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04-11-2006, 12:32 AM

Literalism:

I will often see a new piece and say it is "generic" or "too literal". What I almost always mean by this is that you're giving me nothing meaningful in your writing. This is seen quite often by writers who are not using basic techniques such as symbolism, metaphor, simile and imagery to make their writing evocative. You cannot write something so simple as "I love you" or simply state events and feelings as they are and expect them to have any resonance with the reader. You have to explain it to the reader with words that put them in the right perspective; you have to be able to create a mood. This is almost always one of the hardest things for a writer to be effective at. It's also coupled with clichés quite often.

The easiest way to avoid this is to proofread your own work; does it read like a note to someone? Does it sound bland, like something someone would just state, or like something in a bad speech? Are there far too many pronouns (I, s/he, me, my, we)? Chances are it's far too literal. Even moderately good writers are guilty of this to certain degrees... you simply must assess when you're guilty of it. It is best to use the same solution used for clichés and/or to adjust phrasing or structure wherever necessary to solve this issue.

Forced Rhyming:

If you are using a rhyme scheme in a song, always be sure that it sounds natural, or you'll end up with this problem a lot. Never, I mean never, use a word that doesn't get the point across simply because it rhymes. Do not go out of your way to fit a rhyming word into the scheme of things. By "out of the way", I mean change your original intentions. It is perfectly acceptable to adjust structure to get the scheme and rhyming right if you say what you mean. The point is that you never sacrifice scheme or rhyme for purpose. If it just isn't working, then you might just have to go back and phrase things differently. Just be sure that your intentions are never plagued by awful, "forced" rhyming.

Prosody/Meter/Rhythm:

Make sure there is some semblance and structure to your poem. Learn how meter is used in poetry (it's a long lesson, just look it up, do some research, and read things out loud when you write them), and be sure to follow at least some sort of progression, even if you make the pattern yourself. It is wholly unnecessary to have two stanzas with five lines, one with two, two with three, and half of them with rhyme schemes. The reader will see this as completely random, which is probably true. Give the reader some sort of pattern to follow, as it can be immensely rewarding to read a poem with an interesting and well-executed meter. Read what you write out loud to make sure the rhythm is somewhat naturalistic.

Lastly of course is grammar and vocabulary. There's nothing I can tell you aside from the simple truth: you need to study your native language, read and write, and proofread for errors. Just do it; typos won't make anyone take you seriously.

Part 3 - Ego

Even the best writers can get caught up in their own ideas. Once you get the hang of writing poetry and the basic tools of the trade, it's easy to get a bit out of hand (or go crazy, but I'm not going to talk about abstract stuff). I think a big piece of advice for every writer is to not get too caught up in your ego; a little humility goes a long way. Is someone not understanding your work because it's genius or because it's just too ambiguous or misleading? Do all those metaphors and similes actually relate to their counterparts appropriately, or are they just for show? Are all those big words actually aiding with clarification or are they just making everything more confusing?

You can't just focus on yourself, you really do have to focus on the audience, too. This doesn't mean you should write what you think the reader wants you to write or to sell yourself out to your audience, it means that you should always consider how the reader will assess the song/poem. The reader may have to do some research if you write about something obscure, but what you write should at least be intelligible and sensible to the point that the reader can get something out of it. This is one of the hardest things for decent writers to overcome, because many are too caught up in their writing to change it for the reader's conception.

And to close, one last important piece of advice: never consider yourself perfect. It is crucial that you keep writing and never settle for your current style or talents. If you are serious about getting better, it takes more practice and criticism than many passive songwriters can muster. Of course, it pays off in the long run. A good writer will never get to the point that what he writes is perfect or "good enough"... poetry can always be better, there are always things you can improve or different ways to write. Write as much as you can, get feedback, and above all, listen to the feedback. Bowing to every critic's whim will not help you, but heeding the words of other writers you respect will improve your writing greatly.

