Benjamin Franklin: His Ageless Writing Tips
If Ben Franklin were alive today, he would be...uh, very old. But his writing style would be as current as e-mail, yet as timeless as the man himself.
This great American championed succinct writing, and his epigrams became part of our national heritage. Before discussing his classic quotes, let's first examine how he grew into an acclaimed wordsmith.
Apprenticed as a printer's helper, Franklin studied the handbills and circulars his shop printed. When newsletters and newspapers began in the colonies, Franklin submitted letters or witty sayings under a pseudonym.
More and more of his short sayings began to appear. People enjoyed them, so Franklin decided to publish even more with the creation of "Poor Richard's Almanac." What attracted readers to him?
a. He wrote simply. He knew his audience, and focused on basic words and ideas.
b. He wrote briefly. The Almanac itself emphasizes frugality and brevity. "Silence is not always a sign of wisdom, but babbling is ever a mark of folly," Franklin said.
c. He used humor. Franklin's sayings are among the most quoted in history.
d. He spoke of moral truths, and offered valuable advice.
Next time you sit down to write, remember that the reader's very busy. So deliver your message simply and memorably.
Rix Quinn wrote the book "Words That Stick," which offers lots of writing advice for both students and professionals. It's available through your local bookstore, or Ten Speed Press. http://www.tenspeed.com/catalog/all/item.php3?id=1661
MORE RESOURCES:
'Becoming Americans': Immigrant writing San Francisco Chronicle ... short stories, novel excerpts, poems, letters and bits of memoir that this anthology of "Four Centuries of Immigrant Writing" collects. ... |
Local man wins prize in writing competition Iowa City Press Citizen A local man has won a runner-up prize in an international competition for writing. Zach Falcon, 37, of Iowa City, earned the recognition for his story "The ... |
Writings left behind by Vonnegut Philadelphia Inquirer As for writing left behind at his death, here we have Look at the Birdie, a collection of previously unpublished works that Vonnegut wrote in the 1950s or ... |
Idaho writing Race to the Top application KIVI-TV AP - November 22, 2009 9:04 AM ET BOISE, Idaho (AP) - Idaho hopes to win $75 million or more in competitive federal grants for public schools, ... |
 Showbiz Spy | Steven Tyler Writing a Book Showbiz Spy STEVEN Tyler says he's taking time off from Aerosmith to write a book while his injured shoulder heals. The frontman sustained the injury after falling off ... |
Teacher 'suspended over 9/11 creative writing task' Telegraph.co.uk ... Oxclose Village Primary School in Washington, Tyne and Wear, after their children reportedly came home in tears following the creative writing lesson. ... |
West Ottawa implements curriculum that focuses on writing skills HollandSentinel.com Lucy Calkins writing curriculum — already in use by Holland Public Schools — is one of the latest trends in writing education, as teachers instruct students ... |
 PerezHilton.com (blog) | Steven Tyler Is Just Writing A Book! No Drugs (Allegedly) PerezHilton.com (blog) A spokesman for Steven Tyler has said that the Aerosmith frontman is just taking a quick break due to a shoulder injury and he is working on his ... |
Prof finalist for fiction writing Sioux City Journal Tricia Currans-Sheehan's "The River Road: A Novel in Stories" was named a finalist in fiction and received Honorable Mention in the Nashville Book Festival ... |
 Baltimore Sun | An appreciation for Sister Maura Baltimore Sun Here's an excerpt: Sister Maura considered writing to be work, and if nothing else, I was going to learn the value of that work during my numerous courses ... |
Google News
Is Someone Plagiarizing Your Work?
About two weeks ago I received an article submissionthat immediately attracted my attention. The title wasidentical to the title of an article I wrote and whichwas published in 'WebProNews' in May 1999.
Ways to Make Extra Income Using the Internet
To capitalize on ways to make extra income you can (and should) use the Internet for test marketing:(a) To establish demand for your extra income idea.(b) To prepare yourself to take advantage of other ways to make extra income i.
Personal Journaling - Strategies To Make It Easy
Recently I was watching the Oprah show and it was about doing something really great in someones life. Was it buying them a special gift? Or taking them out? Not really.
Timer Magic for Writers
If your writing muscle isn't in shape, writing a novel may seem like a sheer, unscalable cliff. ("Gee, I don't think I can write today.
Freelance or Staff
There is no doubt that a staff writer enjoys advantages not availed by the freelancer. However, there are benefits available to the freelancer that a staff writer can never expect.
Spiritual Journaling
Whether you keep a separate spiritual journal or just wantto add your spiritual postings in your regular journal, youwill want to read this.Personal journaling supports our development and growth.
Who Said That? Making Dialogue Crystal Clear
Recently, I was hunting for a book that would simply entertain me. I didn't want to have to ponder about 'who dun it'.
To Tell If You Are A Literary Snob
"I don't know if I should put 'writer' on my business card," I murmured."Then don't," my wife said in her infinite wisdom.
The Bottomless Notebook
Reading through a writer's notebook or journal is like discovering pearls, rubies and diamonds amidst a pile of rubble.That little notebook is a powerhouse of ideas for every writer: The more you write down bits and pieces of your thoughts and observations, the more you are adding into the well of ideas for future works.
8 Advantages to Writing a Book as an Entrepreneur
As an aspiring or an established entrepreneur, you are an expert in something, but does the rest of the world know? You have a wealth of information, experience and knowledge that you can package into a book that will benefit others. This truly is the information age and people want to know what you know.
Why I Write Horror
These are some of the snapshots I carry with me: My father coming up to visit me after first being diagnosed with leukemia. The visit was a surprise, and he brought a new computer with him.
Getting the Story Down
Questions and answers on writing life experiences for ourselves and others.Index of Questions1.
Six Tips for Submitting Fiction - if you want it to get published
You can learn a lot about what it takes to place a story in an ezine by starting up one of your own.Last month I started work on a new ezine for writers, which I intended to use to publish high-quality, contemporary fiction, from writers all over the world.
Nonfiction Idea Generators
The hardest part of nonfiction writing is finding a subject to write about. Unless you're a student or a professional writer no one is going to select a topic for you.
Have You Plotted Your Story Before Writing It?
Creative Writing Tips -The writer, who doesn't have the time to plot, always finds the time to rewrite.Sound familiar?I've been guilty of this too, back in the early days of my writing apprenticeship.
Generating Nonfiction Book Titles Without a Hassle
The process of developing a working title for your nonfiction book can be a hassle sometimes. You first have to brainstorm a few titles, and if the results aren't to your liking, you are practically forced to brainstorm more possible titles --- or do you?One way to shorten this process is to have a book title bank at your fingertips that will include trigger titles, such as the ones listed below:Techniques for ----One Way to ----How to ----Handbook for -----Protecting ----Investing for ----Saving Your -----Finding Security in -----Fixing -----Getting -----Each of the sample triggers above has one or more missing words for you to fill in.
7 Steps to Successful Publishing
The decision to publish a book is very exciting! It causes the creative juices to flow and the eyes to light up. But wait - before you begin the publishing process, know about the seven most important steps you need to know before publishing your book.
Sense of Place
What is Sense of Place? It's the image of a scene's environment evoked by the writing. The author becomes an artist; the book page is the canvas, sentences and phrasing are the brushes; words give color.
Write With Passion: 4 Steps To Emotionally Charge A Nonfiction Article
You have just completed a draft of an article. It seemsflat, even to you.
The Top Five Writing Mistakes Professionals Make
Yes, you know your subject. You also need to think about entertaining your audience, and making your book or other writing easy to read.
