What Makes a Piece of Writing Last Throughout History?

Make It Memorable

What makes a piece of writing last throughout history? What is that certain spark that makes the works of authors such as Hawthorne, Poe or Ben Franklin stand out? These writers mastered certain techniques that made their pieces genuinely good. Nathaniel Hawthorne effectively used semantics that made even a prison door seem important to the story of The Scarlet Letter. It is easy to picture the ebony bird in a dreary midnight that Poe writes of; his master of imagery makes his poems vivid. Though Ben Franklin isn't chiefly known as a writer, his use of varied vocabulary makes his writing sophisticated and straightforward. Just as these classic writers effectively used these varied techniques, I also need to improve my use of semantics, incorporation of imagery and use of more improved vocabulary.

A truly talented writer can compose an effective piece while still using their own voice, rather than confine his or herself to a certain format. Their writing can be informative and contain a message, but still be emotional and memorable. All that are needed are the correct word choices to get the message across. Choosing more powerful words over others is known as the use of semantics. Hawthorne perfectly displays the use of this technique. By studying his of words and metaphors, and creating some of my own, my otherwise dull writing can improve. Just as Hawthorne's prison door with spikes and his single gem of a rose make his first chapter memorable, my writing should evoke the same memorable emotion.

A memorable piece of writing often is filled with imagery that sparks the imagination. A writer should be able to describe with appropriate detail so that a reader can perfectly picture the scene being painted with words. Edgar Allen Poe is known for his dark, eerie poems. His word choices make his dreary nights and ebony birds come alive. As I improve my use of semantics to make my pieces more powerful, new adjectives will make my pieces vivid as well.

Emotional, descriptive writing should also be sophisticated to make the most impact. Though Ben Franklin was known for having many accomplishments, including inventor and Enlightenment thinker, he was also a talented writer. His vocabulary reflected the style of language of his time, and conveyed thoughts thoroughly. My writing, on the contrary, lacks the air of sophistication