Good Writing vs. Great Writing

Good Writing vs Great Writing

by EtheralEloquence

First off, let’s establish one thing: there is no such thing as a bad writer. Or bad writing. There’s only good writing, better writing, and John Green writing (don’t shoot for the John Green level. You’ll never reach it). For those of you that constantly strive to make your writing better, here are some ways to jazz up your passages.

Good—I was so scared. I trembled.

Great—My hands shook violently at my sides. Every fiber of my being was consumed by man-eating fear that threatened to swallow me whole.

Use metaphors and descriptive words. Instead of saying “I was scared” use metaphors and amazing words to convey that fear.

Good—It was hopeless.

Great—The beast of hopeless emerged within me, condemning me to an eternal depression, threatening to swallow me whole.

Conveying emotions and feelings through personification is a very powerful thing. It gives the readers more than just a glimpse into the character’s head; it allows the readers to identify with the character and to feel empathy towards them. Plus, it makes for some pretty awesome writing.

Good—The fire burned bright red.

Great—Crimson ribbons danced across the ground, the flames rising higher and higher.

Your descriptors could make or break your writing. One of my pet peeves is when people use sucky colours; sure, everyone knows what blue looks like, but using a lame colour is boring. Instead of “blue,” opt for “aqua,” “sapphire,” “azure,” “cyan,” or “cobalt.” It makes the piece that much more interesting.

Good—He quietly walked down the hallway, afraid of being heard. He was really scared of her.

Great— He crept down the hallway, anxious to make the smallest of sounds; for he knew that if she found him, found out what he knew, this day would be his last.

Building tension takes a lot of practice, and is a hard thing to do, but when writing suspense, it is vital that you make the readers want to, well, keep reading. You as an author hold power over the readers, so keep them on the edge of their seats.

So there you have it! Ways to enhance your already fantastic writing. J