I, Nick Brenner, have grown up in a very musical family; my brother plays the guitar, my dad plays the bass and lately I’ve been flexing the pipes as well. As a result, when I listen to music, I’ve grown to appreciate the whole song. From the lead singer and guitar down to the triangle in the background, every part counts and contributes to the song. However, this is not a blog about music. The point I am getting at is that I have come to realize that this idea transcends music. It carries over to writing in a big way. Ever since this realization came about sometime during my sophomore year of high school, the subtleties of language (and the skill required to successfully employ them) have fascinated me.
Too often, people treat articles, speeches and other informative literature as just that: purely informative. It's easy to appreciate the art of writing when reading poetry, listening to a song or a getting lost in a novel. Still, it is even easier to forget that speechwriters and journalists and other authors in similar fields are also crafting their work, choosing words particularly to deliver their message just the way they want it.
It is my goal to focus on analyzing the symbols, allusions, metaphors, tone, etc. used in speeches, news articles, essays and other relevant literature I come across. And, while it is exciting to appreciate the ability of writers to augment their writing with these devices, it is even more important to see how the craft of writing affects the reader/audience. That is what determines the success of the piece.
See a more literal take on the "art of writing"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRNFiU4fG2o&feature=player_embedded
