After reading R.D. Walshe's article, The Learning Power of Writing, I took a moment to really think about how this new writing process thingy he (it's a he right?) was talking about through the text related to my own personal way of writing. After much contemplation, I decided I am way too "old school". For me, every paper or essay I write for class goes through the same process: I research, I sit and stare at a blank screen for a solid ten minutes, I type an introductory paragraph, and from there I let the words pour out. I don't write a conclusion right away because, as stated in my previous blog post, I despise them. Instead, I come back the next day, re-read the entire thing and then write a conclusion. I am stubborn in the fact that I refuse to give up on a paper if the words don't come to me right away. I often times force them out...which definitely is not a good thing. I refuse to go to bed at night, whether there is a deadline or not, if I haven't gotten through the majority of the paper. It's a bad habit and process that I should probably break.
Walshe nails it when he writes on page 25 that the notion of "process" is often degraded to three cookbook steps between topic and product. I am a total victim of this... I have a definite process for each paper I write, and as of now, I am stuck there. I can't find a way out, and it gets very frustrating. There has to be a better way to write a good paper that doesn't make me despise the act of doing it. I hate how methodical writing an essay is, and I am hoping that someday I'll break my "old school" traditions and find a new process that accomplishes the ever-present task as an English major of writing essays.
This has nothing to do with what I just talked about, but I think it's awesome! If any of you haven't seen this boy sing, check it out! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqMixeRhGfg
I would be hesitant to call you an "old" anything Jenny, but I do think that we are all capable of learning new tricks. It's just a matter of recognizing those bad habits and chipping away at them. I'm right there with you on writing papers, but sadly I just don't think there's a holy grail-like answer for writers like us. As long as we stay reflective and keep motivated to learn new methods we'll get it one of these days.
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily agree that having a process is a bad way to write. What is it but process when we sit down in our favorite coffeeshop, pull out our favorite black #2 pencil, and begin to scratch our way through another leather-bound notebook?
ReplyDeleteHowever, I think you nail it when you identify your worsening attitude towards writing with your 'stale' process. When something works, why fix it, but when something is not working, or is discouraging us from even trying, then we have to come up with a new tack.
I hope you find the experimentation and method you are looking for; I hope that you don't burn out on writing essays; I hope that there's something in this class that you'll be able to take away for yourself.
I definitely know what you mean when you say you are stuck in the same old writing process, as i am pretty much the same way. Breaking bad habits can be difficult to do but just keep working at it. I watched that video and found myself watching countless youtube videos before I remember I was supposed to be commenting on blogs!
ReplyDeleteEssays are, for the most part, an exercise in a traditional, worn process. We must write a certain way to appeal to the rubric that governs their quality. If you have a process for writing them and it works, I'd probably stick with it. It's unfortunate, but don't forget that there are other ways to write that are fun.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree. I am the same way when I write essays. I'm not totally sure if I follow the five paragraph format, but I do know that I that I always have a thesis, the body paragraphs, and a conclusion. It's a hard process to break, especially when we have all been doing it for so long.
ReplyDelete