Personality in writing

As so aptly written by Pitchfork Reviews Reviews, he/she writes:

“so i’ve read a bunch of record reviews (and periodically some writing that isn’t reviews) in my life ;) and i learned that writers just wanna write about themselves and even when they’re ostensibly writing about someone or something else, and never mention anything about themselves directly, they’re still at least giving you hints at who they are. like even when you’re reading straight political news you can get a sense of where the writer falls on the political spectrum, factual history writing comes with a subtle political bent too, cookbooks include their authors’ family histories and habits, characters in fiction are thinly disguised versions of their creators, etc.”

“but if it doesn’t sound like the writer has LIVED WITH the record in the way that they expect the listener to, and imparted their voice and experience onto the record, it’s probably gonna be real dry and not receive a “coveted” best new review”

“so from a great record review you can get to know the writer as well as you can get to know the music they’re writing about, you can come to understand part of who they are, and hopefully also what they look for in ALL music as a system of interlocking values rather than an isolated judgment, you can finish the review and maybe articulate that system and understand how they might respond to other music.”

And mentioned in the ‘review’, this seemingly natural technique of brightening and rounding any piece of writing with a flair of self makes anything bearable, if not enjoyable. I think this is because writing at its core is a form of expression and the reason why I read is to form a connection or balance/support an opinion. Reviewers, novelists, news reporters, all have an idea to share and the best way to communicate a thought is through relatable experience.

My middle school writing teacher taught us how to ‘show, not tell’ and especially in essay this was emphasized in being able to indirectly grasp an audience. While strict third-person essays aren’t able to have typical anecdotal qualities, specific and slanted opinions and sources can be just as effective. Give your readers something to chew on, develop on. Make it interesting, worth reading.

Narrative accounts probably seem like the safest bet at the moment but that’s not entirely true. Narratives are often explicit to the point of being too much to understand. I get that you’re trying to tell a story, but what are you really attempting for me to impart out of this? Are you conveying a lesson, a moral? This is why I wish for some stories to follow the structure of a Disney fairy tale. Struggle, desire, lesson, something to overcome, an obstacle. But usually life doesn’t follow such a linear equation. Reality is messy, so how do you take the disarray and craft it to impact a reader?

Add substance to the level undeniable connection. My of my favorite example of this is Sandra Cisneros’ Eleven. This holds an illustrious power of being strongly written and full of details and lots of things to be inferred and through the entire reading, it maintains a strong hook and focus on myself as a reader. It is captivating in how it preys on our childlike emotions and brings even fondness. Incorporating nostalgia into every composition won’t work, but always, always tug at your (specific) readers’ emotions. Be honest in it though.

POP Competition

I entered this poster competition at POP, and it’s nothing special but this is the first time in a while that I have opened Photoshop and taken the time to make something, rather then just recoloring a photo. Check it out?