RULE FOUR
LIFE—Observe, and Experience it.
Life—a period marked with the living and aliveness of an animal, and the state of existence of a plant, is experienced by a human being when knowledge is garnered with observation—the ability to notice details: gathered information, which shall later beef up a writer’s writing compositions. As you—the writer observe, think creatively of distinctive ways to describe things taken for granted by many. A detailed observation meaningfully expressed is what makes ordinary writing, extraordinary—original!
In order to write well about a subject, you must know it, which gives rise to learning about it. The most unencumbered manner of learning is by watching. Yes! watch it: watch animals cavorting, study human expressions, observe your surroundings adapt different seasons and weather … go to the woods and take close views—commune with nature to ascertain how lives therein, coexist; take a trip to an African village and possibly live there for a while, 
to find out firsthand how the people interrelate communally, if need be. In all you do, jot down in your own words for later use, the things seen as you saw them: this way, your fictional characters and scenes will appear real. You must though create a convenient angle for the story you have chosen to tell; thus, must pick a perspective that will allow an uninhibited inflow from all your available looking vantage points, to best your unique narrative that will eventually flow from the faucet of your personal experiences.
I urge you to make detailed studies, using all five senses, even the sixth: Look critically, smell things, feel them, taste some, listen to their sounds; then, 
with what is called the common and sixth sense—that, which turns into intuition to coordinate found facts, or weave ideas orderly to proffer solutions to problems, harmonize your findings. “Study to show yourself approved … a writer that needed not to be ashamed, rightly dividing words of knowledge.”1 Be empowered with knowledge to breathe life into your writing. The life of any writing is felt by a reader when the reader that is conversant with the location written about, can relate with the laid down facts, without an existent disparity: let that be your focus as you carry out your research by observation, before the writing proper, begins to take place.
As a true lover expresses his or her love feeling frankly, without adulteration, the life of a devoted writer’s experience should be felt without inhibition. Until one’s own father dies, telling another: “I know how you feel” is somewhat fallacious; as you really don’t. Just commiserate with the bereaved and employ other words to console candidly. This is where earlier observations pay off: You could have gathered experiences from friends or relatives who had suffered tragic events; felt their pains, and understood diverse emotions with eager observation. This understanding is what is rather replicated from the heart for empathy…. And a writer can capitalize on this surrealism to express literarily that, which is substantially felt when it is called for. Experiential writing stems from the heart to substantiate the workings of passion, if aright expressed.
In all you do, while making observation, do not be boxed up: like having a worthy thought, live out-of-the-box. Be boundless in your recordings—store every detail you deem relevant; as those data will make up the knowledge domain of your perception whence you will eventually recall the information, and from write right. Mastering this singular skill, you will craft with balance, heartfelt writings that are believable, and consequently, life changing.
My greatest expectation of you is to witness you leaving the sphere of merely aspiring, to become a professional writer. To this regard, I hope you will keep this rule: LIFE—observe and Experience it, as others. Like other rules preceding and succeeding this one, it sure will make your penning defy all odds and be appreciated by almost, if not all readers. With the know-how it proffers, you will be empowered to almost, if not copy nature; then with the enablement, you will breathe life into your own creations in your writing world.
This rule—not a law can be positively broken, by not making excuses that is tantamount to failure: if you have to take a trip to learn, travel there then—go there, watch and jot; then, inject the facts into your writings to enliven them. This will bring your readers to live your experiences as theirs; achieved this way, you have accounted a writing success.
Rule five of our rule-series will be coming before you know it…. Keep watch!
In my next newsletter hitting your inbox soon—in two days precisely, you will find out the reason “how” to think, better supersedes “what” is merely thought about: “best ‘thinking’ is done ‘out-of-the-box,’” to give you a kernel plucked amid the ear of a corncob. This high profile article that is dredged in psychology will be coming your way as the fifth of our TEN RULES, governing, to improve writing. It is titled: IMAGINATION AND CREATIVITY—enhance them. Be expectant; for the expectation of the faithful will not be cut off.
Take charge, my colleague.
Malik Obynna.
Reference:
- 2nd Tim. 2:15, paraphrased, (Bible).
Acknowledgement:
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