4 ms·

Read books, lots and lots of non-fiction books. Dial down your consumption of mass media (television and internet blogs) and social media especially. Expand you

by qubex 9y ago

Read books, lots and lots of non-fiction books. Dial down your consumption of mass media (television and internet blogs) and social media especially. Expand your understanding of written exposition, make yourself receptive to others’ arguments (which means: feel free to change opinion if somebody else’s logic convinced you, and don’t always consider convincing others to be the point of the exercise), expand your vocabulary, and perfect your syntax.

smt88 9y ago
Why only nonfiction? Some nonfiction is among the worst writing I've read, and some fiction is among the best. Metaphors and other literary devices work well in any writing, and some can be learned best from fiction. I also strongly disagree with expanding your vocabulary, unless you're a non-native speaker. "Big words" have been shown in studies to make your writing harder to understand and seem more pretentious. Good writers can express themselves in a way that an average person can follow. Same goes for perfect syntax: language is fluid and evolves, and breaking the stricter rules can be very effective.
- qubex 9y ago
  A broad vocabulary with plenty quasi-synonyms allows one to understand and express subtler concepts. Likewise mastering syntax, particularly less-conventional forms, can allow one to shuffle around words to place emphasis where one might not usually expect it to be, if the need arises.
a3n 9y ago
> don’t always consider convincing others to be the point of the exercise For myself, this almost always leads to a better discussion, or at least a better understanding on my part. It also takes the pressure off, because I often don't know what I'm talking about.
marktangotango 9y ago
Reading, having a large vocabulary, and knowing grammar is akin to knowing the syntax of a programming language, but not knowing how to actually build applications. They certainly help but are not sufficient. Personally I’ve spent > 10 years arguing with strangers on the internet. It can be a fun way to pass the time, I think many here would agree. I believe I’m a lot more effective now than I was years ago. I think you have to be aware of concepts and definitions, not only how you think of them but how the other person thinks of them, so you can argue in their terms, yes this implies active listening or reading, as you indicated. Also being able to explain things in multiple ways. Finally, I think the onus is on me to make myself understood, not on the reader to understand me. This can be a subtle distinction many fail to realize. If you ever find yourself saying “you didn’t understand me” then chances are you have some work to do.

by qubex 9y ago

smt88 9y ago

Why only nonfiction? Some nonfiction is among the worst writing I've read, and some fiction is among the best. Metaphors and other literary devices work well in any writing, and some can be learned best from fiction. I also strongly disagree with expanding your vocabulary, unless you're a non-native speaker. "Big words" have been shown in studies to make your writing harder to understand and seem more pretentious. Good writers can express themselves in a way that an average person can follow. Same goes for perfect syntax: language is fluid and evolves, and breaking the stricter rules can be very effective.

qubex 9y ago
A broad vocabulary with plenty quasi-synonyms allows one to understand and express subtler concepts. Likewise mastering syntax, particularly less-conventional forms, can allow one to shuffle around words to place emphasis where one might not usually expect it to be, if the need arises.

a3n 9y ago

> don’t always consider convincing others to be the point of the exercise For myself, this almost always leads to a better discussion, or at least a better understanding on my part. It also takes the pressure off, because I often don't know what I'm talking about.

marktangotango 9y ago

Reading, having a large vocabulary, and knowing grammar is akin to knowing the syntax of a programming language, but not knowing how to actually build applications. They certainly help but are not sufficient. Personally I’ve spent > 10 years arguing with strangers on the internet. It can be a fun way to pass the time, I think many here would agree. I believe I’m a lot more effective now than I was years ago. I think you have to be aware of concepts and definitions, not only how you think of them but how the other person thinks of them, so you can argue in their terms, yes this implies active listening or reading, as you indicated. Also being able to explain things in multiple ways. Finally, I think the onus is on me to make myself understood, not on the reader to understand me. This can be a subtle distinction many fail to realize. If you ever find yourself saying “you didn’t understand me” then chances are you have some work to do.