On Succinctness

When it comes to writing, I have heard two very different theologies as to what makes a good paper. The most popular, and probably the most widely known is to simply write as much as possible. As a student, I've had my share of teachers that grade more on length than on content. Perpetuated by assignments that have a minimum page requirement but no maximum, students are taught that the volume of meaningless dribble they produce is directly proportional to their grade. I myself have gotten through eleven years of schooling without having to do much more than write a few meaningless nothings in order to wheedle my way into an 'A'. While I'm not exactly proud of my frequent utilization of this method, I can't deny its usefulness in raising a grade. In theory, the students that write a lot are the ones that put most work into the piece; and that may be true. However, if public schooling has taught me anything, It's how to drag out a simple argument to the point where it seems almost absurd.

The second theory directly contradicts the notion that length has any correlation to substance. The few teachers that emphasize this (mainly English or Writing teachers) place importance on a succinct and orderly writing style. I myself did not encounter this theology until high school. When presented with this style, students like myself balk at the immensity of the task. We have been so trained against writing for substance, that we have neglected the basics of argumentative or expository writing. Ultimately more useful and stylistically easy to understand, this method is more true to the realities of writing outside of school.

So here I am at Seventeen, trying to learn concepts of writing that should have been taught to me years ago, and shaking my head because up until now, my school system has failed to give me the perspective I need to truly succeed.