Writing far beyond grammar

Ever since we learn to write a text, we tend to think that writing is a process of applying all the rules we find in grammar books. However, producing texts goes far beyond that.

It is true that many types of text need to use correct grammar, according to renowned scholars in the field. Grammars by authors such as Evanildo Bechara, Celso Ferreira da Cunha and Carlos Henrique da Rocha Lima are indispensable on the shelves of Portuguese teachers, proofreaders, journalists and other professionals who work with writing in Portuguese. However, simply following the major grammatical authorities—which, incidentally, often disagree—and correctly applying every rule to a text does not mean that the author will produce a good text. That will depend on several factors.

To begin with, we must bear in mind that there is no single type of text. There are endless possibilities, from a doctoral dissertation or an internationally indexed scientific article to a simple social-media post, including literature and cookbooks. Each of them will require more from the writer than knowing that the subject and predicate should not be separated by a comma; a range of other skills will enable the text to take shape and fulfill its primary function: to communicate.

Needless to say, your Instagram post showing your friends your latest Sunday lunch creation will not require the same formality as the final undergraduate paper you must present to earn your degree. Likewise, your favorite novelist may not write with the rigor of a scientist. In other words, the author of a text, from the simplest to the most complex, must first think about the target audience.

In addition to thinking about whom they want to reach with the text, authors must also consider the content they want to convey and how they will do so. This is where inspiration comes into play. But… what if it is missing? There is no point in being an expert in normative grammar if you do not even know where to begin writing. Then anything goes: read and research the subject extensively, brainstorm, write the first thing that comes to mind on a small piece of paper—anything to exercise creativity. Then, of course, let the text flow.

Remember that not everyone finds it easy to express themselves through writing. In our minds, words come and go, and sometimes the text does not come out exactly as we imagined. Not everyone has the imagination to create fantastic worlds or tragicomic chronicles about life’s accidents. However, taking a diary and writing about something curious that happened during the day, or even opening Twitter and writing an interesting thought that occurred to you, are good ways to practice writing. Even if it is only for yourself. Because writing also helps release emotions and feelings and helps us remember what we do not want to forget.

Writing, therefore, means going beyond; it means expressing what you have seen, felt, imagined, experienced, studied, thought, and want or need to record or share. So do not limit yourself out of fear of making a grammatical mistake, just as expression through drawing does not hold your hand back. The next step—and the one before publication—is proofreading the text. If you need to correct what falls outside the standard, count on good proofreading. Until then, allow yourself to flow through writing.