LESSON FOUR

LESSON FOUR

Papia Bawa

Welcome to lesson four for this course. Last week you learned about the importance of analyzing audiences BEFORE you start to write. You also learned how to identify the various categories of audiences and how they relate to the purpose/s of your writing process for any and every genre.

This week you will learn about the significance of observation in the writing process. Specifically, you will learn about the various kinds of observation and a few tips on how to use the observation techniques to enhance and improve your writing.

Let the lessons begin!

Why do we need to observe?

Observing is essential to good writing. Whether you are writing in a journal , doing a report for a science project , or writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper , keen observation is essential .

Writing or verbalizing what you see helps you to discover and learn more about your environment .

The Writer’s Responsibility

The importance of observation is enhanced by the fact that the basic responsibility of a writer is not only to 'see', but to make their readers see through their eyes . What does that really mean?

Imagine that you are a writer for a travel magazine , and you are writing an article about the African safaris . You have traveled to Serengeti and have seen the magnificent Victoria Falls.

You have smelled the air , felt the spray upon your face , and gazed upon the glorious sun setting over the Serengeti Plains . Now imagine that your reader is someone who has never ventured out from his /her home state of Indiana!

As a writer , you have the responsibility of portraying the beauty and essence of the African scenarios to your reader with as much accuracy as possible . You r reader is depending on you , and it is with your help that he or she will travel to that remote part of the world that he /she can only imagine .

There is only one tool that will help you in fulfilling your task : the tool of observation .

What does Observation Mean?

Primarily it means looking at your environment and making 'mental notes' of what you see . However , observation involves more than just seeing . It is actually the utilization of all our five senses:

Sense of Touch

Sense of Smell

Sense of Sight

Sense of Sound

Sense of Taste

The key to effective observing is to show your readers the person , place, event , or object through specific detail s. Good description allows the reader to draw general conclusions based on specific details . If you r reader is going to learn from your observations , you need to give the exact details that you learned from , not just your conclusions or generalizations .

In order to utilize observation effectively you must follow some simple techniques.

Techniques for writing about observation:

1) Give sensory details : Describe graphically the sights , sounds , smells , touches , and tastes of the subject .

5) Visualize what is not there and describe it. We will discuss this in details later in this chapter .

2) Include actual dialogues and names of things where appropriate .

6) Note and describe the changes in the subject form or condition . Even when the subject appears static , for example, a building , good writers look for evidence of changes, both past and future : a sandstone exterior of the church being eroded by acid rain , or the thinning hair of your boss !

3) Zoom in on crucial details, much like you would when using a camera.

7) Write from a distant perspective or point of view . Remember , what is seen depends on who is seeing. The child will look at a butterfly differently than a scientist . For the child , a butterfly would be thing of joy and pleasure ; for a scientist , it will be a subject for dissection !

4) Use comparisons and images to help the readers visualize the unfamiliar , or see commonplace in a new light . Use your previous experiences and imaginations to draw comparisons and create images . Focus on those details and images that clarify the main ideas.

8) Repeat your observations . Remember: your perspectives can change every time you look at the subject .

Each time you observe the same subject , you discover new things .

Subjects of observation :

Anything and everything can, and should be observed in the writing process . You can divide the subjects of observation into the following categories :

5. What is not there

Observing people:

When you describe people , zero in on specific details that fit overall patterns or impressions . Typically, when you observe people you need to describe :

Their dress

Their facial features

Their body language

Their attitude

Their skills and quirks

Their conversation

Observing places:

When you describe places create a catalog of the sights, sounds , and smells of the subject . The specific details contribute to the overall idea of what, where, and how the place is . When you observe places you need to describe :

The location

The topographical details

The setting

The specific sounds and smells

The people in the place

The sudden and subtle changes

The historical perspective

Observing events :

When you describe events, weave specific details about people , places , and objects into some chronological order , to demonstrate how vivid descriptions can create a dominant idea . When you observe events you need to describe :

The number and names of people participating

The description of their activities

The description of the place and setting of the events

Description of the time frame , sights, sounds , and smells related to the events

The description of actual Dialogues and lyrics

Observing objects:

When you describe objects, focus on the general aspects like taste and ingredient , and use them to create a special point of view. When you observe objects you need to describe :

The shape of the object

The texture of the object

The taste , smell , color, or sound related to the object

The materials or ingredients

The placement of the object

The relationship of the object to the setting

The function and form of the object

The context in which and the object is being used

Observing what is not there:

Is perhaps the most important and interesting aspect of observation . Many experienced writers utilize this to create that special atmosphere of suspense and intrigue , which holds the reader's attention and interest .

A simple example can be: the smell of food that should be coming from the kitchen but is not ; the absolute quiet in the air that precedes an impending storm .

Rachel Carson's book The Silent Springs is a very good example of what writers can accomplish when they observe what is not there .

“The book's most haunting and famous chapter, "A Fable for Tomorrow," depicted a nameless American town where all life -- from fish to birds to apple blossoms to human children -- had been "silenced" by the insidious effects of DDT”. (Retrieved from nrdc.com)

When we observe what is not there we need to describe :

Things made conspicuous by their absence

Changes in the subjects -from light to dark , from rough to smooth, or from noise to sudden silence.

In the next lesson we will learn how to shape our observations.

Credits:

The images and illustrations are taken from MS Clipart, Barrysclipart.com, and Dover Publications (free downloads)