There are various ways writers can evaluate their techniques applied in writing. The genre of writing about writing can be approached in various ways – from a process paper to sharing personal experience. The elements that go into this specific genre include answers to the five most important questions who, what, where, and why they write. Anne Lamott, Junot Diaz, Kent Haruf, and Susan Sontag discuss these ideas in their individual investigations. These authors create different experiences for the reader, but these same themes emerge: fears of failing, personal feelings toward writing, and most importantly personal insight on the importance of writing and what works and does not work in their writing procedures. The fear of failing is nothing new and Stage fright is not just for actors. Fear is always haunting it’s victim with every move they make. It is common among individuals in writing and life in general, to be nervous anytime they commence in an activity that is judged by society. No writer purposely states they want to fail, but they do express the fear of failing that circle through their brain constantly. Anne Lamott and Junot Diaz proclaim their fears of failing in their articles. Lamott wrote critiques on restaurants around the world. Whenever she began composing a new article for her column she faced the fear of failing. She would think, “I’m not going to be able to get the magic to work this time. I’m ruined. I’m through. I’m toast” (24). So many ideas floated around her head, but those ideas were in a giant tangle. Once she realized she just had to unravel the tangle and start writing she would push this fear away. There is a point in a writer’s journey where they think they cannot go any longer before they fail. T... ... middle of paper ... ...ould not be produced to the best of their ability. And why they were writing also had no bounds. Their purpose could be anything, writing a sequel, or an article; anything that is, makes writing so unique and broad. No matter how good a writer one may be, there are still a fair number of obstacles one must overcome in order to find success every time one attempts to write. Works Cited Diaz, Junot. “Becoming a Writer.” O, The Oprah Magazine. Oprah.com. 13 Oct. 2009. Web. 16 Feb. 2010. Haruf, Kent. “To See Your Story Clearly, Start by Pulling the Wool Over Your Own Eyes.” New York Times. 20 Nov. 2000. Web. 8 Aug. 2013. Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. New York: Pantheon Books, 1994. Print. Sontag, Susan. “Directions: Write, Read, Rewrite. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 as Needed.” New York Times. 18 Dec. 2000. Web. 30 Nov. 2009.
I think that the good novelist tries to provide his reader with vivid depictions of certain crucial and abiding patterns of human existence. This he attempts to do by reducing the chaos of human experience to artistic form. And when successful he provides the reader with a fresh vision of reality. For then through the symbolic action of his characters and plot he enables the reader to share forms of experience not immediately his own. And thus the reader is able to recognize the meaning and value of the presented experience as a whole. (Kostelanetz 10)
The process on how to be a great novelist was not proclaimed, though it was distributed within the movie. The messages that she sent across, in the most passive aggressive way, could potentially aid future writers. The writing process is not difficult, it is just tedious because there are steps and if you endure an issue, like writers block, it can be solved by putting your mind at ease. Also, creating an interesting plot, in the outline, with extravagant detail will add to the spices of your work. Therefore, Karen Eiffel explained the writing process to the audience with complete discretion because she discussed writer’s block, plot, and outlines without boldly stating them. Anyone can be an extraordinary writer by facilitating the basic procedures of becoming such. Pick up a pencil and follow the
Writing has incessantly been a struggle throughout my short life. Within writing, everyone possesses the entirety of tools needed to produce greatness, but many lack in the manufacturing of the product. You may have the greatest ideas for novels and short stories, though be unable to truly express yourself within the confines of only words. This precise issue faces me on a daily basis. All these exceptional visions spinning in my mind, yet I have not been able to master the art of putting these visions onto paper. However, I do admit I have grown as a writer over this single semester, and have major goals set for myself, not only as a writer but also in my career field.
Melissa Duffy’s essay titled, “Inspiration” is an excellent example of how a someone’s attitude toward a certain subject influences their performance. As I read, it dawned on me that the approach our teachers take in teaching us have an immense influence on our attitude towards it. If a teacher does not give their students guidance and support, their chances of success become limited. Teachers have to implement guidance into their students in order for them to truly learn and become motivated. In my belief, Duffy tells her story of “Inspiration” in a periodical format to lie out the moments in time that shaped her as a writer. Melissa Duffy’s positive attitude towards writing stemmed from feelings of support and guidance that she had initially received from two of her high school teachers and a friend who inspired her as a writer.
