CBA Record

scene, the more successful you’ll be,” says Gutkind. Grant also discussed the need for a hook and pointed to the Tim O’Brien book, “The Things They Carried” which, of course, is not really about the objects Vietnam War soldiers carried. It’s the story behind the things: the can opener, the matches, the pocketknives, the bible, the chewing gum. The list of “things” is the hook that introduces and reveals his characters. Find Your Voice The search for your “voice” when writ- ing business and legal documents can be difficult. This kind of writing tends to be formulaic. If you’re stuck or your writing is sounding dry, Grant advised to write your first draft quickly like you’d write an email. It will loosen you up. Your voice is unique but you can make some choices depending on the situation and audience. Choose light and humor- ous–or serious and grave. Do you want to be personable or reserved? Impassioned or controlled? Plainspoken or elaborate? Use Repetition and Rhythm Some writers are afraid to repeat the same word and cast about desperately–and awk- wardly–for synonyms. However, repetition can work for you when used creatively. It can hammer home a point–exactly what’s needed in persuasive writing. Consider this passage from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s I Have a Dream speech: But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.

NOTA BENE

BY AMY COOK

INVIGORATE YOUR WRITING Lessons from Creative Nonfiction Y ou may not think creative writing has a place in our search-for-truth profession, but the more you

use a five-dollar word when a 50-cent word will do. However, there can be occasions for more colorful words. Describe what hap- pened. What did people see, hear, smell, taste or touch? Don’t just say the alley was smelly, what did it smell like? If a noise was loud, was it howling, screeching, or rumbling? Don’t just tell us what she said: did she shout? Was her voice trembling? Did the man walk or did he stagger? You want reader buy-in. Make the readers feel they are a part of this story. Tell Us (Only) What We Need to Know Leave out the parts that readers tend to skip. –Elmore Leonard Grant advised to avoid prologues and introductions (The evidence will show…). To the extent you can, skip the backstory. Lawyers are thorough. But does the audi- ence need to know the police officer’s train- ing or just what the officer found? Grant said we get caught up in what we think the audience needs to know. Instead, figure out what is essential to your story and then connect the dots. Before writing, chart how you are going to get from the starting point to the final destination where there is only one possible ending: Your argument wins. Tell your story to your friends or col- leagues. Pay attention to when they get bored–you need to know where you are losing your audience. For each element of your narrative, ask: Why is this significant? Why might it matter to your reader? What will they learn from the experience? How did this event change someone’s life? Hook ‘Em The best way get your reader into the action as soon as possible is to have a hook. “The faster you involve the reader in the

engage your audience, the better you can convince them of your argument. Adding some color to your writing can help you do that. “Creative” doesn’t mean making things up. It has to do with how the writer conceives ideas, summarizes situations, defines personalities, and describes places says Lee Gutkind, author, professor, and editor of Creative Nonfiction magazine. It’s simply “true stories well told.” The CBA is onboard with this concept, recently sponsoring a CLE “Storytelling for Lawyers,” featuring Keith Grant of the Lake County Public Defenders Office. He noted that humans are natural born story- tellers, telling tales around the campfire for eons. His October talk focused primarily on verbal communication but many tips apply to written as well. You can’t get away from your client’s case, he said, but you can focus on the story of your client’s case. There’s a difference between reporting what took place and telling the most interesting, engaging version of what happened. “You want a sense of place, of character, of move- ment.” Grant said. Set the Scene When you catch an adjective, kill it. Kill most of them, then the rest will be valuable. –Mark Twain In general, use simple, straightforward words. Another favorite Twain-ism: Don’t

Amy Cook isManaging Editor of theCBARecordand runs a legal communications firm.

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