;eInspired Homeschooler
Amelia Harper
;e In;uence
of the Classics:
What Makes
Great Writing?
One of the best pieces of advice for any student is to read clas- sic literature. ;roughout the ages, this one thing has de;ned a man of letters and is more likely
than any other aspect of education to produce a leader among men. ;e more you
read “classic” literature, the more knowledge you gain about the character and accumulated wisdom of man. Reading good
classic literature also tends to improve
your own writing style as the stylistic elements seep into your subconscious mind
and in;uence your forms of expression.
However, there is much discussion
within literary and educational circles
about what exactly de;nes a “classic”
book. Of course, this is a fairly arbitrary
term, one that o;en depends on your
own worldview. Yet, in the simplest terms,
classic literature is great writing that has
stood the test of time.
So what makes writing “great”? How
can you join with the host of ordinary
mortal men and women who have succeeded in producing such in;uential literature? ;is month, we want to examine
six elements of great writing that you can
use to help evaluate works of literature
and that you apply to your own written
works. In future months, we will deal
with some of these in more depth.
Great writing clearly conveys
a message.
;e purpose of writing is to communicate
ideas, whether this is done through direct
methods, such as those commonly used in
most non;ction prose, or through more
66;March;2012;•;The;Inspired;Homeschooler
A good author creates
characters with traits
that are common to the
human experience.
creative methods used in ;ction, poetry,
and drama. You, as a writer, should have
a clear overall message in mind as you begin to write. And your goal should be to
make that message clearly understood to
the reader. Take the story of Dickens’ A
Christmas Carol, one of the most familiar English tales. Even though the author
takes Ebenezer Scrooge (and the reader)
on fantastic journeys to the past and future, the overall message of the value of
compassion is clearly seen.
Great writing relates to common
human themes and characters.
Have you ever met someone and said to
yourself, “He reminds me of a character I
once read about in a book” or “;is character is a lot like me”? Great writers are
good observers of human responses and
have a keen insight into the psychological
makeup of man. A good author creates
characters with traits that are common
to the human experience. As a budding
author, you should strive to be a good
observer of human behavior. What experiences are important to those around
you? How do they react when faced with
triumphs, obstacles, or tragedies? As you
meet people with unusual character traits
or interesting reactions, it is a good idea
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