Writing With Purpose

I advise my beginning writing students that, above all else, they must have a clear understanding of their purpose in completing a writing assignment (beyond the obvious purpose of completing a paper that's been assigned to them). I ask them to examine their deeper purpose. Writing has to be more than conveying ideas with words. In order for your writing to resonate with readers, there has to be a message. And the clearer you are about your message, the more effective your writing will be. For instance, are you writing an essay to inform readers about the death penalty or are you writing to argue against it? Knowing your purpose can help you select the language you need to communicate your message. If you're writing to argue, for example, you know you need to select language that is persuasive, hand-picking words that are heavily laden with meaning that evoke a strong, visceral response from readers. If you just write in a general informative style, your writing will lack that argumentative edge needed to get your message (your argument) across. So, look beyond your topic and information and zero in on your specific goal. Ask yourself how you want readers to feel or react after reading your piece and then make every word count toward achieving that purpose.