Make Your Words Count

As final exams are upon us, this will be my last entry until January. So, I thought I would leave you with a parting thought on the importance of words.

At the end of the page, writers should ask a question: “What have I actually said?”

Instead of turning in an essay that you’ve packed with generalities to get to the required five or so pages, the above question is one you should ask and then answer honestly. Even if it is somewhat traditional (but still wrong) for students to resort to writing essays that say less than they could - like playing an air guitar - the time spent for the writer and the reader should be considered too valuable to waste in vague verbosity . Thought, reason, analysis of the subject matter: are they clearly present in your essay?

One way to find out is to read your paper aloud or have a friend read it aloud to you. If you find yourself saying “Huh?”after hearing a sentence, you should definitely think about revising. When we listen, we tend to filter out extra words and statements that are not essential for us to understand the message. Sometimes just reading a long essay silently won’t tell you if there are sections that have become confusing during the writing process - draft after draft.

If you think you’ve made a valid point and used an excellent example, double check to make sure that your reader can see it immediately (without saying the word“Huh?”). Concentrate on making your words count, not just on a word count.

Sometimes when I’m beach combing, I spot something shiny and think maybe it is a treasure that has washed up from long ago and far away. When I look more closely, the pirate’s gold I thought I saw turns out to be a trick of the sunlight on the sand and my imagination at work. Once you’ve written your essay, you should also look closely to be certain your words really and truly express your ideas in a cogent fashion. Read what you write for meaning so that you can revise statements that are vague or misleading or not as rich in meaning as you’d like.

Best of luck on your finals!

See you next time the breeze is cool, the sun is up, and the waves roll into view! ‘Til then, hang ten!