Poetic Devices in Poetry

Poetry has emotion, imagery, significance, beauty, dignity, rhythm, sometimes rhyme, a different arrangement which can include inversion, and concreteness in its images.

One way to attain the qualities so essential to making words poetic is through the use of poetry devices. We won't begin to cover all the known poetic devices or terms. Rather we'll discuss and use some of the more commonly known and used ones.

Below are the more commonly used poetic devices and terms. Hopefully, with the examples given, everyone can better understand some of the ways to make poetry, well, more poetic. The examples used are my own poetry and are copyrighted in my name.

Poetic Devices in Poetry

Poetry devices (a major sampling):

alliteration: the repetition of a beginning sound.

Rain reigns roughly through the day.

Raging anger from the sky

Partners prattle of tormented tears

From clouds wondering why

Lightning tears their souls apart.

In the first two lines, the r sound is repeated. In the third line p starts two adjoining words.

allusion: a casual reference to someone or something in history or literature that creates a mental picture.

A Common Woman

No Helen of Troy she,

Taking the world by war,

But a woman in plain paper wrapped

With a heart of love untapped,

She waits, yearning for her destiny

Whether it be a he on a charger white

Or one riding behind a garbage truck.

Perhaps instead a room of students

Lurks in the shadows of her life

Needing her interest to be shown.

Yet other concerns may call

No, no Helen of Troy she,

But a woman set the world to tame

Wherever she may be.

Helen of Troy brings to mind a woman so beautiful that two countries went to war over her.

analogy: the comparison of two things by explaining one to show how it is similar to the other.

Day's Journey

The day dawns as a journey.

First one leaves the station on a train,

Rushing past other places

Without a pause or stop,

Watching faces blur through the window,

No time to say goodbye.

On and on the train does speed

Until the line's end one sees,

Another sunset down

Without any lasting memories.

The whole poem creates analogy, the comparison of a day and a train journey.

caesura: the pausing or stopping within a line of poetry caused by needed punctuation.

Living, breathing apathy

Saps energy, will, interest,

Leaving no desire to win.

All that's left are ashes,

Cinders of what might have been.

The punctuation within the lines (in this case, all commas) are the caesura, not the punctuation at the ends of the lines.

enjambement: the continuation of thought from one line of poetry to the next without punctuation needed at the end of the previous line(s).

Looking through the eyes

Of wonder, of delight,

Children view their world

With trust, with hope

That only life will change.

Enjambement is found at the end of lines 1, 3, and 4 because punctuation was not needed in those places.

hyperbole: extreme exaggeration for effect.

Giants standing tall as mountains

Towering over midgets

Bring eyes above the common ground

To heights no longer small.

Arms of tree trunks wrap

In comfort gentle, softness

Unthought of due to size,

Yet welcomed in their strength.

Giants aren't really tall as mountains, nor are arms tree trunks, but the use of the exaggeration helps create the image wanted.

metaphor: the comparison of two unlike things by saying one is the other.

Sunshine, hope aglow,

Streams from heaven's store

Bringing smiles of warming grace

Which lighten heavy loads.

Clouds are ships in full sail

Racing across the sky-blue sea.

Wind fills the cotton canvas

Pushing them further away from me.

In the first stanza, sunshine is compared to hope while in the second, clouds are compared to ships.

metonymy: the substitution of a word for one with which it is closely associated.

Scandals peep from every window,

Hide behind each hedge,

Waiting to pounce on the unwary,

As the White House cringes in dismay.

White House is used in place of the President or the government, and readers understand what is meant without exactly who is being directly addressed.

onomatopoeia: the sound a thing makes

Roaring with the pain

Caused by flashing lightning strikes,

Thunders yells, "Booooom! Craaaashhhh! Yeow!"

Then mumbles, rumbling on its way.

Grrrr, the lion's cry echoes

Through the jungle's den

Causing creatures small

To scurry to their holes.

