Techniques and Skills

In the past, I have discussed techniques and tricks, saying that tricks are essentially techniques that work, but we don't know why. There is another pair that should be elaborated: techniques and skills.

To borrow from last time, a technique is an action that has a certain result. Short sentences make time pass faster. Longer sentences do the opposite. Hard sounds in words add power to them. Soft sounds in words flow smoother. These are all techniques. Every time you use them, you will know exactly what effect they will have.

The thing about techniques is that you use them. It is active and conscious. We learn them, remember them, and use them when needed. Skills are a shade different though. Skills are internal abilities.

I can manipulate sentences. I can use the same words, rearrange them, and make a new sentence with the same meaning. (e.g. "I saw that boy and a saw that dog" vs. "I saw that boy and that dog") I can compound or fragment sentences. (e.g. "I saw that boy and his dog. They were playing." vs. "I saw that boy and his playing.") These are useful abilities that allow me to say exactly what I want and give my sentences the right feeling.

Now, there is a technique to rearranging sentences and there is a technique to splitting and joining sentences. But it is the nuances of knowing all the possibilities of manipulating a sentence, knowing what effects they will have on a sentence , and knowing which version will make the sentence sound its best that is a skill. These are abilities that I have, that I can use at will or unconsciously, that I know will always work, but I cannot articulate why.

A skill is distinct from a trick because it will always work. It is distinct from a technique because it is internalized. Techniques can be learned, but skills must be acquired. The only way you can learn to manipulate sentences is to encounter as many as you can, learn all that is possible, and then practice manipulating them.

Techniques, skills, and tricks are all powerful and useful resources for a writer. Know what each of them are and how they work, and get as many of them as you can. The more you know, the more you can do.