After the checking of the seven elements of writing, a writer can proceed by finding the potential and alternatives of the work. This is the stage where Murray emphasizes the fact that writers began to “mutter and whisper” as well as edit line by line (229). By doing this they began to see their strengths as how they can make it even stronger. Yet this may seem as the concluding stage, it’s not always
...on to produce novels. But authors cannot just write whatever it comes to their mind, they have to image what interest their readers might have. As stated by Swerdlow, writers often have to prompt other people to think as they read “It’s something that you must do even if you do not have the leisure of being in prison. To write, you must work methodically, forming your thoughts and prompting other people to think as they read. Writing requires work at both ends. That’s what makes writing special” (42). Subsequently, writing is not an easy task by any means, but it helps us express important aspects of our persona.
While the difficulties in teaching students not only to be good writers, but also to enjoy writing are easy to complain about, they are not immediately changeable. Consequently, as a teacher of young writers, one must find a way to make the system work. Ross Borden found a way with me, and I feel I have found a way with many of my students, but not all of them. So I continue to read, and I continue to write, and I continue to teach, though I also continue to struggle with the many problems surrounding the field.
In William Faulkner’s “Speech Accepting the Nobel Prize in Literature,” he asserted, “It is his privilege to help man endure by lifting his heart, by reminding him of the courage and honor and hope and pride and compassion and pity and sacrifice which have been the glory of his past” (Faulkner). Humans, by nature, are capable of achieving the unimaginable. However, individuals often do not believe very strongly in this ability. While they possess the potential, many people do not have enough determination to reach toward their goals and “not merely endure: prevail” (Faulkner). As expressed by Faulkner, writers hold the duty to motivate their readers in an optimistic way. Although many individuals believe that the “writer’s duty” is primarily
There are many aspects for my mind to conceive while reading the articles why I write by George Orwell and Joan Didion. There are many different factors in triggering an author’s imagination to come up with what they want to write, and why they want to write it. In most writings a purpose is not found before the writer writes, but often found after they decide to start writing.
The obstacles that Welty and King faced are in diametric opposition -- not only were the challenges different, but the types of challenges differ. Welty’s greatest demon was a form of internal conflict: self-inhibition. Becoming an author takes confidence, and that can be difficult, even crippling, if one has self doubt. Since writing is a reflective form of art, writers are forced to express themselves on the page, even if that means digging up rotten memories, revealing traumatic experiences, or exposing insecurities. Welty says “I am a
Hairston Maxine. " College Writing ." College Composition and Communication 43.2. University of Texas, 1992
Bradstreet, Anne. "The Author to her Book." An Introduction to Poetry. Ed. X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. 13th ed. New York: Longman, 2010. 21. Print.
... the utmost greatest gift of words, but lacks the ability to communicate them on its own. Therefore, it searches out, and then enters into different people at different times to use them as its muse in order to satisfy its unending desire to tell its tales. We who write are its tool and we become enamored, and feel its frustration, then sympathize to then be possessed by its desire. We then come to be consumed and compelled to gift to the “writer” our own words and give it some peace unto its thwarted soul. Good writing is simply to allow yourself to be used in that fashion.
I am going to die before I finish this! A lot of people have trouble writing papers and often think that saying. But, there are certain things one must follow to write a proper paper. There are steps to make writing a paper much easier. The writing process and basic structure of an essay help create a proper paper for school such as an Investigative Research Paper.
In the twelve years I was in school, I learn three forms of writing, essay, letters, and stories. My favorite form of writing is creative writing. My least favorite is writing a letter. The reason I prefer creative writing over the other, form is because I have the freedom to make up anything. The reason I dislike writing letter is because many letters have different formats. For example, I can’t uses the friendly letter format on a business letter; I would have to use block format. Even though I prefer creative writing, my most commonly used skill is to write essays. Though, I may find essay writing a chore, I still prefer it over letter writing. Among these books I still read The Odyssey and Macbeth, for inspiration.