Roaring, rumbling, cry are not examples of onomatopoeia, but are verb forms. Boooom, craaaashhh, yeow, and grrrrr are examples of onomatapoeia.

oxymoron: the use of contradictory terms (together) for effect.

Freezing heat of hate

Surrounds the heart

Stalling, killing kindness,

Bringing destruction to the start.

Freezing and heat are contradictory, opposites, yet the two together create a mental image.

personification: the giving of human traits to non-human things incapable of having those traits.

Anger frowns and snarls,

Sending bolts of fire from darkest night

That bring no brilliance,

Rather only added blackness of sight.

Frowning and snarling are human traits that anger cannot experience; however using them as traits for anger creates the imagery needed.

simile: the comparison of two unlike things by saying one is like or as the other.

Sunshine, like hope aglow,

Streams from heaven's sky

Bringing smiles of warming grace

On breeze whispers like a sigh.

Clouds are like ships in full sail

Racing across the sky-blue sea.

Wind fills the cotton canvas

Pushing them further away from me.

These two stanzas of poetry and those for metaphor are nearly identical. Both metaphor and simile are comparisons of unlike things, but metaphor states one thing is the other while simile says one is like the other, or as the other.

symbol: something which represents something else besides itself.

The dove, with olive branch in beak,

Glides over all the land

Searching for a place to light.

Storms of war linger on every hand,

Everywhere the hawk does fight.

The dove is a symbol of peace, and the hawk is a symbol of war. Using them in poetry gives an image without having to explain in detail.

Other terms:

elegy: a poem of lament (extreme sorrow, such as caused by death)

free verse: a poem without either a rhyme or a rhythm scheme, although rhyme may be used, just without a pattern.

blank verse: un-rhymed lines of iambic pentameter (ten syllables with all even numbered syllables accented)

imagery: the use of words to create a mental picture

mood: the emotional effect of a poem or a story

Understanding and using these devices and terms can help improve and strengthen poetry. Imagery is essential for vivid poetry, and devices help develop imagery.

Poetic Devices in Poetry
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Vivian Gilbert Zabel taught English, composition, and creative writing for twenty-five years, honing her skills as she studied and taught. She is a author on Writing.Com (http://www.Writing.com/), and her portfolio can be found at http://www.Writing.Com/authors/vzabel. Her books, Hidden Lies and Other Stories and Walking the Earth: Life's Perspectives in Poetry, can be found through Barnes and Noble or Amazon.com.

How To Write A Thank You Letter After An Interview - A Simple Formula for Uniqueness

Sending a thank you letter is as important as interview preparation. But they're tough to write, so people either tell themselves that not sending one doesn't matter, or they procrastinate until it's too late and almost pointless anyway. But anyone who tells themselves that foregoing a fundamental rule of etiquette doesn't matter, not only taints themselves in the mind of the interviewer, but misses two additional opportunities to sell.

A thank you letter is an additional sales piece. As I've said before, you're selling a product and the product is you. So beyond the reason of etiquette, the letter sells you as a polite person who recognizes that the interviewer gave them something valuable: time and consideration.

A fundamental rule of sales is to keep the product in front of the buyer and reinforce its benefits. So beyond the etiquette, the letter gives you ample space to comment on what you liked about the company, why your skills are of benefit to them, and how much you're interested. If something wasn't tied up, or was left unsatisfactorily, you should use the space to further address the issue.

How To Write A Thank You Letter After An Interview - A Simple Formula for Uniqueness

When you miss the opportunity to reinforce your skills and tie them to the job requirements, you miss a chance to sell. When you fail to address a concern or answer a question and leave it to fester in the mind of the interviewer, you've failed to overcome an objection. And if a buyer has an objection to the product, if it isn't addressed, the likelihood of the sale is slim.

The third opportunity missed by skipping the thank you letter is the chance to keep your name in front of the buyer. Read newspapers? Watch TV? See the same ads over and over and over again? It's somewhat the same principle - if you keep your name in front of the hiring authority, they're more likely to remember you.

