You'll notice a theme on timeless writing advice these last few weeks (see May 22nd's post here)...I hope you don't mind. Figured you can't go wrong with this topic, right? :)
About 10 years ago, I asked Brian Ianieri, staff reporter from The Press of Atlantic City (in New Jersey) what advice he'd share with my teen writing students. Upon reviewing it recently, I was reminded of how it applies to writers of all ages and stages. This was his reply:
"From my standpoint, the key to writing is rewriting.
Our first drafts are never perfect.
We often use too many words.
This is referred to as “dead wood.”
Chopping those words and using precise terms clarifies writing.
The rewriting stage offers the best opportunity for this.
Often, we view rewriting as a quick check for spelling mistakes.
Devote
time to this process, and it becomes a much more important tool for
writers—even for reporters on strict (and I mean strict) deadlines.
I
suggest “The Elements of Style” by Strunk and White. It’s a thin,
easy-to-read book that provides practical advice for sharp writing.
Do you agree with Brian? What advice would you offer my teen writing students? What's the best writing advice you've ever received?
Happy writing,
Karen
Photo credit: Free Images
