The Technology of Writing | Uphill Writing

Lest you be confused, when I speak
(as in the title of this post) of the Technology of Writing, I am not referring to technical writing, but rather of writing craft.?

You can find any number of sites or resources which promise the?best way to learn and improve your craft, and I would be the last person to gainsay any of those.? However, like the myth that ?one size fits all?, it is unlikely that there is a singular set of ?tricks of the trade? which will do it all in assisting you in becoming the writer you wish to be.

Certainly there are the old standbys.

• Read: Improving your writing through reading is perhaps the most quoted technique, followed closely by?
• Write: It is safe to say that your writing cannot get better without actually doing some writing.

Allow me to introduce yet another way to hone your craft.? This is a simple technique, but it involves your discerning mind, your pride, and, of course, writing.

What a build-up.? So, here it is.

Reviewing.

Yeah.? Thought that would startle a bit.

Reviewing the work of others is the quickest way I know to strengthen the craft of writing.? Why?? Because when you analyze somebody?s work, you have to really look at it? and look perhaps more critically than you have (or have been able to) in dealing with your own work.

And then, there is pride.? If you use an open forum, a place where your reviews can be seen by others, you are not only assisting another writer, but you are putting your reputation at risk.? Knowing that other readers will hold you accountable for your critiques focuses the mind? sharpens the concentration.

Write.? Yes, write.? Read, too.? But look to the process of reviewing other writer?s work as a way to strengthen your craft.

Tagged as: Craft, Learning, Reviewing

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