Thank you letters are one of the reasons it's important to take notes during an interview. Not only does it show good attention to detail, it saves you from having to scrunch your face up trying to remember some of the information you learned about the company and position during the interview. Because if you met with three separate people during one visit to the company, that's three thank you letters....three different thank you letters.

So let's look at how to create one of these so that it becomes a less odious task.
First paragraph Open with the obligatory thank you and include how you enjoyed the meeting. Say why. Maybe the people you met were exceptional. Perhaps their company philosophy was exactly what you had hoped for. Or they need to overhaul a department and you can't wait to sink your teeth into it because that's what you've got a stellar track record of doing. It doesn't matter. Pick something out, and put it down. But make it real. Second paragraph What took place during your interview? Pull out a piece of information that pleased you, say what it was, and tell them why. For instance: I was particularly pleased to find that X company/the opportunity/your management style has/was/is/does whatever. This is exciting because...... . You can expand on whatever it is for a few sentences by elaborating: how it relates to something you've experienced and liked -- or didn't like. Discuss a particular aspect of the job you find appealing and reiterate why you'd be successful at it or how long you've been performing it or how similar it is to something you've done in the past. Third paragraph You can add a similar paragraph if the second was fairly short. Or you can wind it up if it was a bit lengthy. If there was something that came up that needed clarification or about which they were dubious, address it and clear it up here. Fourth paragraph Wind it up. Re-iterate your interest. Be enthusiastic! Leave the job speak behind. If you really want to be hired, let your interest shine through. There's nothing wrong with coming right out and saying, "I'd love to work with X company!"
Caution: Don't start every sentence with "I". It may be the easiest way to write the letter but it's not only repetitive, it's a turn off and egotistical. This process is about you getting a job, but it's about what they get out of it if they hire you.

If you really want the job, the letter will be easy to write because it will contain genuine impressions and sentiments. If you choose to skip the letter, perhaps you don't care if you're hired or not. But make that decision yours and withdraw from the process instead of letting the decision be made for you.

How To Write A Thank You Letter After An Interview - A Simple Formula for Uniqueness
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Prior to starting her firm, VisionQuest, Judi Perkins was a search consultant for 25 years in both the contingency and retained market, including a short stint in the temporary and local permanent placement markets. She has owned her own firm and successfully assisted numerous repeat clients in hiring all levels of management. To sign up for her newsletter and learn thousands of powerful concepts to find your perfect job go to http://www.findtheperfectjob.com.

Article Writing - Aim to Change Lives, Don't Showcase Your Knowledge, When Writing Articles

What's your motivation for writing articles? Do you want to change lives or showcase your knowledge? Good article writers are experts at sharing their knowledge. Great article writers share their knowledge and also tell their readers how to apply it to their lives.

Florence Littauer of CLASServices says, "Aim to change lives, not cover material." What an awesome, but not impossible, responsibility. According to Florence, article writers have a dual purpose when writing - simplifying information so that it is easily understood and summarizing concepts or idea so that readers or able to apply them to their lives.

Michael Stewart, the Internet Video Guy, gives five reasons readers search the internet for articles: to make money, to save money, to meet their needs, to avoid pain, or to seek pleasure. When sharing your expertise in articles, are you addressing one or more of these issues in a way your readers can easily understand? If so, you are laying the foundation to help change lives and not just cover material in your articles.

Article Writing - Aim to Change Lives, Don't Showcase Your Knowledge, When Writing Articles

Tips for Changing Lives

Know your niche. What are their needs, desires, problems, and pains? What burning questions do they have that your expertise can answer? Ask your readers questions. Let them tell you what their needs are. If you want to write an article quickly, select people around you who are ideal representatives of your niche. Listen to their answers, compare it with what you know and write your article. Target a problem and present a solution. If someone is drowning, wouldn't you throw them a lifeline? Without a doubt you would. Take the problems of your niche just as seriously. They are looking for assistance. Give it to them. At that moment in time, you may have the solution they need. If they need more help than you have to offer, don't worry. They will know when they have found the right solution for them. Make your bottom line obvious. Although an article is well-written and easily understandable, a reader may not be quite sure what they are to do with the information they have received. Tell them the bottom line in one sentence so they know exactly how to meet their needs after reading your article. They are happy and you are happy.

