Jared Coffin

This short piece summarizes one of my main struggles in writing in a fun way.

Razzmatazz. Sure, it has a cool ring when you say it; it sounds all snazzy and bright and fun � but that�s right where the trouble starts. It can be an awful problem when it comes to writing. I still think it�s not as bad as some problems because it usually means you love to use big, 50-dollar words � which, at times, can be more useful than harmful. On the contrary, those gaudy, smarty-pants words have a nasty habit of obscuring meaning. They just get a kick out of muddying the waters. Though they may be redolent of intelligence, they are merely imposters with flashy �knowledge� facades.
Whenever I write, Razzmatazz tends to be my main rival, contending for attention. In fact, I believe he may have snuck into the above paragraph. You can�t really blame him though � it�s just his nature. What I have learned you can do, is correct him. Unfortunately, this involves using a universally dreaded power of the world of writing: the delete key.
For many writers, this can be immensely difficult, because it involves taking criticism. Now, don�t get me wrong � you can add the word �constructive� to it or anything you like, but there is no euphemism for criticism when it involves your work.

So that's one of my - and probably that of many writers - problems. But please do use constructive criticism - trust me I can take it! Thanks.