JDC Art of Writing: The strategy of using expressive rhetoric becomes the dance partner with the language in sentences for emotional effectiveness and hopefully a professional touch of elegance adjusted to any genre.
Why is the reader captivated by some writing and unmoved by others? It is the way a sentence is put together arousing the sensibilities, where one is stimulated by the writer's selection of phrases, capable of conjuring a picture in ones mind, so as to be in the midst of the action accepting it or rejecting it, or yearning for more.
Just sentences? No. One has to do something with them for a particular purpose and effect. Professor Brooks Landon, who served as chair of the Iowa English Department from 1999-2005, notes in his writing: Building Great Sentences, ". . . sentences work like verbs, doing things, taking action, rather than like nouns that only name." In other words, show through syntax (the way one styles a sentence); just don't tell or relate words. . .draw the reader in.
There are simple sentences of clarity with clean structure omitting the superfluous, and there are suspenseful elaborate masters in excess of 100 words minus the death-knoll of repetition.
Elegance in writing is a matter of personal taste, efficiency and training; conveying meaning clearly; teasing at every turn of the page; establishing a connection with the reader, who wishes to be satisfied.
With each selected word the writer uses it changes the content through his or her adapted style garnishing a sentence so it delivers the goods for an exciting elegant flow and a reaction from the reader.
Note: Which sentence would keep you reading?
1. O.K. - Maggie bolted through the screen door eager to get out; oblivious of the red fox planted on the front lawn.
2. Better - With three missing glass louvers, Maggie bolted against the black screen door as if she were shot out-of-a-cannon, something she hadn't done before, oblivious of the danger of sharp metal edges on the exterior, and the visitor planted on the front lawn, a handsome red fox, who know doubt would enjoy a five pound lunch.
Number One: This sentence is grammatically clean with clarity, avoids needless words, but isn't one of high impact - it doesn't go anywhere. It lacks the power to push a reader on to perhaps the next paragraph and a specific goal any writer may wish to impart, possibly leading to an unsatisfactory reading experience.
Here there is content that can be easily developed into a strong voice-style (the way a writer puts his thoughts and information down for a specific result).
Depending on a particular use and need, this sentence will work. Yet many writers have found the magic in writing and the fun is the attention-getter, a longer, tightly controlled piece of effective writing, especially desirable in business sales.
Number Two: Here there is content, information, style and there is a suspenseful and unexpected outcome.
The difference between one and two, is how the writer presents and unfolds ideas by pacing, adding not just the grammar, but the rhetoric of careful embellishment with several turns in phrasing. Dense emotional energy grows, flowing as if in motion to the most important end (the goal), bringing the writer and the reader to one mind.
Professor Landon challenges the writer to change the taught collegiate manner of writing, as reflected in William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White's writing guide, The Elements of Style, not to eliminate its wisdom, but to approach the use of "style" as a "garnish for the meat of prose."
Sentences shouldn't come across as just words, for words in themselves are dead! The madness of the contender who writes is to choose the strategy which channels from the mind to the fingers clicking across the keyboard to shape ideas; understood, both for its content of information and a sentence style in voice equally as important. . .intriguing, entertaining and persuading.
"Whether short or long . . .this is what I mean when I call myself a writer," writes novelist Don DeLillo, "I construct sentences."
So what might be the magic in the writing craft of success? Consider one of the biggies, more control over the value of extraordinary density in phraseology while always paying attention to the effect of delivery; tweaking until you believe each paragraph is simmering, even pulsating beckoning the reader to continue on.
According to one psychologist, people want to be sold. Use the creative writing process to give them the pleasure they seek or one that allows them to justify a reason for taking a specific risk or action.