Write articles based on your passion. Isn't it great to know that the things you are passionate about can change the lives of your readers?

Try experimenting with different writing templates to appeal to as many readers as possible.

Article Writing - Aim to Change Lives, Don't Showcase Your Knowledge, When Writing Articles
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Article Writing 101: The Perfect Author Resource Box

If you want to really make your article "SELL" then you've got to craft the perfect RESOURCE BOX. This is the "author bio" that is below your article body and it's also known as your "SIG" (short for SIGnature).

Here are the essential items that should be in your RESOURCE BOX:

Your Name: You'd be amazed at how many folks forget to include their name in the RESOURCE BOX. Your name and optional title should be the first thing in your resource box. Your Website Address: in valid URL form. Example: http://Your-Company-Name.com/ Your Elevator Pitch: This is 1 to 3 sentences that encapsulates the essence of what makes you and your offering unique. Also known as your USP (Unique Selling Proposition). Your Call To Action: You've got them warmed up and now it's time to lead them to BUY from you or visit your website. This is where you "Ask For The Sale." Best to only give (1) specific call to action.
Here are some optional items you could include in your RESOURCE BOX:

Article Writing 101: The Perfect Author Resource Box

Your Ezine Subscription Address: While getting your interested visitor to surf your website is nice, capturing their email address can help you begin the confidence/trust process. If you're going to do this strategy, include a URL for your ezine subscription address and do not use an email address for the "join" address. Your Contact Information: Such as your business phone number or how to reach you for interviews or your press/media kit. Keep in mind that article marketing is a timeless strategy and you may not have an easy ability to retract what you put in your article once it hits major distribution. A Free Report: This could also be part of your call to action or your free bonus report that further enhances your credibility as the expert on the topic of your article. Your email autoresponder: I'm not a big fan of this strategy due to the fact that spammers will text-extract your autoresponder address and add it to their spam list. Perhaps this strategy was best for the 1990's and has now run its course. An anchor URL that is related to one keyword or keyword phrase that you want to build SEO strength for. Example: if I wanted to build search engine relevance/strength for the term "Article Writing," I'd link up that term in my resource box to my website. This is an intermediate to advanced level strategy and should not be abused by over-doing it. Keep it simple.
What NOT to include in your RESOURCE BOX:

A listing of every website you own. There is no faster way to dilute your credibility than by posting a half dozen irrelevant URLs that have nothing to do with each other. Best to only post ONE URL that is related to the topic of your article. A listing of every accomplishment you've achieved to date. No one cares. Keep your resource box brief and to the point. Yes, your resource box should be benefit oriented so that the reader finds value in reading it rather than your ego being justified. Advertisements or pitches for products that are not relevant to the topic of your article. Keep the size of your resource box so that it's no larger than 15% of your total article size. Too often I see resource boxes that are 50% of the size of the total article and this is abusive.
Your Perfect Resource Box Conclusion:

The BODY of your article is where you "GIVE" and the RESOURCE BOX is where you get to "TAKE" for your article gift of information. The resource box is the "currency of payment" you receive for giving away your article. Be sure to include your name, website address, your unique selling proposition as briefly as possible and a simple call to action.

