Reflection
Writing is a harrying, maddening process. Mathematics and the sciences pose a problem and a practiced method for solving the problem. Writing demands that one regurgitate opinion and ideas brand new to the modern world in such a manner that it blows everyone away without looking like it's trying to do that. And there is no tried and true gold standard for doing this. Drawing inspiration is an entirely personal but not effortless job. To quote Emma Thompson on her own experience writing (on the topic of inspiration) from Marc Forster’s film Stranger than Fiction: “Like anything worth writing, it came inexplicably and without method.”
Fortunately there are hard and fast rules for making writing look and feel appealing. Following style guidelines (MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian, AP, etc.), paying attention to tactful use and placement of pictures and font dressing all cater the cold science of words to the warm and passionate (if inattentive) human mind. Focus on aesthetics is a relatively new concept for me. I traditionally don’t think much of placing form over function, but that is a large part of writing in the real world. The individual must look at a book cover and ‘feel’ like it is good before they will start reading it many times. A good idea will go nowhere unless it ‘sounds’ like a good idea. Understanding the audience is of enormous importance when it comes to writing and persuading.
Placing emphasis solely on form while ignoring function is a recipe for disaster. Likewise, focusing entirely on having great ideas or good subject matter with poor delivery will impress no one. One’s writing must shout quality at the very first glance. Even the very paper that literature is printed on must look nice. Every minute detail must drip with quality, or else the writer and the writing loses ethos. My work is a reflection of my maddened assembly of words to represent myself as a quality thinker while incorporating both quality and appeal, and to understand the universe in which I live.
Writing is a harrying, maddening process. Mathematics and the sciences pose a problem and a practiced method for solving the problem. Writing demands that one regurgitate opinion and ideas brand new to the modern world in such a manner that it blows everyone away without looking like it's trying to do that. And there is no tried and true gold standard for doing this. Drawing inspiration is an entirely personal but not effortless job. To quote Emma Thompson on her own experience writing (on the topic of inspiration) from Marc Forster’s film Stranger than Fiction: “Like anything worth writing, it came inexplicably and without method.”
Fortunately there are hard and fast rules for making writing look and feel appealing. Following style guidelines (MLA, APA, Chicago, Turabian, AP, etc.), paying attention to tactful use and placement of pictures and font dressing all cater the cold science of words to the warm and passionate (if inattentive) human mind. Focus on aesthetics is a relatively new concept for me. I traditionally don’t think much of placing form over function, but that is a large part of writing in the real world. The individual must look at a book cover and ‘feel’ like it is good before they will start reading it many times. A good idea will go nowhere unless it ‘sounds’ like a good idea. Understanding the audience is of enormous importance when it comes to writing and persuading.
Placing emphasis solely on form while ignoring function is a recipe for disaster. Likewise, focusing entirely on having great ideas or good subject matter with poor delivery will impress no one. One’s writing must shout quality at the very first glance. Even the very paper that literature is printed on must look nice. Every minute detail must drip with quality, or else the writer and the writing loses ethos. My work is a reflection of my maddened assembly of words to represent myself as a quality thinker while incorporating both quality and appeal, and to understand the universe in which I live.