Reading Material:
Strunk Jr., William, and E.B. White The Elements of Style. 4th ed., with a forward by Roger Angell, New York: Longman, 2000 - Still used in the collegiate field; still indispensable
Trimble, John R. Writing With Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1975 - A good read for one serious about their writing
Zinsser, William. On Writing Well: An Informal Guide to Writing New York: Harper & Row 1976 - Solid, good advice, no frills. Used in Creative Writing Accredited Courses
Style: An Anti-Textbook, New Haven: Yale University Press, 1974. This is author Richard A. Lanham's argument that the stress on clarity in American writing instruction has largely worked to banish pleasure from writing.
Don DeLillo: Noted American novelist whose 15 books include White Noise, and Underworld
References provided by Professor Brooks Landon, The University of Iowa: Building Great Sentences: Exploring the Writer's Craft 2008, and The Teaching Company - Chantilly, Va
________________________________________________________________________________________
CeCe Day Hill, copyright 2011, Jane Doe Chronicles, All Rights Reserved - Ofice: 349 West Circle Dr., New Lenox, IL 60451 - (815) 485-4871
To view other articles: http://www.janedoechronicles@typepad.com
Obama Medicaid Plan Leaves Throngs with No Doctor
JDC Government Machinations: Democrats indeed passed legislation without knowing what was in it, that now may be a haunting egregious cloud over the upcoming 2012 elections.
The caldron of discontent and anger is bubbling over at President Obama, and those who recklessly chose to pass his health care law, as then Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi claims: in order to find out what is in it.
Perhaps the president believed "you'll learn to like it," as referenced in Rep. Tim Huelskamp's September 23rd OP-ED article in the Washington Examiner.
The new Medicaid program debuted September 5th in the president's home state of Illinois with difficulties, as doctors, clinics, even one of Illinois's top 100 hospitals in the nation choose to not participate in the White House plan, leaving multitudes without a primary doctor.
A doctor's authorization is needed for almost everything medical, and the primary doctor is where it all starts.
States like Illinois have been lax in a cohesive launch of the Medicaid program to ensure access to care under health reforms as discussed by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured; under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), with state and federal officials in December of 2010.
Reality is happening and different from what those in Congress "thought," and that may be the problem they thought instead of actually reflecting with care and regard in the decision making process; opting to pass the official ideology and policy of the president whether popular or not, whether sufficient or not, whether right or wrong; or whether the taxpayer and the country could afford it.
After dozens of telephone calls, the reply to one voter is always the same. Sorry, we no longer will participate in Medicaid, or sorry, we have reached our limit for new Medicaid patients.
Then there are doctors not four or five star rated by patients, reflecting a serious lax in care practices - from service to staffing problems to billing inconsistencies. More than one agitated voter agrees in a physician of choice, and a doctor with a degree of conformance to standards, excellence of character, and access to a safe location in the use of medical services.
Did Congress have to pass Obamacare in order to know what's in it?
As Forrest played by actor Tom Hanks states in the movie "Forrest Gump,". . ."Stupid is what stupid does." -- Would you as a hard working American give a blank signed check to anyone individual or company without knowing what you are buying, can afford and what your guarantees are?
According to different national polls, with the Congressional rating in the single digits and the president's "leadership performance" level at 39%, will the pigeons come home to roost favorably with the Democratic party and the White House in the upcoming election of 2012? Will Americans fly in droves to the voting booth, outraged at how President Obama's medical program is affecting their lives, wallets and family security?
Will Obama be a one-time president, or will he redeem himself and some bad choices?
Information: Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured
Publication Number: 8187
Published Date: 2011-05-18
Initial Brief (pdf)
http://www.kff.org/healthreform/8187.cfm
________________________________________________________________________________________
CeCe Day Hill, copyright 2011 - Jane Doe Chronicles, All Right Reserved - Office: 349 West Circle Dr., New Lenox, IL 60451 - (815) 485-4871
To view other articles: http://www.janedoechronicles.typepad.com
Posted at 03:25 PM in JDC Commentary, JDC Government Machinations | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)
Technorati Tags: 2012 election, doctors, medicaid, Obamacare