The Art Of Writing Without Words

Great copy, like a great cup of coffee, should be robust; not too strong, not too weak, never bitter, but always served up “hot” in topic – with just the right amount of ‘cream and sugar’ (as needed) – so readers can drink it all in!
I love words. Words applied to paper (or computer screens) by a writer with pen or keystrokes, are like colors applied to a canvas by an artist with a brush. Writing is an art. When you can actually see what an author is saying, it can be better than watching a movie – because it takes place within your mind and there is nothing between you and the scene being played out within each paragraph.
As a writer, you become, in a sense, the director of the piece you are constructing. You have the idea; The Title. You create the setting; The Subject. You choose the players; The Words. You then direct the words through a variety of scenes; The Sentences and Paragraphs, taking the audience; The Reader, to the final scene; The Conclusion or Summary. If you have done your job well, you will most likely be rewarded with a display of approval which could be likened to a ‘curtain call’; Another Assignment.
While I love words, I am often frustrated by punctuation. I don’t want to be bothered by the rules of punctuation, you see, I just want to help the reader clearly see what I am saying. I tend to over-use commas, for example, because I want the reader to pause where I think they should pause, so they can feel what I am saying and not just charge through the text, perhaps missing something I deem as key to the copy.
I’ve also been known to capitalize and bold my type to help the reader see the importance of a phrase. Much like when I am speaking and can emphasize my point by pausing before continuing on…allowing what I’ve just said to sink in, or speaking a certain phrase more loudly and pronounced to catch the attention of the audience.
I admit, frankly, that I see punctuation as inhibiting at times, because I don’t want to be concerned about where I’ve just placed a comma or whether I have misused a semi-colon. I understand that punctuation is not my enemy. But, remembering its rules is often “the thorn in my creative flesh”.
In my mind, it would be possible to write without much ado about punctuation – but the art of writing, without words, would be quite impossible. Choosing the words carefully – and using them well – is critical to crafting an engaging article or compelling copy. Yet, I owe it to the art of writing to be able to employ punctuation as a means of guiding the reader through the sentences smoothly, with as little confusion as possible, if they are to enjoy the piece with an ease of understanding.
Punctuation can actually be a writer’s best friend when it comes to clarity. If you desire to be understood when writing, understand that even the most careful choice of words can produce disastrous results if punctuation is incorrectly applied. Example: In Sam’s opinion, his neighbors are – to use his word – “idiots.” This could be taken very personally by the readers if left as: In Sam’s opinion, his neighbors are to use his word, idiots. Or, the phrase could carry a much different, and very specific, tone if written as: In Sam’s opinion, his neighbors are to use his word idiots. However, in each of these cases, it is clear that Sam needs to work on his relationship with his neighbors!