Daily Times

Gilbert K. Chesterton is quoted to have said, “A good novel tells the truth about its hero, but a bad novel tells us the truth about its authors.”

In the field of prose writing, the great writers will earn high recognition when they display effective and stylish techniques in their writing genres.

Many of us may wonder, a productive writing is not an easy course of stuff that every common writer could necessarily skate through it.

Today, English is a dominating language, and the well-read people mostly prefer it over the other languages for conducting their literary works.

And for those, who underwent Urdu medium education system have little access to the English language. Unlike O’ and A levels, the Urdu medium students, somehow, remain unfamiliar with English language until they approach some private language academies.

In Pakistan, the example can be drawn from the government schools where the education is imparted in Urdu medium. English is taught very late in their secondary levels education.

Though there exist many private English language academies that offer to teach spoken English at affordable fees, the skills required for writing are missing and something that even teachers lack.

It is not as if they cannot put a pen to paper for small paragraphs, expansions or short essays, but the acquisition towards a creative and productive writing will entail an exceptional quality.

However, we may stick to the point that an effective English writing skill does not require a rocket’s science. The ordinary learners, even from Urdu medium origin can excel provided they should have gone through some painstaking efforts at themselves. One can broadly bring English writing skills at one’s disposal if the potentials at best are utilized towards promoting it. The students ought not to spare any efforts but instead work twice as hard.

Sometimes, it is understood that reading habits will ultimately alter a reader into a writer, is seldom true. An avid reader needs not necessarily be good at displaying great skills in writings without giving it a thorough practice. Once we nurture writings as a hobby in practice it will partake us of plenty of skills towards it.

A Maxim that we can follow, “the more we read the better we’ll write.”

‘Read with a purpose’ is, therefore, the advice of Lord Bryce. And the distance from book reading culture will obviously land our society into intellectual lacks. Francis Bacon wisely quoted to have said, “some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed and some few to be chewed and digested.

In choosing books we need to go overboard for the better collections; the most authoritative books by the best authors. It may not be always possible to read comprehensively all the books at hands but some of them we must.

When it comes to the question of writing, we may be sure, the more we write, the more fluent our writing will become. The simplest and best approach towards developing our own particular styles in the expressions, we need to give it a continuous practice by setting a pen to paper. A thorough reading in this regard is also unavoidable, which plays a vital role as well.

Moreover, the sheer quality of elegant writers will be acknowledged, when they keep the readers at captive. Among the Pakistani columnists, we can find out about many good names who grabbed the reader’s attentions through their insightful analysis. In the field of fiction and prose writing, we become to learn about many remarkable authors who have been hailed as great contributors.

Nevertheless, a creative writer will be recognised by portraying an increasing note of ease, lightness of touch and a frank contact with the readers.

It is observed, style and language will develop through an extensive reading and a vast experience of writing. In many cases, the graceful and sharp writers create their own grammar and set their own grace of styles with a particular tradition.

Undoubtedly, a lot of things influence an effective writing and the only thing that matters is the author. It is said that it is a singer, not the song that must count. A similar connection of a writer also reveals to a piece of writing.

Writing is an art, as Alexander Pope said, “True ease in writing comes from art, not a chance.” Very few people possess an innate quality of a born-writer. And more often, a too much passion and inclination towards writing will obsessively bring us close to this art.