關於英文寫作你一定要知道的12件小事

大衛.皮卡斯 David Pickus

美國芝加哥大學曆史博士，美籍曆史學家、猶太學家前中國人民大學和浙江大學副教授教研教學興(xing) 趣：全球化的曆史和文化；比較文化和價(jia) 值體(ti) 係；西方思想史和社會(hui) ；文學與(yu) 社會(hui)

分享內(nei) 容

Advice about writing is not the same about medicine or life coaching. It is about improving in one of life’s most important skills. People who cannot write effectively, limit their chances.

#針對寫(xie) 作的建議和醫生的藥方或者人生教練的開導不一樣。寫(xie) 作技能的訓練將幫助我們(men) 提高生活中的重要技能。如果人們(men) 不能有效地通過寫(xie) 作來表達自己，會(hui) 更容易失去人生中那些重要的機會(hui) 。

Writing “captures” our thinking. It makes it more precise so that we can communicate more important thoughts to a larger group of people. Without writing, it is much harder for people to remember what we think.

#寫(xie) 作可以捕捉思考。通過寫(xie) 作精準地整理思維內(nei) 容，我們(men) 得以與(yu) 更多的人群進行溝通。沒有了寫(xie) 作，人們(men) 將很難記住我們(men) 的所思所想。

Writing is something that can be planned. The planning is complex. Different people make different choices. However, there are basic principles that can be taught.

#寫(xie) 作是可以規劃的，而規劃往往是一個(ge) 複雜的過程。不同的人會(hui) 有不同的方法。然而，一些基本的原則是共通的。

First principle. Your goal is different than your theme. Your goal is the impact you are trying to achieve. Your theme is what makes you different from (most) other writers。

#第一個(ge) 原則：你的目標並不是你的主題。目標是你想要實現的影響，而主題是你區別與(yu) 其他寫(xie) 作者的地方。

Suggestion: define your goal according to the circumstances that lead you to write. Define your theme according to what you can speak about clearly and knowledgably.

#此處建議：反思和定義(yi) 促使你寫(xie) 作的境況。通過你可以清晰又專(zhuan) 業(ye) 了解的內(nei) 容入手來塑造主題。

Second principle. You think differently after you write a sentence or paragraph than you do during the moment you are writing. You spot and discover different kinds of difficulties during each moment in writing.

#第二個(ge) 原則：在寫(xie) 完一句和一段文字後，你的想法往往已經改變了。事實上，在寫(xie) 作中的每個(ge) 瞬間你都可能遇到不同類型的困難。

Suggestion: make a habit of thinking about yourself while you are writing. Also make a habit of thinking about a paragraph after you finish writing it. This will help you notice difficulties.

#此處建議：寫(xie) 作時培養(yang) 自己的反思習(xi) 慣。完成寫(xie) 作之後的寫(xie) 作總結將有助於(yu) 我們(men) 發覺寫(xie) 作對於(yu) 自己挑戰的地方。

Third principle. Serious writing always has more than one layer. It is “many colored.” You cannot think about all aspects of your writing at the same time. That is the reason you must revise.

#第三個(ge) 原則：嚴(yan) 肅的寫(xie) 作通常不隻簡單的一層而是“多姿多彩”的。由於(yu) 我們(men) 無法在寫(xie) 作的過程中估計思考所有的層次，我們(men) 需要在寫(xie) 完之後不斷改善。

Suggestion: it is not enough to re-read and revise your work. It is most helpful if you re-read it from a different perspective.

#此處建議：隻是單純地重新審讀和改寫(xie) 往往不夠。最有幫助的是從(cong) 一個(ge) 不同的角度重讀。

In work and university, people tend to have clear expectations of what successful writing looks like. Instead of asking “what should I write,” ask “how do you write successfully in this place.”

#在大學裏和職場中，人們(men) 往往對於(yu) 有成效的寫(xie) 作有著清晰具體(ti) 的期待。所以問題不在於(yu) “我應該寫(xie) 什麽(me) ？”而在於(yu) “在我身處的環境中，如何寫(xie) 作才是有效的？”

The internet is full of messages like “you get better by making mistakes.” However, it is better to say that your writing gets better when you notice that your old habits could be improved. Don’t stop examining your own work.

#如今人們(men) 常說：“你需要通過犯的錯中進步。“ 但是，更準確的說法是，隻有你注意到了你的老習(xi) 慣的影響時，才會(hui) 真正改善寫(xie) 作。所以不要停止審視你的作品。

Finally, improving your writing takes much work and is often difficult or unpleasant. However, it is an effort that clearly increases your opportunities.

#最後，提高寫(xie) 作是一件耗費功夫並且不總是讓人感到快樂(le) 的。但是功夫不負有心人，最終生活一定會(hui) 因此饋贈給你更多機會(hui) 。

【競賽報名/項目谘詢+微信：mollywei007】