The Glitterati are wealthy people, who attend fashionable events, whilst the literati are those with a wealth of talent with which they transport their readers to sublime destinations.

As a teacher, I am always looking for ways to optimise the talents of students. All young people have an amazing array of talents, some of which need to be brought out, all of which need to be encouraged. I am frequently irritated by negative comments far outweighing any praise given and if you don’t enjoy celebrations of skill – look away now!
 
Before the writing process may begin, the author has some key questions to address. Who is the target audience? What is the purpose of their writing? Are they writing for pleasure, fun, necessity, for work, to inform, describe, explain, persuade or entertain? The answers to these questions will decide the tone, style and attitude of their endeavours and when such considerations have been taken into account the author can then begin to flex their lexical muscles in earnest.

If writing to gain kudos at school, it is always a good idea to allow your teacher/lecturer the undeniable reward of placing in your work the elements that they have been encouraging you to learn.
When one of my students, Shannon Dillon, conveyed this lovely scene of a flower show she gratifyingly included many elements which we had discussed. Shannon has kindly given her permission to use “The Flower Show” for which I thank her.

Key elements that I would like to draw your attention to are:
The initial metaphor of people thronging depicts the social aspect of this event.

The similes which follow build a picture of the activity within the show. I particularly enjoyed the noise of the crowd talking being compared with an excitable giant.

Onomatopoeia is used as a technique to describe the noise of the waterfalls as they “gushed, trickled and thundered”. There are some beautiful example of alliteration in this piece of prose “the soft swaying” lends a gentleness to this natural scene; whilst “the tall trees towered” gives the reader a birdseye view above the flowers giving a “3D” effect to the prose.

Shannon’s use of blends and plosives adds to the artificial elements within the environment. “statues staring” suggests a hard stone sound and “pointing . . . . paths” suggests directions.

The seesaw simile with “pouring people in” and “gushing guests out” reinforces the view of the reader that this is an active organic process. Shannon skilfully empties the garden from a lively buzzing environment to a gentle “soft sleep at six”

We are transported from a bright, vibrant scene as the use of colour is withdrawn to suggest nightfall and the cyclical nature of the prose suggests that it will all start once again. Shannon has created a very peaceful and tranquil ending, which is in sharp contrast to the hustle and bustle as the show builds up.

Another element which has been used simply but effectively is in the first simile where the public are likened to “bees keen to see the flowers.”  The “ee” digraph makes good use of assonance which is an often neglected technique. Its use here adds to the overall simplicity and gentle nature of the description.

The picture created in the mind of the reader encompasses all that one might see at a flower show, skilfully combining the personality of the author’s voice within the piece.

If you wish to enhance your writing, other important factors to consider are; the structure of sentences and their variety within the text. When writing an essay, use three-part sentences, usually incorporating a subordinate clause, coupled with very short sentences to give the audience a sense that the writer has total confidence and skill in utilising language to give a varied effect.

Advance noun phrases are either overused or totally neglected. It is important to include a couple of advance noun phrases in order to show your flexibility as a writer eg. a “fierce lion” describes the state of a lion, but a “fierce, snarling lion” says so much more with the addition of one word. Suspense has been built into the text for the reader and demands an emotional response. As soon as this level is reached the reader is engaged, involved and much more likely to read subsequent works.

Authors who incorporate this technique often seem to write simply but the reader finds himself unable to put the book down. In reality this “effortless” style is in fact highly skilled. Only the very best authors can write in this way with an astonishing economy of words. If you re-read the beginning of “The Landlady”, Roald Dahl uses signposts in his writing right from the very start, making every word count.

This article was provided by Mrs. Anne Goodsall, BH (Hons), PGCE
Anne is the Principal of The Literacy Lounge and can be found at www.literacylounge.co.uk