Article Writing 101: The Perfect Author Resource Box
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Christopher M. Knight invites you to submit your best quality original articles for massive exposure to the high-traffic http://EzineArticles.com/ expert author community. When you submit your articles to EzineArticles.com, your articles will be picked up by ezine publishers who will reprint your articles with your content and links intact giving you traffic surges to help you increase your sales. To submit your article, setup a membership account today: http://EzineArticles.com/submit/

(c) Copyright - Christopher M. Knight. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Article Writing And Bullet Points

Many people have problems writing articles because they have trouble getting their thoughts organized. Ultimately, they end up going from one random idea to another with no real direction, thus resulting in the article coming off as a jumble of ideas and not at all coherent. In this article, we're going to discuss the easiest way to get through the writing of an article on any topic; the use of bullet points. We'll explain what a bullet point is, how to use it and finish with examples. Hopefully, after reading this article, you'll know how to use bullet points to effectively write all of your articles.

A bullet point is a specific idea to be discussed. For example, in writing an article about identifying home business scams, the bullet points may be as follows:

1. What a scam is.

Article Writing And Bullet Points

2. How to identify a scam.

3. What to do if you suspect you've been scammed.

These are three bullet points that you could use to write your article on identifying home business scams. Each bullet point would be a specific paragraph or section of your article. A well written article only needs to have about three or four paragraphs in addition to your introduction. So three or four bullet points should be more than sufficient to get your point across.

So, how do you go about using bullet points? Well, bullet points should be used in your introduction, just as I did in this article. If you go back to my introductory paragraph, you should be able to easily spot the bullet points. If not, here they are below.

1. What a bullet point is.

2. How to use it.

3. Finish with examples.

By doing this,. I have a clear path for my article to follow so that it flows smoothly.

Finally, we reach the third bullet point in this article, the examples. Okay, here is an example of an introductory paragraph on buying designer shoes. Mind you, I really don't know anything about designer shoes. I'm using this point to illustrate that even for a topic you know nothing about, you can still organize your thoughts in a way that makes researching the topic very easy.

Here is our paragraph.

Many people are into designer shoes because they want to have the latest in fashion. However, for those of you who aren't quite sure how to go about getting designer shoes, this article should give you a head start. We'll discuss what designer shoes are, where to find them, how to know if you're paying too much and finally what some of the top designer shoes are.

Okay, what are our bullet points?

1. What designer shoes are.

2. Where to find them.

3. How to know if you're paying too much.

4. What the top designer shoes are.

There you have it. Those are enough bullet points to fill up four paragraphs of an article.

By using bullet points in your articles, it makes the art of article writing a whole lot easier.

To YOUR Success,

Steven Wagenheim

Article Writing And Bullet Points
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Article Writing - How to Summarize an Article

So you have a lengthy article and you want to learn how to summarize your article in an effective manner. You can write a summary in just five minutes. Here is how to do it.

Step 1: Start writing your summary immediately.

Don't sit there and think about what to include in your article summary. Start from the beginning of your article and start writing immediately. Your article has numerous paragraphs. Start from the first paragraph.

Article Writing - How to Summarize an Article

Step 2: Pick the most important sentence in each paragraph.

Always start by picking just one sentence from each paragraph. Notice that in every paragraph, there is a key message. If this key sentence doesn't exist, create one for your summary. You should use no more than 2 sentences to summarize each paragraph.

Step 3: Link all the key sentences together.

A summary is like a mini-article for your main article. When you pick sentences from the paragraphs, they may appear to be disconnected. Now is the time to do some "stitching" work. When you are finished, reread the summary again to make sure that the words are flowing nicely.

When writing summaries, do not add anything that you have not written about in the article body. The summary is supposed to be a short paragraph that sums up all the key points. If you add extra materials, they won't seem to fit. Your readers may also be confused because something new just popped up from nowhere.

With practice, you should be able to write summaries in record time. Try to beat my personal best of 2 minutes! - (Well, it's a really short summary.)

Article Writing - How to Summarize an Article
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Science Fair Abstracts - How to Write an Abstract

A science fair abstract is an abbreviated report or a summary in brief of the entire project. It is one of the last job of the science project but is of immense importance. It states the essential and most important things about the project. The science fair abstract in a clear and easy language gives the important outlines of the entire project. The abstract is generally around 250 words in length. It should appear at the beginning while preparing the project report and it should also be placed at the display board of the fair. The science fair abstract, when placed at the display board, gives the spectators the condensed version comprising the main elements of the project.

