Traits of successful writing and their importance for writers

Traits of Successful Writing

To succeed as a writer, one ought to make use of a number of traits which are in some quarters referred to as the traits of successful writing. In this text, I list and define several traits of successful writing. Further, I also explain the relevance of these traits as far as my success as a writer is concerned. The four traits I list and describe in this case are part and parcel of the six traits of successful writing highlighted in the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory rubric for writing. All the six traits in this particular case include "development of ideas, organization, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions, and presentation" (Wiggins and McTighe 174). The four traits of successful writing I choose to concern myself with in this case are: development of ideas, word choice, sentence fluency, and conventions.

To begin with, development of ideas has got to do with the presentation of a piece of writing in a clear and focused format (Wiggins and McTighe 174). This trait of writing is particularly important to me as I regard the ideas I present in an essay the most important component of the said essay. In my opinion, it is the ideas that I present in a piece of writing that give that piece of writing meaning in the eyes of the reader. For this reason, I always ensure that the ideas I present are not only well-developed but also well-supported. For instance, in an attempt to ensure that the ideas I present in all my essays are clear and meaningful, I cite from a number of authoritative sources. A good example of this can be found in one of my essays titled, Augment Essay: Obesity, where in seeking to offer well-developed and well-supported ideas in support of my topic of choice, I observe that "Warner notes that fat and sugar have become 'central aspects of the American lifestyle' (402)" (Smith 3).

Next, when it comes to word choice, the words utilized in a piece of writing should "convey the intended message in a precise, interesting, and natural way" (Wiggins and McTighe 174). The words according to the authors should be engaging and powerful. Writers should also ensure that the words they make use of are appropriate to both the audience and the purpose (Foster and Marasco 6). Word choice to me is quite important largely because the words I make use of help in the expression of my ideas. To make my writing effective, I always ensure that the words I apply are appropriate and meaningful. As can be seen from my essays, I routinely make use of a variety of vocabularies. Further, I always ensure that my words make an impact. A good example of an instance where I have sought to enhance the presentation of my ideas using words that are more vivid and meaningful is where I point out that "the flaw in Johnson's argument does not lie in the logic of the argument itself, but to the conclusion to which the reader is inevitably led." The essay in question is titled, Synthesis Essay: Watching TV Makes You Smarter -- Really?

Regarding sentence fluency, there is a need to ensure that in addition to having an easy flow, writing has cadence and rhythm (Wiggins and McTighe 174). Thus sentence fluency has got to do with sentence construction. This trait is important to my success as a writer as it is through proper sentence construction that a piece of writing is brought to life. As can be gleaned from my essays, I have attempted to ensure that I maintain smooth flow from sentence to sentence by not only varying the length of my sentences, but by also varying sentence structure. In my essay, Synthesis Essay: Watching TV Makes You Smarter -- Really? The sentence "the defense of his nation comes first" is preceded by the sentence, "the lead character, Jack Bauer, is unable to sustain meaningful relationships with his wife, his girlfriends, or even his own child" (Smith, 2). In addition to having a different structure, the second sentence is significantly longer than the first.