Literature works are created by a writer. Writing is the process of putting down one’s thoughts or fantasies. This process is one of the most usual and at the same time the most enigmatic. Where do thoughts and fantasies come from? How to put them accurately so that every reader could understand the message? Where did outstanding writers draw inspiration from? All these questions are asked by both writers and readers. Truman Capote tried to solve these problems. He wrote: “Writing has laws of perspective, of light and shade just as painting does, or music. If you are born knowing them, fine. If not, learn them. Then rearrange the rules to suit yourself.” The understanding of the laws of writing leads to success. It can be inborn or acquired with experience. Vladimir Nabokov tried to apply such rules. He admitted: “I have rewritten- often several times- every word I have ever written. My pencils outlast their erasers”. Thus, his use of rules has confronted many difficulties. He was very scrupulous in writing and rewriting. Maybe, there are no rules of writing if their application is so difficult?
Truman Capote emphasized the existence of numerous tools in painting and music. Consequently, writing, literature as a kind of art, in particular, possesses some rules as well. People, gifted for literature by nature, seem to learn them on their mother’s knees. They write perfectly without any effort. Others feel difficulties in writing even a simple message. Such people should learn the rules. In this case, learning means the study of academic rules of correct and successful writing. Awareness of the rules does not mean their application. Putting into practice acquired knowledge requires much skill. Knowing the rules is the first stage in the creation of something own and unique. And here we should rearrange these rules to suit ourselves. It means that every personality is unlike the other one. Each person writes in their their style and manner. Individual language, thinking, and picture of the world influence writing. And it is great when the world is full of unlike things. People apply rules in their way. And this makes written papers diverse.
The process of writing is rather time-consuming and difficult. It depends much on the diligence of the writer. Vladimir Nabokov’s literature works prove his skills. He was a genius. Despite his inborn talent, he was very industrious and diligent. He rewrote his works many times, trying to achieve the best effect on his reader. This writer was a highly educated and developed personality. He surely read much and was aware of the rules of successful writing. His example proves that, besides inborn talent and education, diligence and industry should accompany any work. Yearning for perfection and tireless efforts are very important in writing.
To my mind, writing is among the most difficult communication skills. First of all, it is because the pen is mightier than the sword. Words are very strong in their force of influence on people’s destinies. Besides, successful writing means an accurate and precise selection of words. And it is very difficult to find a word that denotes your state, attitude to events, or thought precisely. There are so many words with different shades of meaning and collocations that choosing only one is very difficult. Like Vladimir Nabokov, we may try to rewrite many times to make our work excellent, but we may get lost in doubts about which variant was the best. In my opinion, diligence does not mean pedantry. Sometimes, the words, which have occurred at once, suit better, than elaborated phrases. They come from subconsciousness and are evoked by intuition. I cannot but agree that every masterpiece required scrupulous and thorough thinking and realization. No sweet without some sweat. Hard work will bring fruit.
I try to learn the rules and master theory. But when it comes to practice, difficulties begin. How to plan my work? How to arrange parts and build the course of thoughts? I think, such a question puzzle many people. Being a student also requires skills in time management and resistance to stress. One of the most difficult things is to overcome irritation and disappointment when nothing comes out of hard efforts. If one cannot write some piece, he should try to see the reverse side of the topic and find new approaches to the subject matter. Always there are some thoughts and ideas, which can be helpful. And in this case, the rules are useful. They represent a step-by-step succession of actions, proved by the use of many people. These rules are sure to help to extract the message of your writing and find words and media for its expression. I try to rearrange rules so that they suited my style of life and study, my habit of thinking, and my speed of typing. These rules are universal, but they do not reflect the particular traits of every student.
Frankly speaking, most of the problems in writing lie in a lack of perseverance or even laziness. One should do his best in completing the work. Writing requires perseverance, thorough meditating, and rejects any haste. I stick to advise to put down all my thoughts because I can forget them in a minute. And of course, there should be attentiveness. Even a slight lapse can spoil the whole work. I think Nabokov was successful in it. He corrected all the mistakes and rewrote his paper so many times that it was almost perfect. Attentiveness should accompany both the process of thinking and the process of writing. Everybody should be attentive to his thoughts so that nothing could be omitted. Careful writing implies avoiding mistakes and precise use of words.
Writing requires effort. Successful writing requires hard efforts. At first, any writer should learn the rules if he was not born knowing them. Then he should adopt these rules of individuality. Hard work and diligent practice will be the next stage of writing. No matter how quick on uptake you are, only practice can perfect your skill. It means continuous rewriting of your works. It takes a lot of time, but your efforts will be rewarded for sure. Praise and understanding of own abilities will encourage further learning, in which writing occupies a very important place. How else can the tutor get to know about your progress? Pieces of writing are evidence of a person’s self-development and broad mind. They are integral parts of the study. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize not only the importance but also the great potential of written papers. They serve the purpose of communication and sharing thoughts with other people. They contribute to progress in all spheres of everyday life. And I want to add one more fact. All contemporary writers began with school essays. Maybe one of them is among us?