In this story, we discover the helpful writing skills from three very different writers. Don Murray talks about how to properly teach writing in his article “Teaching Writing as a Process Not a Product” . Mary Karr discusses the beauty of revision in “Against Vanity; In praise of Revision” . Anne Lammot thinks other views on your work can help you grow as a writer in “Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life” .
Walking along the beach, watching the ocean waves crash to the shore, I step farther and father from my work. I’m a writer, today I had a genius idea to finish writing my book at the beach. The beach is the worst place for a procrastinator. All I want to do is lay back and float in the ocean. The waves of work swallow me up instead. I notice that there's only a few people on the beach, when the wind rips my writing out of my hand. I run and chase after my crummy work, and find it landed next to a very round man wearing a gold speedo. At the exact moment the paper landed next to him, he decided to flip over to get an even tan on his back as well, crushing the paper with the weight of his belly. ”Excuse me!” I say politely But the speedo man can’t hear me through his blaring headphone. I try screaming a little louder, all of a sudden a woman going for a run on the beach nocks into me. I fall face first on the sweaty mans back and am covered in all different types of oil and sweat. Another lady comes over and asks if were all alright, and tries to help us all up. When we all get ourselves in order, we exchange our greetings, and soon find out we are all on the beach for the same reason: Procrastinating writing. I ask the sweaty speedo man, whose name is Don, on how to properly understand the process of writing, he replies “ What is the process we should teach? It is the process of discovery through language.It is the process of exploration of what we should know and what we feel about what we know through language.It is the process of using language to learn about our world, to evaluate what we learn about our world, to communicate what we learn about our world” I take this in, and after a long awkward silence I finally say “Sometimes I don’t know what I feel until I use language” Anne Lammot responds saying “Because writing for some of us, the latch that keeps the door of the pen closed, the ravenous dogs contained.” Her wise words sink into my skin like the sea salt air. I ask them if my use of language even matters, if my effort is just a waste of space and time. “None of us can ever know the value of our lives, or how our separate and silent. scribbling may add to the amenity of the world, if only by how radically it changes us, one and by one.” says Mary. Don adds “ He uses language to reveal the truth to himself so that he can tell it to others” We all take this in to account, even though everyone Don is talking to is a “she” not a “he”. “Sometimes I’m self conscious about my writing. Most of the words I decide to put together are private. It feels good and strange to have someone else read my subconscious writing.” I say Mary Karr replies “the self consciousness that hits them weighs them down. It’s like trying to dance with armor strapped on, bulky and awkward.” “That's how I feel, bulky and awkward, like the Hulk in flip-flops.” I say Anne slaps me in the face with her words of wisdom and says “You don't have to see where you're going, you don't have to see your destination or everything you will pass along the way” I tell her she’s right. Instead of whining about my insecurities in front of three fantastic writers, I should ask more questions to help my work. I ask them the secret of writing “Revision is the secret to their troubles —and yours.” says Mary Karr, she goes on by saying “Remind yourself that revising proves your care for the reader and the nature of your ambition. The point is to have more curiosity about possible forms the work could take than sense of self protection for your ego.” I tell Mary I don’t have time to revise! That my book is due at 11:59 today and I have a half hour left! Don says “ Instead of teaching finished writing, we should teach unfinishedwriting, and glory in its unfinishedness.” Maybe Dons right, maybe someone can understand my unfinished piece in all of it’s unfinished glory. Anne Lammot screams “I don’t think you have the time to waste not writing because you are afraid you are not good enough at it!” At that I give them all sweaty hugs and run back to my book.
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-Angelina-
I will use this blog as an outlet for my ideas and emotions. |