How your Hogwarts House Can Influence Your Writing
Gryffindor or Slytherin. Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. Your house allegiance can inform your words as well…
For many of us, Harry Potter is a strong fixture firmly set within our childhoods. Even to this day, J.K. Rowling’s beloved masterpiece of the adventures of the eponymous boy wizard and his friends has managed to “slytherin” in our adult hearts through the books, movies, amusement parks, and much more. All around the world, Harry Potter enthusiasts have dreamt of receiving the lucky Hogwarts acceptance letter (even after turning 11!) and there is no greater debate amongst friends and families than arguing in which Hogwarts house you truly belong. Young readers believe that Gryffindors are the reckless and Hufflepuff is where the nice kids belong. Their young minds believe that book nerds may find their place in Ravenclaw, and Slytherin is where the future dictators of the world may realize their potential. However, as time has gone on and child readers of Harry Potter grow up to realize that the world is a lot less black and white than one might think, the interpretation of the Hogwarts houses have extended to be a lot more open-ended. No matter where the Sorting Hat places you, your house allegiance can emphasize not just your base personality but your writing as well.
Keep on reading to find out how…
Gryffindor
Home of the Golden Trio, Gryffindor is for the brave and the bold. Those who are passionate, action-orientated, and courageous would find themselves sporting the colors of red and gold. As a lion is the house’s mascot, Gryffindor is for the leaders of the pack — those who will rise above the others and take charge of highlighting issues that are normally brushed away. For Gryffindor writers, your writing is bold, persuasive, and enthusiastic — often utilizing language and a tone that will enrapture and engage your audience through your sheer and utter passion for your topic. Gryffindor writers will often tackle ideas that are taboo or controversial, where they will take a stance that they can debate on for hours. Bending the rules is a happy past time for these lions and lionesses, and this reflects in their writing. However, Gryffindor writers should be wary that too much passion can often detract from logic and practicality. A healthy balance of both will enable you to be a better writer. Grand sweeping statements could get Gryffindor writers into a spot of bother and claims need to be backed up with evidence and facts. If a Gryffindor writer is composing prose about a topic that is emotionally charged, form, grammar and spelling could be thrown to the wind. Consult a Ravenclaw for their rigid application of proofreading or approach a Slytherin for their objective analysis of the topic. Nevertheless, too little passion will lead to these lions becoming easily bored and putting little effort into their literary projects.
Hufflepuff
Often regarded as a house for the cowards and spineless, Hufflepuff is anything but. In a world that can be dark, uncertain and cruel, to remain soft is the bravest thing in the world. Valuing hard work, loyalty, dedication, and patience, Hufflepuff writers are the ones who would adhere to a disciplined writing schedule and regularly deliver high-quality work. Understanding the importance of proofreading and organization, Hufflepuff writers are flexible with their writing and will be able to include necessary changes following criticisms and corrections. Often those who wish the world to be a better, kinder place, Puff writers refrain from taking too much of a polarising stance and use their writing to deliver a balanced and fair report on a topic. Hufflepuff writers use their skills to make their writing more universally accessible. Rather than appealing to those who share their base personality traits, writers in this house wish to spread a universal message that will educate and entertain all by tackling relatable genres and topics. Due to their unwillingness to commit to tackling controversy and taking risks, Hufflepuff writers may find themselves to be more comfortable writing topics from angles that they are familiar with. However, this may lead to their audience finding them boring and that their writing lacks passion, zest, and enthusiasm. Despite their writing adhering to correct structure and organization, readers may find that Hufflepuffs’ writing is dull, repetitive and echoing the sentiments of writers that they may have read before. If you’re a Puff writer, take a leaf out of a Gryffindor’s book and step out of your comfort zone at least once. Do it once and it becomes easier to do it again and again when beginning an ambitious or even risk-taking project. Consult a Slytherin editor for their ideas on using influential tones that can appeal to the masses, yet evokes an individual idea.
Ravenclaw
House of the learned, witty, and wise, Ravenclaws are known for their thirst for knowledge and creative eye. Ravenclaw writers pride themselves on the clarity, precision and insight of their writing, equipped with meticulous research, relevant citations, and flawless proofreading. By valuing the pursuit of knowledge and learning, Ravenclaw’s articles stem from far and wide and can range from delving into the art of Italian cuisine to a scathing op-ed on Trump’s administration. There is not just one topic or genre that Raven writers isolate themselves within and they are not just “outside the box” thinkers — they throw out the box entirely. However, due to their commitment to being well-read and educated, Ravenclaw writers may compose prose with a condescending tone, ignore criticisms, utilize hard-to-understand jargon or assume that the reader may know things that they don’t. Because of their overwhelming need to be widely interpreted as objectively intelligent, Ravenclaw writers may approach topics with a “control freak” temperament and only write about topics that they are familiar with — rather than tackling ideas that they are not as well-informed on. Ravenclaw writers need to mimic a Gryffindor’s behavior and write relentlessly on unfamiliar topics while disregarding external judgments. They can also consult a Hufflepuff editor to ensure that their tone is friendlier and more accessible to a wide-ranging audience.
Slytherin
The snakes of Hogwarts are famed for the cunning, resourcefulness, ambition and tenacity. Home to some of the most versatile writers in the world, Slytherin writers are able to identify a unique angle on a topic and write the hell out of it. Sharp and perceptive, Slytherin writers are able to overlook unnecessary detail and make relevant and clever connections between topics that they are well informed on that others may overlook. Masters of persuasion, Slytherins knows exactly what tone to influence and convince the audience of their argument effectively. By using their resourceful nature, Slytherin writers are relentless in pursuing their argument and will efficiently make use of loopholes wherever they can. Although they would not outrightly break the rules and regulations, Slytherins take on the view that rules have a more flexible nature — malleable and mouldable to their cause. Slytherin writers tend to tackle niche topics where there is a lack of precedence and it is easier to impart new ideas that may be entrenched when it hits the mainstream. Due to the ease of adjusting their tone effectively to fit specific audiences, readers may find the works of Slytherin writers to be lacking integrity and honesty. Because of their reticence to alienate audiences and universal wish to impart ideas on a mass scale, Slytherin writers may compose prose with an unfeeling and robotic tone. A Hufflepuff editor may help you in being true and honest to your own writing style rather than succumb to the overwhelming need to please a global audience. A Ravenclaw may also help in providing feedback to keep you on the straight and narrow when your tendency to wander off the beaten path may be more of a hindrance than a help.
If there is anything that Hogwarts taught us about its houses is that the unity between Ravenclaw, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor brought more success and prosperity to the Magical World than when it was separated. No matter whether you are in the Battle of Hogwarts or in the battle to reach the New York Times Bestseller list, your fellow comrades on the other tables of the Great Hall may be able to provide more help than you might think.
