Growing up in the Indian school system, we were typically taught hacks to do better at composition. Some of these were –
– Use connecters like “however,” “moreover,” “furthermore,” etc., at the start of a paragraph
– Write neatly.
– Use at least 3 paragraphs.
– Use good language and throw in a rare word every once in a while
That’s about all I remember right now but I’m sure you get the drift. We were never taught that writing is all about ideas. We never really appreciated great writing. Our goals were limited and our learning followed the same limitations. If you had a good vocabulary, you learnt, over time, to hide behind it.
But, when you begin to share your writing with the world, you realize very quickly that flamboyant language doesn’t do much if you don’t have a point to convey. That’s probably the best thing about writing – no amount of language can save you if you haven’t developed the ability to frame and structure what you want to say. You eventually get found out.
Most things are like writing. In the long run, hiding doesn’t help. The more elaborate the plot, the quicker it unravels. Don’t waste energy hiding. Use it to get good instead.
A Learning a Day 