Why Do You Write?

The problem with first time reporters, like first year undergraduate essay writers is that they try to impress their readers rather than to inform them. They always tend to forget that not everybody who will read their story has been reading the same books they have read, or acquired the same vocabulary they have.

Often times, the writer even forgets that his readers do not always go about with dictionaries in their pocket, and more. More do not have the inclination nor the time to look up for meaning of words when reading their newspapers or bulletins. One of the major problem the novice writer has to overcome is the urge to impress, the urge to show ''high standard" of the command of English language, to show that the writer is knowledgeable although, he may actually not know much.

However, it should be noted that news consumers are always in a hurry, they don't want to pay for information they cannot digest, therefore they quickly want to scan through the pages of newspaper and learn about the world around them in the shortest possible time.

Also they want to be able to tune in to their radio and television set and get the message quickly and effortlessly. They don't expect to be tasked before obtaining the information they already have paid for.

It is not only rude of a newspaper writer or reporter to burden his readers or listeners before understanding him, it is also wicked of him. The news consumers has paid to be informed and he should be able to consume the information with the least possible effort. If he was to put in additional effort to obtain the information he is seeking, then his investment on the news medium have not yielded the desired result.

One of the weaknesses of a beginning writer is his inability to communicate i.e to get across quickly and easily. Also, many who can write cannot get the idea across to those they want to reach, while many who can get across cannot write. The former involves ability to think clearly and put the ideas together logically, while the later relates to ability to use the language of communication well enough to be understood. A journalist who is deficient in either of this two basic requirement cannot be a successful writer. Most times, the news writer works under difficult conditions and under almost impossible deadlines therefore he is unable to think clearly, quickly and logically too.

Usually the apprentice particularly, one who have just left school, feels compelled to display his knowledge either of the language or of the field of the subject of his essay or story. Therefore he packs his story with high sounding words that means little or nothing in the experience of the reader or listener.

Another temptation is to want to be too technical i.e in the use of the language of a particular profession, It is usually forgotten as earlier pointed out that not everyone belong to the same profession or not everyone have the same amount of sophistication.

A good writer, either of news or essay is one who is able to appeal to those who understand or speak a special language and those who don't. He must not be boring to the former not too technical for the later. This is a difficult task to accomplish, it comes with rigorous practice and not from textbooks.

One thing most beginners, and even most of the professionals do is to color their writing with adjectives and adverbs, that add little or nothing to their messages. Adjectives and adverbs, don't have any place in news writing or news story they are best left out. Excessive use of these qualifiers and modifiers hurts rather than enhances you message.

---

IF YOU LIKE THIS POST YOU CAN KINDLY UPVOTE AND RESTEEM. YOU CAN ALSO DROP YOU COMMENT TO HELP ME IMPROVE MY WORK THANK YOU

---

@DAMMYLOHAR

---