Science fair abstract helps people determine if they want to read the full report. Much more people will read the abstract as any other part of the work. It's like an advertisement speaking for the work done. If one wants the jury and audience to be excited about one's science fair project, then writing an exciting, engaging abstract is always suggested.

Since a science fair abstract is so short, each section is usually only one or two sentences long. Consequently, every word is important to conveying message. If a word is boring or vague, it will provide distraction. If a word is not adding something important it should be omitted But, even with the abstract's brief length, don't be afraid to reinforce a key point by stating it in more than one way or referring to it in more than one section.

Science Fair Abstracts - How to Write an Abstract

The science fair abstract should always include the following parts -

* Introduction--This is your project's purpose statement i.e. why was the project undertaken

* Problem Statement--It lays down the hypothesis of the project

* Procedure--give the description of your variables, your approach towards the investigation

* Results--give specific data and the synopsis of the results obtained

* Conclusion--state clearly the conclusion derived

While writing the abstract for the science project one should follow certain specific guidelines and avoid the following -

* Uncommon scientific terms which most people aren't aware of

* Abbreviations and short forms

* Charts and tables

* Acknowledgements

Given below is an outline to write a science project abstract:

* Title

* Introduction (genera idea about the project)

* Problem statement and the hypothesis (what is that is to be established) Methodology (process employed, materials used etc.)

* Analysis of data (what indication does the data gives)

* Conclusion (what results were found)

* Application (how is the finding of help)

Science Fair Abstracts - How to Write an Abstract
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Jordan Matthews is a High School Math and Science teacher who has worked as a judge and a coordinator of many science fairs. Check his Science Fair Project ideas website for some more ideas and information about different types of papers and how to write up a scientific report.

8 Steps to Writing a University Level Essay

Writing a university level essay can be a challenging process, but it doesn't have to be. With this paper I hope to bring insight and potentially enjoyment to this once feared task. Always remember, writing is supposed to be fun and easy. However, there needs to be some method to the madness and that is what you get from this article.

I have outlined 8 steps to follow from beginning to A+.

I. Research thoroughly - begin the process of writing by reading. This part is made much easier if you have the luxury of choosing a topic that you find interesting. However, even if you are given a topic that you at first find boring by researching it you may have a change of heart. As much as one should approach a topic with an open mind it is also OK to have a well thought out and researched reason why you dislike that which you are studying. Also, don't be afraid to explore a new angle on a subject that seems beat to death.

8 Steps to Writing a University Level Essay

II. Analyze compiled research - once you have a solid knowledge base of information at your disposal it is important to find the arguments within a paper. It is also important to distinguish between the facts presented and the conclusions that the author makes about those facts. Try to expose the weaknesses in logic used to form opinions, but also note strengths you find. Always remember that you will seldom find a good writer who is not also a vivacious reader.

III. Discuss and Brainstorm - your essay will require unique insight by you or your group. Try to answer questions that were surfaced during the analysis stage. During this stage it is important to give yourself time and space to let your ideas breathe. If this requires calling a friend not involved with the topic and explaining some of the ideas then do it. If it requires taking a walk because staring at another book will do nothing but stunt creative thought then so be it. The bottom line is, do whatever it is that you do to gain perspective and clarity.

IV. Thesis statement - during this part of the process the objective is to narrow down your ideas into a clear assertion that you can build the rest of your essay around. Remember the thesis of your paper is the "main idea" summed up in a sentence or two that gives the reader direction about where the paper is going. Often time's readers are hooked or bored after the first paragraph so think of your thesis as your first opportunity to grab the reader while they have no preconceived ideas about the piece.

V. Outline a respected paper - more as a method of practice it is important to understand the flow of thought and discourse throughout a paper. It can help to find a paper of interest and note how the initial argument is presented along with the proceeding facts or ideas that backup the author's point of view.

