What makes a great writer ?
For many days i wanted to ask this questions. What actually makes a writer great and his book a masterpiece?. Is it a great plot? style of writing? use of words? or implicatios in practical life?.
I am asking this because i like writing short stories (mostly sci-fi). I give them to my close friends for reading and take their feedback (you can get the best feedback from ur close friends because they are used to embarass and critisize u). They say the plot and concepts are really good. but they say the sentence formation needs work because they think the flow of the story breaks sometime. So do u have any suggestions for that?
And also i want to ask does a writer really need a extensive vocablary? like does heavy words enhance something in the story and makes it look more professional? i ask this because generally i have a good vocablary but when sometimes i read some good book there are some words whose meaning i don't know this makes me feel inadequate and lowers my confidence.
When I read I like to feel like I can se the story. More descriptions using words we don't hear every day help a lot. For example instead of saying "the beautiful rose made me think" it's more inviting to read "the stunning pink and white rose mesmerized me and and drew me into a daydream of thoughts" and stuff like that. Personalizing characters with things your reader can relate to. Try to model the characters after real life people. Maybe think about a character in a movie or a person you know in real life and use that person's personality for your character. It will help the reader see them as real too.
It's also better not to use words that are too big. The average reader prefers to read on and 8th grade reading level (in America anyway). It's more relaxing not to think too hard when reading. I think that would work best for you writing short stories. If you ever want to write a tech manual then you can break out the big, scary words.
For words you don't know go to www.dictionary.com and to get new words that mean the same thing as what you want to say but that people don't use everyday go to www.thesaurus.com. Those will help you out a lot! I use them all the time and I'm not a serious writer unless it's for work (I write professionally too) lol. You don't have to feel inadequate, the majority of the world doesn't know/understand most of the words in their language. That's why dictionaries came into existence, it's simply too much for anyone to remember.
Thanks really apreciate u taking time to reply.
I have a kindle it has vast dictionary and thesaurus so i wont be needing the sites. but really appreciate it.
Well said sir
You should decide the language about the language in your stories based on whom you are targetting. For example chetan bhagats characters almost speak like the youth in real life. I think that helps in connecting with the readers at some level.
Don't get me wrong but don't know why, but i dont like chetan bhagat's. its like watching a masala bollywood film.
Tough Question.
I had written a post on my blog regarding the same topic a few days back. Do check out my views. http://luciferhouseinc.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-to-write-story.html
Sometimes we go searching for that perfection...be it in combination of words, vocabalury, concepts, etc, etc when all we must do is write from the heart and let those words flow. If this is taken care of everything else will start to fall in line automatically.
Ya i know it all comes to that, but we can't altogether ignore the other elements of writing atleast if you want become a proffesional writer. Because at the end of the day the feelings should reach the reader and to do this we have to follow their rules and taste.
I totally agree with you if u are writing something for yourself like a diary or peronal blog.
Arti i agree with you fully
to speak the readers language, to keep them engrossed in his tale or writing...ability to connect, to pique their interest, to make them part of the story...its a tough question...i guess for me a gud writer wud be someone whose work i love reading
so true
A great writer = ideas flows freely
Agree
Very nice question and nice answers .........let me add a penny to it
whenever i write I never realize what and how I write just my core feelings come out ........I notice whenever I want to change it or try give a professional touch I got stuck up ended with a mess --sometimes .....personally, I like raw flare of writing ......
So far, I feel writing during the ........ extreme bear strength of feelings - I am in the best flow of it ......silence, peace and extreme of feeling(pain ,aloofness, love ,ditch ,anger, happiness,excitement ) ....rest all are additional advantages and disadvantages for the critic people or case study for literature person ........
I love to write from heart. Then it reflects when people read it. Sometimes I miss that way, my friends noticed that. About Vocabulary ....my blog may be the simplest wording blog. and people love it. Still about writing books I have no experience.
I can't publish when can't have natural flow. You may not agree with me, but I believe in God's grace so it's my blog's name too Gurukripa.
See, how Tulsidas ji has written, such a simple language still with love and devotion and i think 14000 or 19000 different words he has used in Shriramcharitmanas.
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