How I Write

      I’ve always told myself that I’m one of the best writers in my grade. I know it to be true, too. It’s true because I’ve already demonstrated what someone needs to know before they decide how to write: a knowledge of his or herself. The only way I’ve come to know myself as a writer is through experience; without experience, I would never be able to write to my fullest potential.
      Through experience, I’ve established an identity. This identity allows me to see what I write best, when I write best, in what position I write best, etc. Over time, this knowledge has become a loose guideline. I’ve used it as a procedure to get the most out of my writing.  There are many small bits and pieces that go into this procedure, but they all count significantly. Each one accounts for something learned over the years, and together they conglomerate into the essence of my writing. Simply put, they are the roots of my success.
      Speaking of roots, writing is a talent that has been swimming about in my family’s gene pool for generations. Unfortunately, I was only gifted with half of it. Thankfully, I was able to get away with understanding word placement and being able to identify mistakes. I always have lacked an important ability, though: resisting impulses.
      Knowing when to stop has always been one of my main issues with writing.  One such impulse is using complicated words and sentences. There are times when I feel I must use such things in order to dazzle my audience, whereas it probably frustrates and bores them instead.
      My complicated writing is an even worse issue when coupled with another impulse of mine: perfectionism. Perfectionism haunts me everywhere I go. It makes writing difficult because I tend to focus on one section of my work for a ridiculously long period of time. This causes me to become upset and pessimistic about my work, and sometimes even makes it seem mechanical.
      Habits like these are things that I slowly move away from the more I write. They are not always bad, though. Sometimes I harness habits like these and use them to my advantage. That way, they can enhance my work without becoming an obsession. For example, there are times when perfectionism comes in handy if it is controlled enough.
      More often, though, I like to focus on other factors that enhance my writing. Not all of them are literate, either. The atmosphere in which I write affects the efficiency of my work, too. Sometimes it can even determine the difference between an inspiring paper and an incoherent mess.
      When most think about atmosphere, they think about the look and feel of the surrounding environment. I think about the time of day. Though the environment changes the subject of my writing, the time of day influences everything from syntax to mood. During the day I write in a simple and structured fashion, but at night my ideas become abstract and my sentences wander.
      Sound, too, is a prime influence. It requires much experimentation. Constant adjustment is needed to find the most effective setting. It’s not just a matter of volume, either. Sometimes what I’m listening to has more of an impact. I might think more proficiently listening to a ticking metronome one night than some smooth jazz another.
      Although my habits (good and bad) and preferences have a big part in defining me as a writer, I like to focus most on the greatest role in that definition: style. My style is a trademark in which most of my identity resides. Essentially, it’s my personality on a piece of paper.
      My style changes depending on what I’m writing. For example, when I’m writing non-fiction, I use informative, professional English to get my points across and include a pinch of humor to lighten the mood. When I’m writing creative non-fiction or fiction, I either go from a symbolic perspective or use nothing but dialogue. I prefer using these because they’re unusual styles that represent my love for symbolism and visual metaphors.
        Regardless of what genre I’m writing, though, my sentence structure remains true. I like to make every sentence relevant and flowing. Blending them together and making each one pertain to the one before and after it is always my goal. It’s a difficult task, but in the end it rewards me with a paper that I can be proud of.
      I can’t say that there is only one way I write, because as I gain experience and learn more about myself, my writing changes. As years go by and I mature, so does my work. I’ll continue to find better ways to write and improve my style, but I’ll never be done. There is no such thing as perfect writing. Writing is an art, and I’ve never seen a finished portrait.