VI. Introduction paragraph - we are now at the point of writing your essay. Keep your thesis statement out on a separate piece of paper along with your outline so that you can refer back to this original statement or argument when need be. Keep in mind that your first paragraph in combination with the thesis and title are the most important elements of your paper.

VII. Supporting Paragraphs - when writing your supporting paragraphs focus on each individual paragraph working both independently and in conjunction with one another to support the overall theme of the paper. These paragraphs should introduce evidence to your claims and give you the appropriate amount of time to expound on your ideas. If you are struggling to write your supporting paragraphs perhaps you should go back to step 3, the discussion stage and try talking out your paragraphs.

VIII. Conclusion and Exit - try to gracefully exit your essay in a brief and precise manner. It is however good to leave the reader with a memorable thought, perhaps a good quotation, or an interesting twist in logic that will allow for good dialog about your paper. Or even better, a sequel!

8 Steps to Writing a University Level Essay
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Writing Exercise - Practicing Perspective

When writing, it is important to know the perspective you are trying to portray. Perspective is how the narrator of the scene views what is happening and therefore shapes how they portray what they have seen to the reader. Also known as point of view, perspective can be shaped by distance and relation to the actual event and/or the character or narrators own feelings towards the scene at hand or their state of mind leading up to the event. Ultimately, perspective can either help and/or hinder the telling of the story. For example, if the narrator's personal feelings overshadow the scene, it can take away from portraying what is really going on. At the same time, if the narrator is able to nicely combine the portrayal of the scene with their own feelings about the issue, it can enhance and strengthen the scene, giving more than just the facts.

A couple types of perspective include objective, subjective, and a specific point of view. An objective perspective is when the narrator portrays the scene without any personal bias. Subjective is when the narrator has personal feelings about the scene, and it shapes the way he/she portrays it. A specific point of view can take the narrator completely out of the picture, and instead tells the story/scene through the eyes of a third party.

A good writing exercise is to practice writing a given topic/scene from multiple perspectives. The following is an example of this writing exercise using objective, subjective, and specific point of view perspectives. The place being described is a college classroom, and the scene is just before class is about to start.

Writing Exercise - Practicing Perspective

The first example is of this classroom being told from an objective perspective:

The room is lit from the combination of eight overhead classroom-style lights and the white painted walls. The room, probably near 300 square feet, is entirely used up to enhance learning. Tables are set in a U-shape with orange chairs facing the green "blackboard". 15 students sit facing the professor.

As you can see, when a scene is told objectively, the items in the room tend to be drawn out and told almost scientifically. Since the narrator has no bias, the narrator can only tell what he/she sees. Sometimes, an objective scene can serve to give the reader insight into what the scene looks like so that they can visualize it as the scene progresses.

The next example of this same classroom is told from a subjective perspective, portraying the narrator's anticipation:

As the lights turn on, the room is aglow with the bright combination of white walls and tabletops and a green chalkboard. The orange padded chairs are not being used to the full potential, as the students sit on the edge of their chairs. Constant movement stirs through the room, from shifting of body parts to the rattling of finders on the tables. The U-shaped tables create an atmosphere of one on one contact, with each student facing the professor.

Subjectively, the scene is less formal, as certain things are highlighted with the use of adjectives. However, these adjectives serve to further the narrator's feelings about the scene (in this case anticipation), and only certain things are highlighted (those that further the narrators anticipation). For example, if the narrator was bored instead of anticipating, he/she might highlight those in the room with their arms crossed or looking at their cell phones, instead of focusing on the shifting body parts. A subjective narrator works especially well when the narrator is a character in the scene and not omniscient.

The final example of this classroom is seen from the point of view of an old man whose wife is in the hospital:

As the old man entered the room, he had a strange sense of homesickness. The flickering lights and mono-colored white walls reminded him so much of the hospital room he spent so much time in, that he will enter no longer. The hard, ugly colored orange chairs felt familiar and he did not seem bothered by them. The U-shaped table left him shaking, waiting for the next bit of news he knows cannot be good.

