I have learned that if you want to be a successful writer who people care to read, then it helps if you choose the right words and put them in a particular order. Some people think writing has to do with your passion to convey an idea or your ability to express yourself, but I think it is just a matter of being lucky with the word combinations you select.People like JK Rowling, Stephen King, and Tom Clancy have many fans who like their books because of the words they use and how they arrange them. I, on the other hand, have never been properly trained in the art of word arrangement and, as a result, fewer people read my blogs.
Each time I attempt to write a post, it's kind of like playing a scratch off card or like picking numbers for the lottery. I just hope I choose the correct words and then get them in the right order. Shakespeare was another person who was good at writing (word arranging). I think that is quite impressive since he had many more words at his disposal than we do today. I also respect him because he never used worlds like LOL or totes in any of his works.
Speaking of great authors, I have only read a handful of works by Shakespeare, Twain, and Dickens so, in an attempt to come across as being cultured, I play the card game Authors in order to brush up on the classics. It's kind of like Cliff's notes, but an even more abbreviated version, since all you ever learn is the title of the book. When someone mentions Little Women, I say something like, "Louise May Alcott really hit the mark with Little Women." Then for good measure, I might also say "It's too bad more people don't appreciate Eight Cousins." You just need to be careful who you try this on because it can backfire if you do it to someone who has actually read the classics.
PS- If you take my advice and use the Authors card game for the basis of your literary knowledge, be careful when referring to Alfred Lord Tennyson and Charles Dickens. They look very similar.
