The Value of Writing Success

Writing success uplifts personal pride and self-esteem, and leads to personal satisfaction, widespread approval, professional achievement, and sometimes fame. Many people think writing ability is a gift. While some people take to writing more readily than others, it is actually a developed skill that improves with practice. Some writers accommodate readers with easily read documents. Others write well but neglect crucial polishing steps. Some bright or verbally articulate individuals find writing a challenge. Yet, people with a wide variety of talents, educational levels, and intellects will succeed if they write about things they know and understand, if they are passionate about their subjects, and if they become devoted to improving their writing. Writing success can enrich your life.


The Components of Writing Excellence

The components of writing excellence are brevity, clarity, consistency, precision, accuracy, flow, and style. These ingredients lead to fine documents by blending words into concise sentences and paragraphs. The road to writing success improves as personal strategies emerge. Initially the path resembles an obstacle course, but barriers are soon overcome and writing blocks turn into writer’s clout.

Writing involves many fictional and nonfictional genres (subject matter choices). Fiction includes a variety of novels including romance, crime and mystery, as well as fantasy and science fiction. Nonfictional writings include scientific reports, histories, and a variety of educational and business documents.

Fiction must be provocative, interesting, and easy to read. It must arouse reader curiosity. Nonfiction writings must also be easily read. They need to be accurate, concise, and free of ponderous language. Almost all fictional and nonfictional writings need subtle, carefully placed unanswered questions (called hooks) which arouse reader curiosity and compel further reading.


The Challenges of Writing Success

Writing success requires quickly typed rough drafts, multiple revisions, layaway periods, careful editing, and intense proofreading. People are often judged by their writing. Despite their potential to produce excellent documents, some people sidestep or postpone writing and hinder their secret ambitions or their careers.

People for whom learning comes easily are not always accustomed to the repetition needed to produce excellent manuscripts. Other people—who are used to struggling—may find writing easier. Good speakers can also be challenged by writing. In speaking, statements are emphasized with voice shifts and body language. In writing, emphasis comes from word selection, word placement, and punctuation.

Many excellent thinkers and speakers avoid writing because they doubt their writing ability or hate to write. These aversions can result from self-imposed obstacles like distaste for grammar, belief that there is only one way to write, or unrealistic views of the effort required. These challenges are easily overcome.

Writing excellence is achieved with clear goals, positive attitudes, and practice with everyday communication. Everyone can become a good writer. Computers help by expediting writing, revision, and editing, and by monitoring and correcting spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

Writing skill is essential in academic, corporate, and governmental careers and is readily achievable. Professionals must choose between writing excellence and a lifetime of struggle. For them, avoiding writing is not an option.


The Highway to Writing Success

To begin your journey to writing success, first assess your understanding of the fundamentals of good writing with the self-administered scorecard in chapter 13. Then become familiar with the components of writing excellence described in chapter 1, and you’ll be on your way.


This Book

This book presents positive approaches and helpful hints for writers in all fields. It answers questions and offers flexible suggestions. The first nine chapters outline a stepwise pathway to writing success. They can be read and implemented in order. The three reference chapters (10, 11, and 12) discuss spelling, punctuation, and grammar. You should read their opening pages, but they are mostly for reference.

“The Highway to Writing Success” lays out a stepwise plan using personal preferences to overcome anxiety and unleash writing potential. It challenges tradition, emphasizes positive approaches, stresses reader comfort, and helps make writing an enjoyable experience. It is based on experiences of teachers, professors, colleagues, and the authors whose works are cited. These people encouraged me to pursue writing and its personal and professional rewards.