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title: Timed and Stylistic Writing
visibility: public
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# Timed / Stylistic Writing

This guide addresses two interconnected elements of successful timed writing: logical flow and stylistic excellence. Clear writing naturally incorporates effective style when precise word choices guide readers through coherent ideas.

## Developing Writing Style

### Reading as Foundation

Engaging with stylistically sophisticated literature accelerates development:
- Nathaniel Hawthorne's *The Scarlet Letter*
- John Steinbeck's *Grapes of Wrath*
- F. Scott Fitzgerald's *The Great Gatsby*

These works build vocabulary command and grammatical sophistication.

### Vocabulary Development Strategies

- Use [InstaDefine.com](http://www.instadefine.com/) for immediate definitions while reading
- Use [EasyDefine.com](http://www.easydefine.com/) for retrospective vocabulary review
- Create sentences combining multiple SAT vocabulary terms correctly
- Understand connotation versus denotation distinctions
- Recognize how careful word choice affects meaning and impact

### Finding the Right Words

"Spend focused minutes finding the right word and right phrasing for every situation," using resources like thesaurus.com. Perfect phrasing rarely emerges on first attempts -- rest, review, read more, then revise with fresh perspective.

## The Intense Writing Trance

Effective timed writing requires entering a focused state where ideas emerge naturally. This mental state:
- Isn't necessarily serious, but fully engaged
- Produces both serious and humorous work
- Emerges after sustained struggle OR spontaneous inspiration
- Generates conclusions and expansions without deliberate effort

## Stylistic Techniques

### Alliteration

Serves dual purposes:

**For humor:** "Don't wallow in wistfulness; instead, seek out and seize opportunities"

**For emphasis:** Reinforces powerful points through sound patterns

## Additional Recommendations

- Memorize well-written speeches to internalize phrasing patterns
- Study Lincoln's Gettysburg Address
- Examine Roosevelt's Man in the Arena Speech
- Review introductions and conclusions in *The Great Gatsby*