advice is key; increase your vocab to expand your eloquence. That doesn’t mean nail a thesaurus to your hand or memorise random words for effect. You may have noticed that JaKiri has a consummate grasp of language. He can, and does, make complex points in one sentence. That skill comes from him reading a whalefull of books, and using the explicitly concise vocabulary at his disposal. If you learn to write in much the same way that you speak, your vocab will flow naturally. If you force it, it will look forced.
bloodhound Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 one book i would especially reccomend you is "Enders Game".(sci-fi) It really took to me Also Fantasy would be a good place to view creative writing. see if u can get the sparrahawk trilogy. its quite amazing.
ydoaPs Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 Remember that being a sesquipedalianist doesn't make you a good writer. Find several writers, whose styles you like, and emulate them. You will find your own style. Just go from there.
atinymonkey Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 Funny, I thought being a sesquipedalianist meant you’re an 'ist' taped onto a real word.
Sayonara Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 Yes, one who uses sesquipedalian words is a Sesquipedalian. Don't discourage him though - his writing has suddenly become readable.
ydoaPs Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 I think you should either get a dictionary, or learn that the US and UK have different dialects.
bloodhound Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 yeah, i once read the book completely written in yob style, and it was quite funny, at the begginning you dont understand anything it says, and then u get hang of it.
Sayonara Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 I think you should either get a dictionary, or learn that the US and UK have different dialects. Well, dictionary.com agrees with me and takes its primary sources from US dictionaries. My Collins English Dictionary and Oxford English Dictionary, both of which were written in England by English people, also agree. By the way, Dictionaries deal with languages and not dialects. A dialect would be described by a regional lexicon.
ydoaPs Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 My etymology book doesn't. I looked it up. It is on page 128
Sayonara Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 Tracing where a word comes from and why isn't quite the same as having the current usage, is it?
ydoaPs Posted July 9, 2004 Posted July 9, 2004 sesquipedalianist-n.,one who exessively uses long words
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