WRITING FOR PUBLICATION
Writing is communcating our thoughts, feelings, ideas through the written mode as represented in signs and symbols to target audience.
Difference between writings which are meant for publication and those which are not meant for publication,is that,when we write for publication, though we may have an audience in mind,somehow,our messages filters to other people we did not plan for.The readers of a letter for example is determined and known;whilst readers of our write up which are meant for publication cannot be meant be determined because such writing is not meant for public consumption.Hence writing s that are meant for publication like articles,in journals and magazines, textbooks must be organized, cleverly put together.
HOW DO I BEGIN?
Writing makes it possible for us to transcend time and space.it is the wheel of our "Fords and the time machine of our thoughts.people who speak languages with no written form,have to rely on memorization.However, research has shown that human memory is short-lived and the brain's storage capacity is finite.writing thus, overcomes such challenges and allow a society to permanently record it's articles, history and technology.its also allows communication across the Miles and through the years.writing for publication is interesting at the same time a tasking activity that requires absolute commitment.The writer has to be conscious of his use of words.Hence,to become an accomplished writer,he/she would need the following writing tools as a matter of necessity of facilitate his/her work.
A Dictionary:A dictionary is a book in which the words and phrases of a language are listed alphabetically, together with their meanings or their translations in another language.a dictionary also gives insight into the sounds of english as they affect meaning.it is a vital tool for a good or a proposing writer.
A Thesaurus:A thesaurus is a reference book in which words with similar meanings are grouped together.This also affects words that are opposite in meaning(s);or words that have the same sounds etc.
Aside these vital physical tools which are fundamental to writing for publication,it is necessary to examine the source of writing after choosing a topic which is perhaps the easiest aspect of planning for writing.The basic question one needs to ask at this juncture is,how can one master the art of writing? let us examine these sources.
POINT TO CONSIDER IN WRITING FOR PUBLICATION
Choosing a topic; sourcing for materials-prmary and secondary
Reading widely:There is a popular saying which goes thus"reading makes a man and writing makes a whole man".when you read extensively, you become familiar with the way expert write.it is better to imitate accomplished writer until you learn to carve out a style of your own.to have a clear outlook on Issues, you need to do intensive and extensive reading.sometimes,you read outside the ambience of your field.your reading materials should include magazines, newspaper, journals,periodicals,sort stories, adventures, reports biographies, autobiographies,novels texts on different subjects.reading is a vital aspect of writing,this is because as you read, you stumble upon relevant ideas to which which you can add to your personal experience and developed in a different perspective.
Inspiration:As a matter of fact, ideas or topics can come from anywhere; henceforth,it is important that a writer or aspiring writer should keep an open mind,for topics,ideas/inspiration can come from anywhere - while relaxing, while walking,in dreams, while eating,from nature, situations or circumstances around May inspire you to write.
Writing: Though reading is a vital when it comes to the art of writing that alone may not account for one's expertise.like driving and cooking,the more you practice,the better you become,it is also important that you rewrite your write-up several times before your turn in your finished product.
Brainstorming:The brain remains the driving force of our body.you can coin good ideas by making a creative use of our brain.yoi can share your opinion with experts in your field.you can also associate with intelligent people and get worthwhile ideas from them.
You can also make use of the vast materials that are available in history.you can refer to the events of the past,which concern a particular topic,place or personality,and refer to history as the hero of Africa literature.This is because most accomplished Africa writer draw their materials and inspiration from history.as a aspiring writer, you have endless materials in history that can assist you.for example.you have the military, cultural and political history of Nigeria, personalities like,Nnamdi Azikiwe,obafemi Awolowo,Ahmad Bello and so on.
QUALITIES OF GOOD WRITING
When writing, you should remember that your thoughts are faster than what you are able to write.Thus, you need to organize your thoughts in a comprehensive whole.To be effective in writing, you must take into consideration your audience who are the reader of your work.for you to become an effective writer, you should take into consideration the demographic and psychographic variables of your readers:age,sex, educational background, economic status, attitude and so on.also of importance are the nature to the subject and the purpose of writing.your chioce of words, expression,illustrations and format must reflect these factors.for examples,it Will be out of place to write an academic paper using informal language or with the use of slangs.the key point you should note here is appropriateness; your language must be right for the audience,the topic and the purpose must be clearly understood.Generally,every piece of writing should possess three qualities: economy, simplicity and clarity.
Economy:This has been identified as the first quality of a good writing.its implies that a sentence should contain no unnecessary words,and a paragraph,no unnecessary sentence,for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and as a machine should have no unnecessary parts.
Simplicity:It is another quality of good writing.in an attempt to be simple, you must not be boring.you must vary the structure of the sentences.
Clarity: Clarity means saying what you want to say without ambiguity.your sentence should be direct and effective.they should be easily understood.