A Question Asked

Today I am going to share a question that Kristen has asked and answer it as well.

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Raisa B. H.
                 I seriously want to write perfect prose but I just dont know where to start from. Some say grammar is more important for lush prose. Others say a huge vocabulary is more important.But I think my main problem is that I cant express myself, how I feel or what I see or smell or hear. Can U tell please tell me how I can overcome this problem and be able to express myself properly?

Kristen
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Hello Kristen,

You should be praised for trying to perfect your prose.  Yes, grammar and a good vocabulary are very important, but many people who have excellent grammar and an extensive vocabulary, are not good writers.

One suggestion is to obtain books by fine writers, read their prose and then try to imitate it.  For example, read a paragraph and get the idea into your head.  Then put the book away and see if you can rewrite the paragraph.  It does not have to be word-for-word, but the ideas should be very close.  In this way, you can use your vocabulary or extend it, and then when you compare your paragraph to the original one, you can see if you have used correct grammar.  Do this every day, and soon you will be writing better prose.  You could also buy a current magazine that has well written articles.  Again, read a paragraph and try to imitate the idea and style.  You will begin to imitate the usage and phrasing.  All of this takes time, but the amount of time you invest will pay off.  Soon you will be writing on your own without needing to imitate.

Another idea is to find a native English speaker and ask that person to read something you have read and make suggestions or corrections.  This person should be willing to work with you and not just say, "That sounds good to me."

Let me know if these suggestions help, and good luck.