Literature and writing are one of the most enjoyable and visceral of art forms. A good book is FELT, not merely read. There are many films that have been adaptations of pre-existing books, and not one has come close to conveying the story and feeling as the original book. This may be because the human brain is hugely imaginative ' radio scriptwriters call this the 'theatre of the mind'� and good writing certainly has a great attraction. Anyone who has ever sat up all night to read through an un-put-down-able novel has experienced this.

The aesthetic value of a good book is not difficult to explain ' there are some very specific elements that need to be present for a book to be enjoyable. The writer must be skilful and use good grammar ' the writings of many a potentially good writer has been spoiled by unforgivable grammatical mistakes that make a story impossible to read.

The overuse of unnecessarily difficult words also mars a good read. To be enjoyed, a story must be written using the language you would expect in a given situation. Using complex words does not make someone a good writer; it is the use of the correct words at the right time that makes a book enjoyable.

Poetry is a most enjoyable form of literature ' enjoyable to both read and write. There is pure emotion where poetry is concerned ' the purpose of a poem is not to convey a particular story, but to express the feelings around a particular event or object. Were it not for the emotive language used in a poem, it would merely be prose or a report or scientific statement of fact. It is the careful selection of meaningful words laid out in a meaningful structure that gives poetry its meaning. There is of course good and bad poetry, and with poetry the aesthetic value is particularly subjective. One person may be particularly moved by a choice phrase that may have no impact on someone else.

Literature is not restricted to the written word alone, but also includes the spoken and, in modern times, the acted or animated word. Television, online media, cinema and radio are all forms of media with particular appeal for various audiences in various contexts. The key to all these genres is that in order to be qualified as good, a particular piece of literature must be relevant and hold interest. Many an American sit-com feels contrived and synthetic (as if generated by some well-hidden storyline-generating computer), but this is an extremely successful form of literature. This may be a reflection of society itself, but it cannot be denied that American sit-coms are enjoyed by the masses. Does this mean that American sit-coms are not aesthetic objects if they do not qualify as classic works of art? The same can be said of the numerous formulaic novels of Dame Barbara Cartland (yes, Dame!) or the trite films produced by Hollywood. Thankfully, box office sales are not the only measure of aesthetic excellence.

Literature in all its forms will always be enjoyed. Thanks to the vast variety of writers, poets, actors and radio presenters and other producers of audiovisual material, there is a never-ending source of good and bad literature. We live in a society where the production and consumption of most forms of literature is free and for this we must be grateful.

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