The Noticer

We've been studying Mark Twain in Humanities class. One thing my professor pointed out was that Mark Twain was a 'noticer' and she encouraged us to be noticers as well. Now, people fascinate me. I always want to figure out how they work and why they do what they do. Becoming a 'noticer' was not hard for me to do because I already pay a lot of attention to things. Here's a tip for all you writers: Pay attention to your surroundings. Pay attention to the way things sound, feel, taste, and look like so that you can describe it more accurately in your prose. If you've ever read Mark Twain, then you are aware of how descriptive he was. In 'Huckleberry Finn', he captured the essence of Americanism in that day, both in the language of the people and how they lived. He had talent for portraying things the way they really were. Part of being a good writer is making it seem real. Instead of writing, 'The air smelled like grease' you could write, 'The air was heavy and sticky with grease making it hard to breathe easily.' Which sentence paints a more mental image for you?

I love details. I love having things explained, even if it means taking something apart and dissecting it myself. The question and answer format used in most writing styles is also found in song writing.

In my own songwriting, I try to capture a real problem and give a definitive answer. It could be about religion, faith, politics, education, war, or peace. It can be hard to get exactly what I want when I am rhyming lines and trying to make smooth stanzas, bridges, and choruses. However, If I know exactly what I want to say in one particular song, I simply pinpoint that idea and separate related ideas or views. I just wrote a song about how easy it is to lose sight of what's important, and what I was referring to was God. No worries, I'm not going to preach at you. My whole point here is that you have to figure out what it is you want to pinpoint. In order to be a good noticer, you must first notice yourself.

What do I know, I'm just a poor college student. Although, I know that macroeconomics is the study of aggregate economic behavior focusing on employment, inflation, and economic growth. I also know that if you are still reading this, I must not have bored you too much, and that's always a stellar thing.

So, go notice and be noticed...in a good way.

May the frets be with you.