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Should government give financial assistance to help encourage good literature?
Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 Topic Rating: 5 (2 votes) 
May 30, 2012
11:06 am
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Most writers of fiction do not earn enough money to live from their writing. Do you think the government should give them financial assistance to help encourage good literature? You should give reasons for your answer using your own ideas and experience.

Fiction writing is among the many creative professions that can be hard to make a living on. Some people believe financial aid to writer can help improve quality of literature overall. However, in my view, it is not the government's duty to support individual writers and there are certainly more adequate measures to support good literature.

To begin the government should support cultural life but not necessarily individual writers. I would argue that spending tax money supporting an unknown writer is highly risky and may overall profit this writer more than the society.

Moreover, readers and market many be able to determine the quality of literature better than the government. The quality of an artwork can be rather subjective and it is likely that good writer will become successful on their own. Therefore, they may not need the government‘s support. In many authoritarian societies chosen writers are promoted by the government for their support of ideological views. This kind of relationship between writers and governments is inadequate for a democratic system in my view.

Finally, I am convinced there are more effective measures to promote quality literature than direct financial aid. The government can set incentives, like contests or prizes for authors of quality writing. Then they can initiate mentoring and support networks as well as training for young writers. Another option is setting up events for talented writers to present their work to the public or publishers.

All in all, I consider direct financial aid for individual writers or any artist problematic. A government should neither judge the quality of literature nor promote individual writers with tax money. Nevertheless, there are plenty of good ways to help young writers and improve the quality of literature in a country.

June 1, 2012
1:16 pm
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Hi Katiss

This is an excellent essay.

There are three or four tiny errors with articles which I will leave to you to find. Microsoft Word can’t find them, however. Have a look at the official IELTS descriptors for Task 2 Writing here, under ‘Grammar’ -  for Band 9 it suggests ‘minor errors occur as slips.’ If you had one or two article errors that would be fine, but three or four might deprive you of the top mark.

Looking at the other criteria for the same band, I am perfectly happy with your ideas and support, your lexical resource, and your paragraphing.  Here’s your layout.

  • Intro:  Gives both sides, gives your opinion, and previews the essay
  • Para 2: Governments should support culture and writing in general, but not individuals
  • Para 3: Markets are better judges than governments, who may only favor certain writers
  • Para 4: More effective measures, with good examples
  •  Conclusion: summary of both sides

Can you find the article/plural errors?  And what words would could you use instead of ‘like’ in Para 5 or ‘chosen’ in Para 4?

Everyone, just look at these amazing sentences…

  • In many authoritarian societies, chosen writers are promoted by the government for their support of ideological views.
  • This kind of relationship between writers and governments is inadequate for a democratic system in my view.
  • A government should neither judge the quality of literature nor promote individual writers with tax money.

Thanks for this essay! It's made my day!

June 2, 2012
1:27 am
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Might be this suggestion will help you. Your topic was "Most writers of fiction do not earn enough money to live from their writing. Do you think the government should give them financial assistance to help encourage good literature? You should give reasons for your answer using your own ideas and experience."

See the co-relation between both the sentences framed.First line is similarly important to that of question line that is" most writers of fiction do not earn enough money to live from their writing".This aspect has been left out.Might be this unnoticed thing is affecting your band score .Cover every aspect of question,it might help you.

Best of Luck

June 3, 2012
6:14 am
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I see your point but discussing why art doesnt make a lot of money would take the entire thing in a new direction.

250 words is not a lot.

It is more background information here. If they were making lots of money why would the government consider paying them?

June 3, 2012
8:39 pm
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writefix
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Hi Anufrancis

Do you mean that Katiss' opening sentence is too similar to the question?  I'm not quite sure what you mean. 

It certainly crossed my mind that she could have made it a little more different.  I'm very happy with her ideas and development, however.

June 3, 2012
10:11 pm
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Not in this way ,You could have written "Other than this, it is only those writers who are not well to do whose script lacks quality.

Then you could begin with your 4th paragraph points.

Actually, I mentioned so because of two reasons :One is because of the first line.Second is because of the word good literature rather than literature.It would further strengthen your stand

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