Crafting Chaos: How to Embrace the Many Tools for Great Writing

How do I become a great writer? It’s a simple yet loaded question, the answer to which will change depending on who you ask. A professor may say, “By writing!” while an author may say, “Writing prompts!” 

My advice: You’re already a great writer because you have the tools. It’s knowing how to use the tools which is essential. 

Reading is one of the tools. When you read, your mind subconsciously picks up on specific grammar and phrasing. 

You’re unintentionally learning to write every time you read. 

Reading and writing are like peanut butter and jelly or macaroni and cheese. They go together, but if you remove an ingredient, it’ll taste off. 

Reading aloud is another tool. Taking time to stop and say aloud what you’ve written allows your mind to process. You can reword sentences which sound clunky or don’t make sense. 

Remove needless words. Often, people type how they speak: don’t. When speaking, needless words are used; in writing, these words clog sentences and distract from the main argument. A few needless words and phrases are: 

That

Just

Very

Some

In order to

Needless to say

Personal opinion

By removing needless words, you’re allowing sentences to work better. Think of writing as its own medium seperate from speaking.

Listen to music. Artists will tell stories through lyrics. One song with wonderful storytelling is Escape (the pina colada song) by Rupert Holmes. He tells the story of a man bored with his current relationship and begins to desire variation. 

Listening to music with storytelling will help you understand how to better form a story. 

Be confident in your writing. Confident writers will shine, even if there are grammatical mistakes. 

When in doubt, use the five w’s: 

Who?

What?

When?

Where?

Why?

Answering these five questions will provide a foundation you can build on.

Writing is chaotic. Not everything is going to be perfect. You’re going to have numerous failed drafts and multiple different storylines. You’re going to have multi-colored Post-it notes stuck to every surface, and you’re going to get frustrated when you can’t remember what that one word is, even though it’s been on the tip of your tongue for the last two hours. Yet… that’s what makes writing beautiful. 

It’s beautiful how writers are persistent in getting it right.  

It’s beautiful how writers allow society a glimpse into their minds. 

It’s beautiful how much writers can create through words. 

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