How to get good at writing?

Notascooby

Civis Illustris

  • Civis Illustris

Looking around the forum there are obviously some people here who are very good at writing Latin. How? How did you learn, what was your method?

Though I've been studying Latin for almost 4 years now I only started learning to write a few months ago.

So far I've been working my way through North and Hillard ( currently at lesson 125 of 256). After I finish this I intend to work through Bradley's Arnold. I also have Bennet's composition book. I don't intend on doing the exercises in this as they are covered in the other books but it does have some exercises in continuous composition with a key so I think it'll be useful.

On top of this I am spending about two hours a day reading. Mostly Cicero,Caesar and Nepos. I have a few other books and have read a fair amount of other stuff including poetry but I'm focusing mainly on Cicero.

The only other thing I can think of doing is some writing off my own but I want to use the books to make sure my writing is technically correct whereas all the reading I'm doing will improve my sense of what is and isn't idiomatic Latin.

What do you think of my plan? Should I add anything else/ change anything?

Cheers
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
I'd say you've got it right. Reading is the most essential element (after learning the basic grammar) without which you're unlikely ever to write well. Composition exercises in addition to reading are good too.
 
 

cinefactus

Censor

  • Censor

  • Patronus

Location:
litore aureo
Writing will definitely improve your writing skills ;)
 
B

Bitmap

Guest

estne stilum tibimet? fac eum supponere culo!
sic summus scriptor, sic moderator eris!
 

Adrian

Civis Illustris

  • Civis Illustris

I could recommend:
Edwin Abbott, Latin prose through english idiom.
Ediwn Abbott, First latin writer.
 
D

Deleted member 13757

Guest

And it won't improve that much if don't also do the listening.
 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
Listening isn't essential for learning how to write. It's just a plus for pronunciation and the like, I suppose, assuming you listen to people who speak well (or as well as we can nowadays... there are no such authorities as native speakers).
 
D

Deleted member 13757

Guest

Listening isn't essential for learning how to write. It's just a plus for pronunciation and the like, I suppose, assuming you listen to people who speak well (or as well as we can nowadays... there are no such authorities as native speakers).
That's not true at all. It has nothing to do with pronunciation at all. It has everything to do with the way we acquire language through our auditory sensors instead of our eyes. You have enough really really good audio recordings and readings of Cicero, Caesar, Seneca etc.. to help you.

I love listening to Prince Sterling for example.

 

Pacifica

grammaticissima

  • Aedilis

Location:
Belgium
I write Latin well and I've never done much listening. I believe the same goes for Bitmap. I'm not saying listening is useless, but it isn't essential for learning how to write. Reading can suffice for that.
 
D

Deleted member 13757

Guest

I write Latin well and I've never done much listening. I believe the same goes for Bitmap. I'm not saying listening is useless, but it isn't essential for learning how to write. Reading can suffice for that.
You two are an exception to the rule. How many times do I have to tell you that.
 

Notascooby

Civis Illustris

  • Civis Illustris

I could recommend:
Edwin Abbott, Latin prose through english idiom.
Ediwn Abbott, First latin writer.
These look good, can't find an answer key though. I can't find an actual copy of it either. There is one on Amazon but they are often of poor quality.
 

Ybytyruna

Cammarōrum Edācissimus

  • Civis Illustris

Location:
Brasilia
Salve!

Tibi diſcenti Latine ſcribam quippe qui exercendi occaſionem habeas.

Primum, quidni legas etiam librum qui nuncupatur Familia Romana, ab Ioanne Ørbergio (Hans Ørberg) ſcriptum? Quo perlecto, tibi ſuadeo ut aggrediaris ad inſequens volumen, cui nomen eſt Roma Æterna. Initio fortaſſe aliquantulum (ne ſcribam multum...) tædioſæ tibi videbuntur lectiones, cum quattuor jam annos ſtudueris linguæ Latinæ multaque callueris, ſed illic ſunt quædam elegantiæ, quædam ſubtiliora maximi momenti. Deinde poteris etiam accedere ad libros qui tractant Latine ſcribendi facultatem. Præter hoc, credo etiam utiliſſimum eſſe non modo ſcribere et legere, ſed etiam (col)loqui et audire (quattuor quæ dicuntur facultates "linguiſticæ" - sit venia locutioni elegantiæ egenti), nam ita facilius diſcitur.

Ceterum, puto te bene facere. Ne ſolum mihi dicenti fidem facias, probamus Ciceronem, de quo locutus es, docentem ſtilum optimum et præſtantiſſimum dicendi effectorem ac magiſtrum.

Macte!
 
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