A specific point of view takes you away from the narrator, and things in the scene are highlighted based upon the character's emotions. In this case, the old man is sad and nervous, and thus the walls are described as "mono-colored" and the U-shaped table "left his shaking" because it brings back other emotions or memories when he sees the table.

The purpose of this writing exercise is two-fold. First, it's a practice on portraying different characters and their point of views. If that character is not actually you, it's a practice on learning how to keep your own emotions and bias out of the story, and instead pretending you are someone else. Secondly, this exercise is a practice of using different adjectives. Although the chairs can be described a hundred ways, there may only be one description that will portray the specific emotion you want the reader to see.

This writing exercise does not have to the done this exact same way either. Try changing the scene - instead of focusing on a specific place, focus on the interaction between two characters, or the changes that happen to a specific character. Try changing the point of view - pretend you are a rich married gentleman, or a teenage goth. How would they act, and therefore, how would you describe them?

Writing Exercise - Practicing Perspective
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Kolin Kasten is a graduate of St. Norbert College with a Bachelor's Degree in English. He is a freelance writer who also works part-time for Monumental Films, a Wisconsin-based video business whose goal is to capture the important events in one's life on film. To learn more, please go to: http://www.monumentalfilms.net. To view more of Kolin's articles, please visit his blog, at http://kkasten.wordpress.com

Writing an RFP (Request for Proposal)

A while back, a potential client provided me with some general details of the writing work he wanted me to do for his company. Then he asked me to send him a proposal.

Proposal?! I panicked as I tried to confirm with him what he meant by that since I had never done one before, at least not as a freelancer.

I must've not really wanted to pursue this opportunity since I didn't bother to do research or follow up with the company after submitting a contract instead of a proposal. A little time passed, I came across an article on writing RFPs (Request for Proposal). Ding! The light bulb went on. This guy verbally gave me his RFP and wanted a written response.

Writing an RFP (Request for Proposal)

When a company needs a project to be completed by a contractor or outside source, they write a RFP. This is a formal document describing the project, how the contract companies should respond, how the proposals will be reviewed, and contact information. Often, the company documents the submission guidelines to make it easier for them to compare responses. There are no specific standards or guidelines for creating the RFP, but government agencies usually strict standards they follow when conducting the proposal process.

Outside companies read the RFP and write a proposal (a bid) explaining how they can best provide and meet those needs. When writing the proposal, the company should closely follow the guidelines established in the RFP to avoid being removed from consideration for the potential project.

A typical proposal contains:

Executive summary - summary of the entire proposal Statement of need - why project is necessary Project description - How project will be implemented and evaluated Organization information Project schedule Budget Conclusion

My situation was an informal version of all this. The client gave me a high level overview of what I might do for him. If I knew then what I know now, I would've written up a description of the client's needs and how I would complete the work in meeting those needs.

Small businesses would likely do a proposal in between the one I got and the complex government required ones. Most small businesses will be prompted to write a proposal when approaching a client. The client may ask you to submit a proposal outlining what you can do for them. In this case, write a proposal including the elements of a typical proposal and keep it short and to the point especially if the client is not a large company.

There are examples of RFPs and responses peppered throughout the Web, but which one you can learn from depends on the type of work involved. A proposal can be two pages or as big as a book. Rely on your favorite search engine and do the research to create an unbeatable proposal.

Writing an RFP (Request for Proposal)
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Meryl K. Evans, Content Maven, is Editor-in-Chief of eNewsletter Journal and The Remediator Security Digest. She's a slave to a MarketingProfs weekly column and a Web design reference guide at InformIT. She is the author of the popular e-report, How to Start a Business Blog and Build Traffic. Visit her site at http://www.meryl.net/blog/ for free newsletters, articles, and tips.