04-11-2006, 12:32 AM	#10
SubtleDagger Guest Posts: n/a	Literalism: I will often see a new piece and say it is "generic" or "too literal". What I almost always mean by this is that you're giving me nothing meaningful in your writing. This is seen quite often by writers who are not using basic techniques such as symbolism, metaphor, simile and imagery to make their writing evocative. You cannot write something so simple as "I love you" or simply state events and feelings as they are and expect them to have any resonance with the reader. You have to explain it to the reader with words that put them in the right perspective; you have to be able to create a mood. This is almost always one of the hardest things for a writer to be effective at. It's also coupled with clichés quite often. The easiest way to avoid this is to proofread your own work; does it read like a note to someone? Does it sound bland, like something someone would just state, or like something in a bad speech? Are there far too many pronouns (I, s/he, me, my, we)? Chances are it's far too literal. Even moderately good writers are guilty of this to certain degrees... you simply must assess when you're guilty of it. It is best to use the same solution used for clichés and/or to adjust phrasing or structure wherever necessary to solve this issue. Forced Rhyming: If you are using a rhyme scheme in a song, always be sure that it sounds natural, or you'll end up with this problem a lot. Never, I mean never, use a word that doesn't get the point across simply because it rhymes. Do not go out of your way to fit a rhyming word into the scheme of things. By "out of the way", I mean change your original intentions. It is perfectly acceptable to adjust structure to get the scheme and rhyming right if you say what you mean. The point is that you never sacrifice scheme or rhyme for purpose. If it just isn't working, then you might just have to go back and phrase things differently. Just be sure that your intentions are never plagued by awful, "forced" rhyming. Prosody/Meter/Rhythm: Make sure there is some semblance and structure to your poem. Learn how meter is used in poetry (it's a long lesson, just look it up, do some research, and read things out loud when you write them), and be sure to follow at least some sort of progression, even if you make the pattern yourself. It is wholly unnecessary to have two stanzas with five lines, one with two, two with three, and half of them with rhyme schemes. The reader will see this as completely random, which is probably true. Give the reader some sort of pattern to follow, as it can be immensely rewarding to read a poem with an interesting and well-executed meter. Read what you write out loud to make sure the rhythm is somewhat naturalistic. Lastly of course is grammar and vocabulary. There's nothing I can tell you aside from the simple truth: you need to study your native language, read and write, and proofread for errors. Just do it; typos won't make anyone take you seriously. Part 3 - Ego Even the best writers can get caught up in their own ideas. Once you get the hang of writing poetry and the basic tools of the trade, it's easy to get a bit out of hand (or go crazy, but I'm not going to talk about abstract stuff). I think a big piece of advice for every writer is to not get too caught up in your ego; a little humility goes a long way. Is someone not understanding your work because it's genius or because it's just too ambiguous or misleading? Do all those metaphors and similes actually relate to their counterparts appropriately, or are they just for show? Are all those big words actually aiding with clarification or are they just making everything more confusing? You can't just focus on yourself, you really do have to focus on the audience, too. This doesn't mean you should write what you think the reader wants you to write or to sell yourself out to your audience, it means that you should always consider how the reader will assess the song/poem. The reader may have to do some research if you write about something obscure, but what you write should at least be intelligible and sensible to the point that the reader can get something out of it. This is one of the hardest things for decent writers to overcome, because many are too caught up in their writing to change it for the reader's conception. And to close, one last important piece of advice: never consider yourself perfect. It is crucial that you keep writing and never settle for your current style or talents. If you are serious about getting better, it takes more practice and criticism than many passive songwriters can muster. Of course, it pays off in the long run. A good writer will never get to the point that what he writes is perfect or "good enough"... poetry can always be better, there are always things you can improve or different ways to write. Write as much as you can, get feedback, and above all, listen to the feedback. Bowing to every critic's whim will not help you, but heeding the words of other writers you respect will improve your writing greatly.