INTRODUCTION The Power of Writing Power WHAT IS "WRITING POWER"? Quite simply, writing power is having a writing system -- one that works. Most good writers use some version of this system, whether consciously or intuitively. Now you will be able to use it, too. If having a writing system is completely new to you, don't worry. We will talk you through it, step by step. Then we will show you how to apply it to different types of writing, from college-application essays to reports. You may find that you have already been using Writing Power, perhaps without even realizing it. If so, this book will help you learn to use it even better. You may be fine once you get started, but agonize over getting those first few sentences down on paper. Or perhaps you zip through your first draft but have trouble polishing your final copy. In either case, you can use Writing Power to focus on specific areas where you are having trouble. Finally, you may feel confident as a writer of one kind of material but are not sure how to apply your skills to complete a particular task at work or school. Writing Power will help you master the kind of writing you are unsure about, whether it is an essay for your SAT or a report to your boss about a new management plan. We will talk you through the do's and don'ts of the specific writing question. We will help you to understand what the purpose and style of your writing should be so that you can complete your tasks easily and effectively. We will also show you how to connect with your own power as a writer. But first, we are going to share with you a writing secret that even some professional writers don't know. WRITING: THE BEST KEPT SECRET Okay, are you ready for writing's bestkept secret? The one that will change your attitude about writing forever? Here it is: Everyone worries about writing! That's right. Everyone who writes -- even Nobel Prize-winning novelists -- feels a sense of dread when confronted by a blank page. Everyone feels exposed. Everyone worries that he or she won't have anything to say, won't say it right, won't say it as well as someone else, won't say it at all. So the fact that you worry about writing doesn't mean that you're not a writer. It means that you are a writer. Join the club! Now, here's the second best-kept secret about writing: Anyone can learn to do it well. It just takes practice. Learning to write well is like learning any skill. Take driving: Remember when you first got behind the wheel? There were so many things to keep track of! How could you keep your eyes on the road and check the rearview mirror and switch on the headlights and check the speedometer and watch for traffic coming from that intersection to your right? It seemed impossible to do all those things at once and still keep your mind on getting where you wanted to go. And if you knew that there was parallel parking at the end of your journey, forget it! The anticipation of that alone was enough to give you "driver's block." But then, eventually, you did learn to drive. Suddenly, instead of focusing on all the separate details, you were able make everything come together. You could relax, and maybe even enjoy the sights along the way. What made the difference? Partly, it was just practice. After you had changed lanes a hundred or so times, it started to seem easy, even automatic. Partly, too, the difference is in your own sense of mastery. You eventually came to believe you were a good driver. Now, when you want to exit the freeway, you automatically change lanes. If there is a lot of traffic or a blinding rainstorm, you might have to work harder than usual. But you don't question whether you should ever have gotten into the car in the first place. You understand that you're facing a tough situation, and you draw on both your skill and your self-confidence to get you through. You can do the same with writing. Even if sitting down to write feels like heading into a blizzard, you will often surprise yourself by enjoying the landscape once you have actually gotten your bearings and have started on your writing journey. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK This book is your travel guide to writing. It is here to help you learn the skill in general, about a particular aspect of writing, or about a particular type of writing. Use this book. as you need it. You do not have to start at the beginning and work page by page. We have given you a detailed table of contents so that you can pick and choose the topics you need when you need them. We do suggest that everyone at least glance through the first and second sections -- "Rules for Writing" and "Starting the Process" -- because the pearls of wisdom on those pages apply to virtually every type of writing. Every chapter ends with a section called "Plug In." This section gives you a chance to try out the aspect of writing you have been reading about. Don't think of these features as drills or quizzes designed to trap you or show you up. Rather, think of them as practice sessions. They simply let you see what you've learned and what you still need to work on. (Remember, too, that whatever you write for a "Plug In" is for your eyes only, so relax -- you're say with us!) In most cases, "Plug In" is a flawed model of the type of writing covered in the chapter. You will have a chance to correct the mistakes and then compare your work to our own corrected version. In other cases, "Plug In" more of a self-help exercise (not a quiz!). If you are not happy with your own progress on the "Plug Ins" you might go back and take another look at the chapter. The main purpose of Writing Power is to help you connect to your own power as a writer. Anyone who chooses to write is a writer. All you may need is to become familiar with the terrain, learn some "rules of the road" are become confident enough to get behind the wheel. Good luck -- we hope you enjoy the trip! Copyright 2001 by Kaplan, Inc.
