Cuando escribimos nuestros writings, no solo tenemos que tener en cuenta si lo que escribimos es gramaticalmente correcto o no. A veces, llamar la atención de aquel que nos va a leer (to catch the reader's attention) es tan importante como la corrección gramatical.
Esto es lo que me sucedió a mi recientemente cuando mandé escribir a mis alumnos de Advanced una carta en la que me contaran un evento importante en sus vidas. Dicho evento tenía que haberles hecho empezar de nuevo, lo que en inglés se llama un FRESH START.
A continuación os dejo la carta que escribió uno de mis alumnos. La carta está sin corregir errores pero en ella podéis ver un claro ejemplo de como captar la atención del lector. Desde mi punto de vista, excelente.
A FRESH START
Dear Editor,
Six years ago I was one of these mothers who tried to balance her time between family, job, activities, friends, hobbies... and never achieved it. I felt the weight of the Universe over me and thought that I had to work harder, manage better and live quickly so as to comply with everybody and everything.
It was time to stop and even though my life was as busy as ever, an illness made me stop. I was critically ill in the hospital and for several weeks I had to be isolated and few people could be with me. When I got conscious, I found myself immobilized and connected to machines, unable to speak.
In those endless days in bed, I hadn't any thought dedicated to job, activities, hobbies... because only people were important for me. First of all, my daughters, my husband, my family, my friends. That experience was my melting point.
My recovery was long and difficult but it helped me to learn a new way of life, a slow one, where people have the first place. Of course, I know that working is necessary but nowadays, I am extremely mean with my spare time and I avoid missing important moments of my people's lives.
Next spring I'll celebrate my seventh fresh start day....
Yours faithfully,
Tati Tinerfe
