Effective writing in a nutshell: persuade your reader to your

Effective writing in a nutshell: persuade your reader to your point of view

Many writing students struggle over the right words for an essay, editorial piece or simply a business letter. While you know that your major objective is to convince your reader of your premise and position, there seems to be no magic formula to a successful piece. You may throw up your hands in frustration, thinking, Some people have it and some don't I don't! Don't give up so soon. The key to effective writing lies in the persuasive factor.

Think of it as wooing your sweetheart, or convincing your Mom to buy that awesome prom dress. Easier said than done, you say. Well, here we give you the bones of effective writing techniques, to give you a confident jump start on your next piece.

1.Use facts. Truth is irrefutable. Depending on your objective/assignment, you can be quite scholarly, with citations from respected sources to back up your premises. No matter what the venue (essay, cover letter), effective writing requires a good balance of facts and opinion. If it's the prom dress you're after, a 20/80 balance of facts vs. the emotional factors may do the trick, e.g., It's on sale this week and I can wear it for many other events following the prom, followed by the puppy dog eyes and other emotions which tug at Mom's heartstrings. Stating your case on a cute e-card enhances your position with Mom and allows you to carefully compose your argument to best effect.

2.Use passion. When you feel passionately about a subject, it tends to show. For example, choose adjectives that precisely describe the nuance of the message you want to convey. A thesaurus or synonym finder is a good investment. There are so many nuances that attach to the feeling, or 'flavor' of a word. So browse through your thesaurus or synonym finder until you find the precise word that expresses your feeling. (This is also a good way to build your vocabulary and refine your effective writing techniques.)

3.Read! Every writer is told to read the great writers, dedicating at least an hour each day to reading. Fiction anthologies are a good starting point for any aspiring writer. Study style, cadence, setting, tone, character development, dialect and point of view from the masters, such as Chekov, Camus, Kafka, Faulkner, Steinbeck, Dostoevsky, Thomas Wolfe and Hemingway. Read all you can. You'll be amazed at how much permeates your consciousness and begins to be reflected in your own writing. The more you read, the more effective writing skills you'll amass.

4.Keep a journal. Now, you may think, All I'm interested in is learning how to write an effective business letter, I don't want to make a career out of this! Consider this: When you keep a journal, you're just writing for yourself, right? However, you'll find that your journal, detailing everyday events, which you may or may not feel to be of particular consequence, begins to reveal patterns in your own thinking, which will ultimately help you to achieve more effective writing in all of your pieces. For example, you may start to notice that you've got a pretty good sense of humor. On the other hand, you may see a pervasive sort of whining tone creeping into your recollections. Perhaps you're too abrasive or too timid. Gleaning these sorts of observations from your journal will help you write a better business letter, devoid of whining inclinations, while exploiting the positive effects of an upbeat attitude. Besides, your journal will teach you many things about yourself that will broaden your understanding of the world at large.

5.Be sincere. Nothing will damage your attempts at effective writing more than insincerity, or a perceived lack of authenticity. Readers see through an insincere voice in a heartbeat.

Keep these points in mind, no matter what type of writing you're doing. These are the keys to effective writing.